Examination of Growth from Weaning Through Harvest and Beef Quality Parameters of Early Versus Traditionally Weaned Beef Cattle
Examination of Growth from Weaning Through Harvest and Beef Quality Parameters of Early Versus Traditionally Weaned Beef Cattle

Author: Denise McNamara

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13:

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One hundred-and-forty Angus X Gelbvieh and purebred Angus steers were randomly assigned to a 2 x 2 factorial split-plot design. Steers were sorted by age, sire and farm and randomized into four treatment groups. Steers were early weaned (EW; averaged 90 d of age) or traditionally weaned (TW; averaged 210 d of age) and implanted or non-implanted. Ultrasound measurements for ribeye area, 12th rib fat thickness and marbling were collected every 28-d while the cattle were on feed. On a days of age basis, EW calves had higher ultrasonic ribeye area (USREA) and ultrasonic 12th rib back fat (USBF) measurements than TW calves, most likely due to calf age difference. Early weaned calves had higher body weights at the time of TW, most likely due to being on a high concentrate diet for 115 d prior to TW calves. Early weaned calves spent more time on feed than TW animals to reach market weight. Early weaned calves had heavier hot carcass weights and higher USDA marbling scores. More EW animals reached an USDA quality grade of Choice or better. No differences were seen in ribeye area, 12th rib back fat thickness, or liver abscess scores between the EW and TW animals collected at harvest. A subsample of 24 cattle grown to different ages revealed younger animals had more tender shear forces after 14 d of postmortem aging; however no differences were found after 21 d of aging. Standard deviations showed more uniformity of tenderness in the younger, early weaned cattle versus the older, traditional weaned cattle.

Animal Sciences
Animal Sciences

Author: John R. Campbell

Publisher: Waveland Press

Published: 2009-12-24

Total Pages: 531

ISBN-13: 1478608218

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This textbook is intended as a comprehensive introduction to the biology, care, and production of domestic animals and freshwater sh raised to provide food, as well as pets kept for companionship and recreation. The authors teaching and research experiences in agriculture, animal and dairy sciences, and veterinary medicine provide the professional expertise that underpins the clearly written discussions of advances in animal sciences affecting humans globally. Coverage includes breeds and life cycles of livestock and poultry; nutritional contributions of animal products to humans; the principles of animal genetics, anatomy, and physiology including reproduction, lactation and growth; animal disease and public health; and insects and their biological control. Each chapter stands on its own. Instructors can assign higher priority to certain chapters and arrange topics for study in keeping with their preferred course outlines. The text has been classroom-tested for four decades in more than 100 colleges and universities at home and abroad. Additionally, it is pedagogically enhanced with glossary terms in boldface type, study questions at the end of each chapter, more than 350 illustrations, and historical and philosophical quotations. These useful features aid students in comprehending scientic concepts as well as enjoying the pleasures derived from learning more about food-producing animals, horses, and popular pets.

Weaning Age and Source of Energy Influence Beef Cattle Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Economics
Weaning Age and Source of Energy Influence Beef Cattle Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Economics

Author: William T. Meteer

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Angus and Angus x Simmental calves (n=200) were randomly allotted to one of five dietary treatments at two locations: Early Wean Starch Diet (EWS), Early Wean Fiber Diet (EWF), Creep Fed Starch Diet (CFS), Creep Fed Fiber Diet (CFF), or Control (CON). Control calves were normal weaned and received no supplemental feed while they grazed with their dams. The diets fed to early-weaned and creep-fed cattle were formulated to be isonitrogenous. Early-weaned calves (133±21 days of age) were placed in the feedlot, while normal-weaned calves remained with their dams on pasture (2 or 3 replications per location). Creep feed was offered ad-libitum to CFS and CFF. After a 100 d treatment phase, calves were placed in the feedlot on a common diet. GrowSafe® was used to measure individual intake of all calves in the feedlot. In the treatment phase, early-weaned gained more than creep-fed (1.6 vs. 1.5 kg, P

Indicators of milk and beef quality
Indicators of milk and beef quality

Author: J.F. Hocquette

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2023-08-28

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 9086865372

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"The farming and agri-food sectors are faced with an increasing demand by consumers for high-quality products. The current major questions are thus how to define quality, and how to increase the quality of animal products to satisfy these new requirements. This is the reason why the Cattle Commission of the European Association of Animal Production (EAAP) organised a specific session on this topic at its Annual Meeting which was held in Bled (Slovenia) in September 2004. This session dealt with the manipulation and evaluation of bovine milk and meat composition and quality with various indicators (commercial, physical, biochemical, molecular or other). These indicators are any method, biological trait, or physical property which may be useful to predict a quality trait. Quality includes sensory traits, nutritional properties of products, their ability to be processed and also any consideration about traceability (genetic, geographic or nutritional traceability). Thus, the full spectrum of quality attributes are discussed. Indicators may also be considered as predictors. In this respect, contributors discussed the detection early in life of the ability of animals to produce meat or milk of high quality. Indicators may also be useful for consumers when they buy meat or milk as official or commercial signs of quality. All the review papers and the short communications which were presented in this session will be in this EAAP publication entitled ""Indicators of milk and beef quality"". Additional papers either presented in 2003 in the EAAP Annual Meeting or from invited authors were added to complete the publication."

A Comparison of the Effects of Three Different Weaning Methods on Performance and Behavior of Beef Calves
A Comparison of the Effects of Three Different Weaning Methods on Performance and Behavior of Beef Calves

Author: Lucas P. Thompson

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 90

ISBN-13:

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To assess the effects three different weaning methods have on beef calves' weight gain and behavior, 339 Angus and Angus-cross calves were weaned in 5 trials over 2 years. In each trial calves were equally divided into 3 weaning method treatments: traditional weaning, interval weaning, and fence-line weaning. Behavioral observations began on day 1 and continued to day 5 and included the observation of eating, drinking, walking, standing and lying down behaviors as well as the measurement of the amount of vocalizations emitted by each treatment group. Weights were obtained on days 0, 7, 14, and 28 and average daily gain (ADG) as well as cumulative weight gain was calculated for each period. Fence-line weaned calves vocalized more than interval weaned calves in the evenings (P = 0.02) but no other significant differences were seen. Interval weaned calves were observed eating more than traditionally weaned calves (P = 0.001). Fence-line calves did not differ from the other 2 groups in eating behavior. Traditionally weaned calves spent more time walking than interval weaned calves (P = 0.007). Fence-line weaned calves did not differ from traditionally weaned calves in walking behavior except on days 2 and 3 when they walked less (P = 0.0001 for day 2, P = 0.01 for day 3). Fence-line and interval weaned calves did not differ in walking behavior. Fence-line weaned calves spent more time lying down than traditionally weaned calves (P = 0.006) but no difference was seen between interval weaned calves and the other 2 groups. Fence-line weaned calves did not differ from the other 2 treatments for weight gain data. Interval weaned calves had a greater ADG on week 1 than traditionally weaned calves (P = 0.0003) but traditionally weaned calves had a greater ADG for week 2 than interval weaned calves (P = 0.002). For cumulative weight gain, interval weaned calves had greater weight gain than traditionally weaned calves for the 0 through 7 day period but weight gain did not differ between any of the three treatments for the 0 through 14 day period or the 0 through 28 day period. It was concluded that fence-line weaning provided minimal benefits to calf behavior during weaning and no benefits to weight gain compared to traditional weaning where as interval weaning provided benefits to behavior and weight gain during the first week of weaning compared to traditionally weaning making it a likely candidate to replace traditional weaning especially when calves are marketed the week after weaning occurs.