COMPENSATORY GROWTH OF BEEF CATTLE RESTRICTED AT TWO ENERGY LEVELS FOR TWO PERIODS

Abstract

Ninety Hereford steer calves averaging 212 kg in body weight were divided into six groups and fed an all-concentrate diet until marketing. One group was full fed; the other groups were restricted in amounts of feed for 12 or 24 wk at a low (L) or medium (M) level and then placed on full feed. The full-fed steers required 230 days to reach a market weight of 489 kg; the steers on restricted feed for 12 or 24 wk compensated by higher rates of gain when placed on full feed but still required a longer time to reach market weight. The amount of feed eaten during the entire feeding period was similar in all groups. Restricted steers had a lower dressing percentage and tended to have less backfat per unit of carcass weight than the full-fed steers but all had the same area of rib eye. Sixty percent of the carcasses graded commercial-3 in the full-fed group, 36% in the M-12 group, 43% in the L-12 group, 13% in the M-24 group, and 7% in each of the L-24 and L-12-M-12 groups. The remainder of the carcasses graded choice.