Effects of Sex Class, a Combined Androgen and Estrogen Implant, and Pasture Supplementation on Growth and Carcass Performance and Meat Quality of Zebu-Type Grass-Fed Cattle
Nelson Huerta-Leidenz,
Nancy Jerez-Timaure,
Jhones Onorino Sarturi,
Mindy M. Brashears,
Markus F. Miller,
Alexis Moya,
Susmira Godoy
Affiliations
Nelson Huerta-Leidenz
International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 42141, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Nancy Jerez-Timaure
Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
Jhones Onorino Sarturi
International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 42141, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Mindy M. Brashears
International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 42141, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Markus F. Miller
International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 42141, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Forty-seven Zebu calves were used to determine the effects of class (bull or steer), supplementation (SUPPL, a poultry litter-based supplement or mineral supplementation), and implant (20 mg estradiol combined with 120 mg of trenbolone acetate or no implant) on growth and carcass performance and beef eating quality. The average daily gain (ADG) of implanted cattle significantly increased for steers, but not for bulls. The SUPPL treatment increased ADG by 8.63% from day 0 to end, and shortened in 73.3 d the time to reach 480 kg BW (p p p p p p > 0.05) shear force or sensory ratings. The supplementation improved key growth performance traits while it adversely affected tenderness-related sensory traits. The implant enhanced the rate of gain of steers only, without improving cut-out yields or inducing adverse effects on palatability traits in both steers and bulls.
