HORTH FLORIDA EXPERIMENT STATION
 Quincy, Florida
 May 21, 1964


 NFES Mimeo Rpt. 64-6

 FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF
 BRAHMAN-EUROPEAN CROSSBRED AND HEREFORD CALVES

 F. S. Baker, Jr., A. Z. Palmer, and J. W. Carpenter

 SUMMARY

 Feedlot performance of calves was not as satisfactory in this fourth study as
 in preceding trials, probably because only half of the calves received stilbestrol
 implants this year while all calves were implanted in previous tests. Although gains
 were slower and less efficient this year, carcass grades were about the same as in
 preceding trials. Calves were in the feedlot about three weeks longer this year.

 Calves that received stilbestrol imDlants gained an average of 67 pounds more
 per head and had carcasses that averaged 43 pounds heavier than non-implanted cattle.
 Response to stilbestrol was particularly large in Charolais-Brahman crossbreds. Data
 on effect of the implants on feed intake and efficiency are not available. Stilbestrol
 had no effect on carcass grade, area of rib eye, fat cover, or estimated yield of closely
 trimmed boneless cuts.

 Hereford calves gained faster and more efficiently and showed a smaller financial
 loss than any of the crossbred groups.

 Negative margins between cost of calves and sale price of fat cattle resulted
 in financial losses by all groups. Because of a depressed fat cattle market, a relatively
 large margin between buying and selling price per hundredweight would have been needed
 to insure a profit.
 liver
 More than half of the crossbred calves had live/flukes at slaughter. There was
 no difference in performance or carcass characteristics of fluke-infested and non-infested
 cattle.

 Brahman-Charolais-Hereford and Brahman-Charolais-Angus calves had a slightly
 higher estimated cutout, and 3/4 Brahman-1/4 Shorthorn had a slightly lower estimated
 yield of closely trimmed cuts.
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 INTRODUCTION

 In three previous trials, calves of various Brahman-European crosses approximately
 1 months of age and weighing 550 to 650 pounds when started on feed made very satisfactory
 gins for 160 days in dry lot.2 Comparable weight British calves made gains similar to
 t se of the Brahman hybrids in the first trial, and Hereford calves gained as well as
 al' crossbreds except the exceptionally fast gaining Brahman-Charolais-Herefords in the
 third trial. In the second test, lighter weight Angus calves gained somewhat slower
 than the various Brahman-European crosses. Carcass grades of Brahman crossbreds have

 lAn mal Husbandman, North Florida Experiment Station, Quincy, Associate Meat Scientist
 anc Assistant Meat Scientist, Animal Science Deoartment, Gainesville, respectively.

2NF S Mimeo. Rpts. 61-5, 1961; 62-10, 1962; and 63-8, 1963.