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Finishing Beef Cattle for Slaughter on All-Forage Diets

Coast Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia 31794

Abstract

Thirty-two crossbred calves (223 kg) and 36 crossbred yearlings (306 kg) were finished for slaughter with either a conventional high-energy diet or an all-forage diet to study the feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and economic feasibility of each system. Steers fed the high-energy diet gained 2.97 lb (1.35 kg) daily (P < .05) and steers fed the all-forage diet gained 2.33 lb (1.06 kg) daily. Average daily gains of steer calves and yearlings were similar when fed the all-forage diet. However, average gain for yearlings was 8% faster (P > .05) than for calves when fed the high-energy diet. Steers fed the high-energy diet dressed out about 7.5% more (P < .05) carcass, had more marbling (P < .05), higher yield grades (P < .05) and more fat covering over the rib eye (P < .05) than steers fed the all-forage diet. Carcass grades of steers in all groups averaged medium to high good. Under the conditions of these trials, finishing steers of both age groups was more profitable when an all-forage diet was fed.

¹ Department of Animal Science.

² Agriculture Engineers, Ga. —S.C. Area, A.R.S., U.S.D.A.

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