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Effect of Diethylstilbestrol Implantation on Carcass Composition and the Weight of Certain Endocrine Glands of Steers and Bulls^{1, 2,}

Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Columbus

Abstract

Forty Hereford cattle were allotted to four groups of 10 head each. These lots consisted of steers, implanted steers, bulls and implanted bulls. The subcutaneous implantation in the ear of 84 mg. of diethylstilbestrol was made at the beginning of the feeding period and again 84 days later.

Treatment of steers lowered the carcass grade; treatment of bulls produced carcasses of higher grade. From the implanted cattle slightly heavier pituitary glands and significantly heavier adrenal glands were obtained. Thyroid glands of the implanted bulls were significantly lighter in weight than the same gland of the untreated bulls but treatment of steers had little effect on the weight of this gland. Measurement of the lumbo-sacral angle gave evidence that treatment made this angle much more acute.

Implanting of bulls increased the percentage of fat while the reverse appeared to be true in the case of the steers. In comparison, the 76.7% edible portion found in bull carcasses was lowered to 75.0% in the carcasses from treated bulls. Implantation raised the edible portion from 69.9% in the untreated steers to 72.0% in the treated steers. Measurement of the cross section area of the longissimus dorsi muscle correlated directly with the edible portion data. An organoleptic test at 13 days post-mortem indicated only slight differences in tenderness.

¹ From a dissertation presented by V. R. Cahill to the Graduate School of The Ohio State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. Degree, 1955.

² Approved for publication by the Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 5–56.