J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1958. 17:649-655.
© 1958 American Society of Animal Science
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Some Factors Affecting Carcass Grade in Steers1

W. T. Magee, R. H. Nelson, G. A. Branaman, L. J. Bratzler and A. M. Pearson

Michigan State University,2, 3, East Lansing

Abstract

Data from 62 yearling Hereford and Angus steers which were fed 180 days or longer and managed alike throughout their life were used in the first part of the study. In these data, gain had a larger direct effect than age, final weight, or area of loin eye on the carcass grade of the steers, accounting for 0.11 of variation in carcass grade. All the factors taken together accounted for 0.34 of the variation in carcass grade. The direct effect of area of loin eye on carcass grade was small, 0.0016, and negative. However, the correlation between area of loin eye and carcass grade was positive, 0.20, because area of loin eye was positively correlated with age, final weight, and gain, and each of these was positively associated with carcass grade. Carcass grade was more highly correlated with final weight (correlation coefficient equaled 0.52) than with any of the other variables.

Data from 42 older and larger Hereford steers fed 98 days were also analyzed. In these data, only final weight had a significant direct effect on carcass grade, accounting for 0.11 of the variation. Age of the individual steers was not known.

Heritability estimates were obtained for carcass grade and area of loin eye using data from the Hereford steers mentioned in the first part. The estimates indicate that heritability is low for carcass grade and high for area of the loin eye.

Footnotes

1 Journal Article No. 2178 from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

2 Department of Animal Husbandry.

3 This study was conducted in cooperation with the North Central Regional Project NC-1, The Improvement of Beef Cattle Through Breeding Methods.






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