A 120-d feedlot study using 164 Angus steers (BW = 396.7 ± 7.0 kg) was undertaken in Queensland Australia (24°84' S, 149°78' N) to determine the effect of shade on body temperature (T(B)) and performance. Cattle were allocated to 20 pens: 16 with an area of 144 m(2) (8 steers/pen) and 4 with an area of 168 m(2) (9 steers/pen). Treatments (10 pens/treatment) were unshaded (NS) vs. shaded (SH). Shade (3.3 m(2)/steer) was provided by 80% solar block shade cloth. Before the study (d -31), 63 steers were implanted (between the internal abdominal muscle and the peritoneum at the right side flank) with a T(B) transmitter. Within each pen, 3 steers had a T(B) transmitter. Individual T(B) was obtained every 30 min. The cattle were fed a feedlot diet and had ad libitum access to water. Water usage and DMI were recorded daily on a pen basis. Average daily gain and G:F were calculated on a pen basis. Climatic variables were obtained from an on-site weather station every 30 min. Individual panting scores (PS) were obtained daily at 0600, 1200, and 1600 h. From these, mean PS (MPS) were calculated for each pen. At slaughter (d 121), individual HCW, loin muscle area (LMA), rump fat depth (P8), 12th-rib fat depth, and marbling score were obtained. Mean T(B) was not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment (SH = 39.58°C; NS = 39.60°C). However, during a 21-d heat wave when cattle were exposed to a mean ambient temperature (T(AM)) > 30°C for 8 h each d (T(AM) between 0800 and 1800 h = 29.7°C, and 23.4°C between 1830 and 0730 h), the T(B) of SH steers (40.41 ± 0.10°C) was less (P < 0.01) than the T(B) of NS steers (41.14 ± 0.10°C). During this period, pen-MPS were greater (P < 0.05) for the NS cattle at all observation times. Over the first 6 d of the heat wave, MPS of NS steers at 1200 h was 2.47 (P < 0.01) vs. 1.39 for SH steers. Hip height, DMI, ADG, and G:F were greater (P < 0.05) for SH cattle. Exit BW (final BW) of SH steers (596.1 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) when compared with NS steers (578.6 kg). During the heat wave, DMI was 51% less for NS steers and 39% less for SH steers when compared with the pre-heat wave period (P < 0.01). The HCW of SH steers (315.4 ± 0.8 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) than for NS steers (321.4 ± 0.8 kg). No treatment differences (P > 0.05) were found for LMA, P8, or marbling score. Access to shade improved (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F, increased HCW, and decreased MPS; however, shade did not completely eliminate the impact of high heat load.

Sixty Angus steers (449.2±11.0 kg) with implanted body temperature (BT) transmitters were used in a 110-d study to determine the effect of chronic stress (housing, diet, and climate) on extracellular heat shock protein 70 (eHsp70) concentration in plasma. The steers were a subset of a larger study involving 164 steers. Before the start of the study (d -31), 63 steers were implanted with a BT transmitter between the internal abdominal muscle and the peritoneum at the right side flank. Steers were housed in 20 pens (10 with shade and 10 without). Within each pen, 3 steers had a transmitter, and BT was recorded at 30-min intervals throughout the study. On d 0, 30, 60, 90, and 110, steers were weighed, BCS assessed (1 to 9 scale in which 1=emaciated and 9=obese), and 10 mL of blood from the coccygeal vein was collected for determination of inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) concentration by ELISA. Climatic variables (ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, black globe temperature, and wind speed) were obtained every 30 min from an on-site weather station. The relationship between the climatic variables and Hsp70 concentration were examined. As we failed to detect an effect of shade, all data were pooled. Mean BT over the duration of the study was 39.6±0.10°C. Mean BT was lowest (38.7±0.10°C) on d 0 and highest on d 110 (40.2°C±0.10). The Hsp70 concentration was least on d 0 (2.33±0.47 ng/mL) and greatest on d 30 (8.08±0.78 ng/mL). The Hsp70 concentration decreased from d 30 but remained above the d-0 concentrations on d 60, 90, and 110. There was a strong relationship between Hsp70 concentration and ambient temperature (r2=0.86; P<0.0001) and Hsp70 concentration and photoperiod (r2=0.94; P<0.0001) and no relationship with BT (r2=0.06; P<0.0001). When assessed with both BCS and BT, the relationship was moderate (r2=0.48; P<0.001). The relationship between Hsp70 and change in BT (BTΔ) above 38.6°C was also moderate (r2=0.54; P<0.0001). The BT at a given time does not appear to be related to Hsp70 concentration. However, Hsp70 expression may be a useful indictor for BTΔ when BT>38.6°C. The Hsp70 concentration is a reliable indicator of chronic stress but is not a reliable indicator of a single stressor when animals are exposed to multiple chronic stressors.

