Carcass and non-carcass component yields of trenbolone acetate + estradiol-17β implanted steers vs. non-implanted steers across serial harvest endpoints

Abstract

ObjectiveWe investigated incremental growth of carcass and non-carcass components and tissue partitioning of implanted or non-implanted steers. Materials and MethodsSteers (n = 80; 271 ± 45 kg) were paired and randomized to harvest date (d 0, 42, 84, 126, 168, 210, 252, 294, 336, or 378), and individuals within pairs were randomized to CON (negative control) or REV (Revalor-XS, Merck Animal Health, on d 0 and 190) treatments. Non-carcass components were removed, cleaned, and weighed. Growth coefficients were calculated using the allometric equation Y = bXa. Results and DiscussionEmpty body weight (EBW), and hot carcass weight (HCW) were 6% greater (P < 0.01) in REV steers versus CON. No treatment effects (P ≥ 0.12) occurred for fill or dressed carcass yield (DY); however, EBW, HCW, and DY increased (P ≤ 0.01) and percentage fill decreased as an effect of days on feed (DOF). Absolute fill weight did not change across DOF (P = 0.82). Implanted steers had greater (P ≤ 0.05) absolute mass of blood, head, hide, oxtail, liver, spleen, bladder, heart, reticulum, omasum, stomach, small intestine, intestines, gastrointestinal tract (GIT), total splanchnic tissue, and total offal. Implanted steers also had smaller (P ≤ 0.05) absolute mass of thymus glands and kidney-pelvic- heart fat (KPH) than non-implanted steers. Non-carcass components with lowest growth coefficients included small intestine (0.02), large intestine (0.12), and brain and spinal cord (0.13). However, KPH (2.01) accumulated at more than 2 times the rate of the empty body, whereas cod fat (1.42) and GIT fat (1.61) grew notably faster than the empty body. Implication and ApplicationsResults suggest that Revalor-XS increased body and carcass weights and altered many non-carcass components and their growth co- efficients, ultimately playing key biological, nutritional, and financial roles across sectors of the beef industry.