- 4-


break even between the initial value and actual sale price of the finished cattle ranged
from $3.66 for the Lot 32 Herefords to $6.83 per hundredweight for the Lot 35 Brahman-
Charolais-Angus crossbreds. Because of the depressed fat cattle market, an average
margin for all groups of $4.93 would have been needed to break even, as compared with
$1.91 in the 1963 trial, $1.67 in 1962, and $1.41 in 1961.4 The relatively high necessary
margin this year was partially due to relatively poor overall performance of all groups,
probably because half of each lot had no stilbestrol in this trial.

 All the Brahman crossbred calves originated in liver fluke infested areas, and
28 of the 50 cattle had live flukes in their livers at slaughter. Following were the
number of livers from each group that passed veterinary inspection and the number
condemned:

 Condemned
 Lot Number Passed Flukes Other Parasites
 32 10 -
 33 4 4 2
 34 4 6
 35 5 5 ---
 36 5 5 ---
 37 2 8 ---

 Totals 30 28 2

When the performance and carcasses of fluke-infested and non-infested cattle were compared,
it appeared that the flukes had not adversely affected gain, carcass weight, or carcass
grade. Loss of the liver itself was apparently the only harmful effect resulting from
the relatively light infestations.

 Table 5 contains detailed carcass data. Differences in maturity, conformation,
and carcass grade were small among the six groups. Because of large rib eyes and thin
outside fat cover, the two lots of Charolais crossbreds (Lots 34 and 35) had slightly
higher estimated yields of closely trimmed, boneless round, rump, loin, rib, and chuck.
The 3/4 Brahman-1/4 Shorthorn carcasses had smaller rib eyes and slightly lower estimated
cutout. Stilbestrol did not affect any of the carcass characteristics recorded in this
study (Table 4).


e footnote 2, page
 e footnote 2, page 1.