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 Arthaud, R. L. Articles by Arthaud, V. H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Arthaud, R. L. Articles by Arthaud, V. H.

The Relationship of Certain Blood Constituents to Rate and Economy of Gain in Beef Cattle

The United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln^,2,3,

Abstract

Glucose, sulfhydryl and hemoglobin levels, hematocrit values, and circulating eosinophil and erythrocyte counts were determined for beef bulls at two intervals in each of two years during 168-day feeding tests subsequent to weaning. Averages of the correlations between each blood constituent and each of two performance traits were obtained. The average correlations between total gain and individual blood constituents varied from —0.14 (with circulating eosinophils) to 0.17 (with blood sugar level). The average correlations between efficiency of feed use and individual blood constituents were in the range —0.19 (with hemoglobin) to 0.33 (with circulating eosinophil count). None of the individual blood constituents was an accurate indicator of these two performance traits.

Multiple correlation analysis showed that 33% of the variation in total gain was accounted for by variations in the six blood constituents measured at the start of the test, plus variations in age and initial weight. Various combinations of the blood constituents were only slightly more accurate as indicators of total gain than first 28-day period gain. First period gain was associated with 20% of the variation in total gain and 42% of the variation in efficiency of feed use.

¹ Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (R.L.A.); Dairy Husbandry Department, (A.B.S.) and Animal Husbandry Department (R.K. and V.H.A.), University of Nebraska.

² Contribution from the North Central Regional Project NC-1, which is cooperative between the Agricultural Research Service U. S. Department of Agriculture, the North Central and Oklahoma State Agricultural Experiment Stations.

³ Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 893, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.