Comparison of Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Half-Sib Bulls, Steers and Heifers

Most of the beef produced in the U.S. for the fresh meat trade is from steers and heifers, mainly because of the common consensus that bull beef has inferior quality. Numerous research reports have clearly shown the advantages of bulls compared to steers or heifers in feed efficiency, rate of gain and yield of retail cuts (Cahill, 1964; Bailey, Probert and Bohman, 1966; Hedrick, 1968). Some reports indicate that meat from bulls has less marbling and cooked meat is less tender than that from steers or heifers (Cahill, 1964). However, the reports of Brown, Barteer and Lewis (1962) and Field, Nelms and Schoonover (1966) indicate that meat from young bulls was comparable in palatability to that from steers or heifers of similar ages. The present report is a summary of three experiments which were conducted to compare (1) feedlot performance, (2) quantitative and qualitative carcass characteristics and (3) the effect of stilbestrol implantation on characteristics of half-sib Hereford bulls, steers and heifers.