Abstract
ABSTRACT The objectives of this experiment were to determine (1) the effect of a Ralgro implant administered at 30 to 90 d of age on suckling-phase growth rate and weaning weight and (2) the effect of a Revalor-G implant at weaning on postweaning performance. A total of 194 suckling steer calves weighing 111 ± 25.6 kg at branding from 3 locations were used. Within location, steer calves were stratified by cow age and then randomly assigned to 2 experimental treatments: implanted with Ralgro (IMPL; n = 97) or no implant (NIMP; n = 97). At weaning, IMPL steers were reimplanted with Revalor-G. The steers were weighed at the time of branding, at weaning, after the preconditioning period, and after the stocker phase. Implanted steers gained 9 kg more (P 0.5) in the preconditioning period; however, a 35.7% increase (P = 0.01) in IMPL ADG was recorded in the other 2 locations. In the wheat stocker phase, ADG was improved by 14.9% (P
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