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Based on carcass prices paid by the packer, carcasses of Lots 11 and 13 (Char. x Bra. x
Her. or Ang.) had estimated yields of closely trimmed lean cuts costing approximately $4
to $5 per 100 pounds less than with the other groups. Although carcasses of cattle in
Lots 11 and 13 graded lower from a quality (marbling) standpoint, their meatiness, because
of large ribeyes and thin fat covers apparently resulted in yields of desirable cuts at a
lower cost per pound.

 Efficient gains and favorable market prices for finished cattle resulted in positive
returns above feed costs for all groups, raging from $15.33 per head for Lot 11 (Charolais-
Brahman-Hereford) to $29.78 for Lot 15 (Angus). As shown in Table 3, the cattle feeder
could have paid from $26.72 to $29.18 per hundredweight for the various groups and
recovered the cost of feed plus $0.10 per head daily* No margin between buying cost and
sale price per hundredweight was needed for a modest profit. Lower carcass grades by Lot 11
and Lot 13 cattle (Char. x Bra. x Her. or Ang.) resulted in lower carcass prices and lower
net returns for these groups.

 Although the cattle in Lots 11, 12, and 13 originated in a liver fluke area, there
iTre no liver condemnations because of live flukes at slaughter. In contrast to results in
five previous trials, this is the second consecutive year that all livers have passed post
mortem veterinary inspection, indicating that current fluke treatments are very effective.
No evidence of any infectious disease was observed in any of the calves; however, one
steer in Lot 15 (Angus) died two weeks prior to the end of the trial, apparently as a
result of having swallowed a foreign object ("hardware disease").

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 Appreciation is expressed to the United States Sugar Corporation, Clewiston, and to
 the Florida State Prison, Raiford, for furnishing the calves for the trial.

 Frosty Morn Meats, Quincy, cooperated in slaughtering the cattle and assisting in
 collecting carcass data.

 Mr. Dee Murphy, USDA Meat Grader, Quincy, graded the carcasses.

 Mr. Clifford Dance, Meats Laboratory, Animal Science Department, Gainesville, assisted
 in collecting carcass data.