Table 7.
Carcass characteristics of steers weaned abruptly (A, 237 d age), after 7-d placement of a nose flap prior to weaning (N, 237 d age), or after a delay of 49 d (D, 286 d age) with standard errors (SEM)
| Parameter | A (SEM) | N (SEM) | D (SEM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dressing percentage, % | 60.0 (0.30) | 60.1 (0.37) | 60.5 (0.29) |
| Adjusted end weight, kg* | 636.6 (8.3) | 626.8 (10.3) | 618.8 (8.1) |
| Back fat, cm | 1.37 (0.03) | 1.58 (0.04) | 1.49 (0.03) |
| Kidney, pelvic, heart fat, % | 2.03 (0.09) | 2.06 (0.13) | 2.08 (0.09) |
| Ribeye area, cm2 | 92.7 (1.42)b | 90.2 (1.88)a,b | 87.0 (1.40)a |
| Yield grade | 2.90 (0.09)a | 3.19 (0.12)a,b | 3.22 (0.09)b |
| Marbling score† | 5.44 (0.17) | 5.55 (0.23) | 5.83 (0.17) |
| Quality grade‡ | 17.00 (0.21) | 16.91 (0.27) | 17.31 (0.20) |
a,b Values without common superscripts differ (P < 0.05).
*Adjusted end weight = hot carcass weight/mean dressing percentage.
†Marbling score: 5 = small amount, 6 = modest amount.
‡Quality score 16 = select, 17 = low choice, 18 = average choice.