HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cartwright, T. C. Articles by Cover, S. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Cartwright, T. C. Articles by Cover, S.

The Relationship of Ration and Inheritance to Certain Production and Carcass Characteristics of Yearling Steers¹

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station

Abstract

THE variation in market price of steers is associated with the market value of the carcasses which in turn are valued according to their presumed eating qualities. There is a dearth of reported data concerning the variables affecting eating quality of beef; therefore, breeders have no proven selection criteria for improving the eating quality of beef. To understand more fully the relationship of the eating quality of beef to ration, inheritance and other influences, it is necessary to understand the relationship of these variables to each other. The data reported by Cover et al. (1957) were suitable for giving evidence of some of these inter-relationships.

Materials and Methods

Available for study were 18 Hereford steers and 20 F₁ (Brahman sires x Hereford dams) steers born on the McGregor Station. They were treated similarly until after weaning when equal numbers of each breed or cross were self-fed a high-concentrate and a low-concentrate ration in the feed lot for a period consisting of 14 days adjustment, 140 days test and 13 to 16 days holding after the test before slaughter.

¹ The animal and carcass work is cooperative with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and is a part of S-10 Southern Regional Beef Cattle Breeding Project.

² Associate Animal Husbandman and Geneticist, Substation 23, McGregor; Head, Department of Animal Husbandry, College Station; and Professor, Department of Home Economics, College Station, respectively.