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The Influence of Size and Type on Growth and Development of Cattle¹

University of Nevada²

Abstract

Thirty-five "conventional" Hereford and 39 Holstein steers were used to study the influence of size and type on growth, development, feed lot performance and carcass characteristics of cattle. Since the two types of cattle were of different breeds, the possibility that part of the observed differences were, in fact, breed differences cannot be conclusively eliminated. There is, however, no evidence of any "breed effect," other than size. On the basis of these data, and under the conditions of this study, it appears reasonable to conclude that, at a given weight or age, animals of larger mature size will gain more rapidly on less feed than animals of smaller mature size. Further, carcasses of the larger animals will contain a higher proportion of bone and muscle, and a lower proportion of fat. Differences in percent of the various wholesale cuts are small.

Although these data are not sufficiently extensive to warrant broad generalizations, they suggest important implications in interpreting data from rate and economy of gain tests.

¹ This work is in cooperation with the Animal and Poultry Husbandry Research Branch, A.R.S., U.S.D.A., under Western Regional Project W-1 on beef cattle breeding research. It was also supported by a grant from the Sears-Roebuck Foundation.

² Departments of Animal Husbandry and Newlands Field Station, Reno and Fallon, Nevada, respectively.