Table 2.

Characterization of feed intake, performance, feed efficiency, ultrasonic measurements and carcass output in finishing beef cattle ranked for residual methane emissions, sex, and genotype

			RME ranking1				Sex			Genotype
Traits2	Mean3	SD4	High, n = 84	Medium, n = 114	Low, n = 84	SEM5	Steers, n = 128	Heifers, n = 154	SEM5	Late, n = 219	Early, n = 63	SEM5	P-value, RME ranking	P-value, sex	P-value, genotype
Performance
Initial weight, kg	475. 7	67.3	472.9	477.4	473.2	8.51	492.3a	456. 7b	10.3	482.8a	466.2b	8.0	0.82	0.02	0.04
Metabolic body weight, kg	111.1	10.8	111.2	111.5	110.7	1.43	114.2a	108.1b	1.8	112.3	110.1	1.4	0.83	0.02	0.09
Final weight, kg	594.9	74.3	599.0	598.8	592.2	11.74	617.2	576.2	15.1	602.4	590.9	11.4	0.70	0.06	0.19
Average daily gain, kg	1.4	0.3	1.4	1.4	1.3	0.05	1.4	1.3	0.1	1.3a	1.4b	0.1	0.17	0.34	0.04
Feed intake and efficiency
Dry matter intake, kg/d	10.29	1.46	10.56	10.29	10.26	0.19	10.52	10.22	0.22	10.21	10.53	0.18	0.29	0.36	0.1
G:F, kg	0.13	0.02	0.14	0.13	0.13	0.00	0.14	0.13	0.01	0.13	0.13	0.00	0.21	0.55	0.69
RFI, kg DM/d	0.00	0.77	0.16	0.03	0.10	0.09	0.00	0.20	0.08	-0.08a	0.28b	0.08	0.48	0.12	<0.01
Ultrasonic measurements
Fat depth, mm	5.1	1.9	5.5	5.7	5.6	0.4	4.9	6.3	0.5	4.5a	6.7b	0.4	0.58	0.06	<0.0001
Muscle depth, mm	76.0	7.4	74.5	75.8	75.4	1.6	76.1	74.4	2.2	78.4a	72.1b	1.6	0.32	0.60	<0.0001
Intramuscular fat, %	6.0	1.4	6.2	6.5	6.3	0.3	6.5	6.2	0.4	5.8a	6.9b	0.3	0.22	0.64	<0.0001
Carcass characteristics
Carcass weight, kg	333.1	44.0	328.2	334.7	331.8	7.5	345.6a	317.6b	9.9	340.5a	322.7b	7.3	0.46	0.04	<0.001

¹High, RME was >0.5 SD above the mean; medium, RME was ±0.5 SD above and below the mean; low, RME was >−0.5 SD below the mean.

²G:F, gain to feed ratio; RFI, residual feed intake.

³Overall trait mean.

⁴Overall trait standard deviation.

⁵SEM, pooled standard error.

^a,bLeast squares means within main effect and a row with different superscripts differ.