Table 3.

Effect of different grain inclusion (GI) rates in diets provided to early-weaned calves and steroidal implants (SI) utilization on the carcass characteristics of beef steers

Item	Treatmenta				SEMb	P-values
	Hi/Imp	Hi/NI	Lo/Imp	Lo/NI		GI	SI	GI*SI
n	30	30	31	30
HCWc, kg	380	384	391	390	6.7	0.18	0.86	0.71
LM aread, cm2	94.9	92.5	97.2	96.3	2.3	0.10	0.37	0.65
12th rib fat, cm	1.90b	2.25a	1.96b	1.89b	0.10	0.09	0.13	0.03
MSe	664	681	662	680	23	0.92	0.37	0.96
KPHf, %	2.71	2.76	2.73	2.79	0.08	0.72	0.47	0.99
YGg	3.4b	3.8a	3.4b	3.4b	0.1	0.14	0.06	0.10
QGh	6.3	6.5	6.2	6.3	0.2	0.49	0.52	0.76

Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05; and tendencies were declared at P > 0.05 and P ≤ 0.10.

^a,bWithin a row, means without a common superscript differ.

^aSteers fed early weaning diets with greater inclusion rate of grain with (Hi/Imp) or without (Hi/NI) being subsequently implanted, and steers fed early weaning diets with lesser inclusion rate of grain with (Lo/Imp) or without (Lo/NI) being subsequently implanted.

^bPooled standard error of treatments means.

^cHot carcass weight.

^d Longissimus muscle area.

^eMarbling score; scale: 400 to 490 = slight, 500 to 590 = small, 600 to 690 = modest, 700 to 790 = moderate, 800 to 890 = slightly abundant.

^fKidney-pelvic-heart fat.

^gYield grade.

^hQuality grade: 4 = Select, 5 = Low choice, 6 = Average choice, 7 = High choice.