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Effect of Currently-Used Growth Promotants upon Skeletal Maturation of Beef Steers¹

Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to determine the effect that currently-used growth promotants, such as implants of diethylstilbestrol, Synovex, Ralgro or Rapigain, had upon physiological age of beef carcasses. Physiological age was measured by the degree of ossification as determined by ashing of the cartilagenous tip of the spinous process of the first thoracic vertebrae. In the first trial, yearling steers with an initial weight of 309 kg and a final weight of 484 kg had significantly less cartilage ash than steers with an initial and final weight of 352 and 524 kg, respectively. There was no significant difference in cartilage ash due to treatment although the growth promotants stimulated significantly greater average daily gains resulting in heavier carcasses than the controls. In the second trial, steer calves weighing 192 kg were implanted initially and again after 112 days and slaughtered at 445 kilograms. There were significant differences in cartilage ash. Rapigain had less ash than the controls and Synovex while diethylstilbestrol has less ash than the controls. These differences were apparent although average daily gains and degree of finish were quite similar.

¹ Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper No. 3896.

² Department of Animal Science.

³ Columbia Basin Research Center, Hermiston, Oregon 97838.