Table 8.
Effect of management system on closeout carcass characteristics of yearling feedlot control steers (FLT), yearling steers grazing perennial pasture (PST), or yearling steers grazing annual forage (ANN)
| Treatments1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement | PST | ANN | FLT | SEM2 | Trt8 (P value)9 |
| HCW, kg | 387.6 | 385.9 | 351.4 | 8.01 | 0.076 |
| LMA, cm2, 3 | 84.9 | 81.7 | 76.2 | 5.30 | 0.094 |
| BF depth, cm4 | 1.34 | 1.31 | 0.87 | 0.188 | 0.282 |
| Marbling score5 | 523.0 | 536.0 | 487.5 | 77.44 | 0.18 |
| USDA YG6 | 3.03 | 2.90 | 2.23 | 0.413 | 0.438 |
| QG, percent choice or greater7 | 83.3 | 87.5 | 63.4 | 12.71 | 0.467 |
1PST = crested wheatgrass and native range; ANN = crested wheatgrass, native range, field pea–barley, and unharvested corn; FLT = feedlot control.
2SEM of the least squares mean (n = 3 replications/yr).
3LMA = LM area in cm2.
4BF = backfat.
5Marbling score: 400 = small; 500 = modest; 600 moderate.
6USDA YG = USDA yield grade.
7QG, percent C = quality grade.
8Trt = treatment.
9Means with P ≤ 0.05 differ significantly.