Abstract. From a study of 3 large half-sib families of cattle, we describe linkage between DNA polymorphisms on bovine chromosome 7 and meat tenderness. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Longissimus lumborum peak force (LLPF) and Semitendonosis adhesion (STADH) were located to this map of DNA markers, which includes the calpastatin (CAST) and lysyl oxidase (LOX) genes. The LLPF QTL has a maximum lodscore of 4.9 and allele substitution of approximately 0.80 of a phenotypic standard deviation, and the peak is located over the CAST gene. The STADH QTL has a maximum lodscore of 3.5 and an allele substitution of approximately 0.37 of a phenotypic standard deviation, and the peak is located over the LOX gene. This suggests 2 separate likelihood peaks on the chromosome. Further analyses of meat tenderness measures in the Longissimus lumborum, LLPF and LL compression (LLC), in which outlier individuals or kill groups are removed, demonstrate large shifts in the location of LLPF QTL, as well as confirming that there are indeed 2 QTL on bovine chromosome 7. We found that both QTL are reflected in both LLPF and LLC measurements, suggesting that both these components of tenderness, myofibrillar and connective tissue, are detected by both measurements in this muscle.Detecting quantitative trait loci affecting beef tenderness on bovine chromosome 7 near calpastatin and lysyl oxidase

Summary. Growth, carcass and meat characteristics, market suitability and economic return were compared in surgically spayed (SS), immunologically spayed (IS) and entire (E) heifers. Spaying had no effect on daily weight gains of heifers up to 8 weeks following spaying. Between spaying at 15 months of age, and slaughter at 30 months of age, growth was greater for E heifers (0.36 kg/day) than for SS heifers (0.32 kg/day) (P<0.01) and for IS heifers (0.33 kg/day) (P<0.05). There was no difference in growth between SS and IS heifers. Carcass weights at slaughter were: E, 246 kg; SS, 239 kg; IS 240 kg (P>0.05). Other carcass attributes (meat and fat colour, texture and marbling) were similar for the 3 treatments. Subcutaneous rump fat depth (P8 site) was similar for the 3 groups (E, 20 mm; SS, 21 mm; IS, 19 mm) and the percentages of carcasses that had rump fat depths between 6 and 22 mm were: E, 72%; SS, 66%; IS, 83% (P>0.05). All other carcasses had fat depths greater than 22 mm. Warner-Bratzler initial yield and peak force values of striploin (Longissimus dorsi) samples were lower (P<0.05) in the SS treatment than both E and IS treatments, whereas Instron compression values from the E striploin were lower (P<0.05) than for both the SS and IS treatments. There were no differences between treatments in any meat attributes measured from the eye round (Semitendinosus). Entire heifers ($A522) realised a higher (P<0.05) carcass value than SS heifers ($495) whilst IS heifers ($503) did not differ (P>0.05) from E and SS heifers. Direct costs of the spaying treatments (SS, $2.50 per head; IS, 4 vaccinations at $5.50 each) increased the difference relative to E heifers to $29.50 (SS) and $41 (IS) per head.

Meat tenderness has been difficult to improve using standard genetic selection. Marker assisted selection holds great promise if markers for meat tenderness can be identified. Here, we report quantitative trait loci (QTL) for beef tenderness identified in 598 animals of three Charolais-Brahman x Belmont Red pedigrees after screening the whole genome using 183 DNA markers. In addition to the usual Warner-Bratzler peak force measurements, tenderness was also measured using compression, adhesion and pressure-heat-treated peak force. Three QTL for meat tenderness in the M. longissimus lumborum muscle were found, two of which have not been reported before. One is located in the HEL9-CSSM47 interval on bovine chromosome 8 with a LOD of 3.1 and an effect of 1.02 phenotypic standard deviations for tensile strength of cooked muscle as measured by adhesion. A second QTL is located near CSRM60 on bovine chromosome 10 with a LOD of 2.4 and an effect of 0.48 phenotypic standard deviations for compression. The third QTL is in a region of bovine chromosome 7 that has previously been reported to have a QTL affecting peak force. This region also shows effects on compression and a combined tenderness index. These QTL are all for the myofibrillar component of meat tenderness. No QTL were found for pressure-treated peak force, which is an estimate of the connective tissue component muscle of meat tenderness.