Relationship between residual feed intake and end product palatability in longissimus steaks from steers sired by Angus bulls divergent for intramuscular fat expected progeny difference

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relationship between residual feed intake (RFI) and end product quality was evaluated in 133 steers from 5 Angus sires with low, moderate, or high percent intramuscular fat EPD. Steers (320.1 ± 35.76 kg) were evaluated for RFI during a 70- to 84-d growing period and classified into 3 groups based on RFI: efficient (less than -0.5 SD below the mean; n = 41), marginal (± 0.5 SD from the mean; n = 48), and inefficient (> 0.5 SD above the mean; n = 44). There were no differences among RFI groups for ADG, BW, fat thickness, carcass weight, YG, QG, or palatability traits. Inefficient steers had greater (P