Summary. Two cohorts of Bos indicus crossbreds were studied to determine the relationships between temperament and growth in a feedlot and commercial carcass characteristics. Prior to entry to the feedlot, one cohort received intensive, short-term training at weaning but minimal handling before and after weaning, while the second cohort received similar training at weaning and also experienced a 4-month period of relatively intense handling immediately before entering the feedlot. Both cohorts entered the feedlot at similar ages. Temperament was recorded as the animal’s flight speed, which is the time taken for the animal to cover 1.7 m after leaving a weighing crush, with fast times indicating animals that have poor temperaments. Average flight speed scores of animals in the 2 cohorts differed substantially, with 51 and 12% of animals in cohorts 1 and 2 respectively having fast flight speed scores. Conversely, 23 and 69% of animals in cohorts 1 and 2 respectively had slow flight speed scores and could therefore be regarded as docile. In the first cohort, animals with slow flight speeds gained weight more rapidly (P<0.05) to achieve heavier slaughter and carcass weights (P<0.05) than animals with fast flight speeds. The relationship between flight speed and growth in the feedlot in the second cohort was not significant, although animals with the fastest flight speeds in that cohort had the lowest liveweight gains. Docile animals in both cohorts had comparable liveweight gains in the feedlot. These results suggest that animals with slow flight speed scores (good temperaments) may grow faster in a feedlot than animals with faster flight speed scores (poorer temperaments), regardless of whether the favourable scores result from intensive, long-term handling or because the animals are naturally docile. There was no relationship in either experiment between flight speed and fat thickness or carcass bruising, when bruising was scored simply as presence or absence of bruising. A negative relationship was evident between flight speed score and dressing percentage in the second cohort (P<0.05). The relationship between flight speed and dressing percentage was not significant in the first cohort. It is suggested that feedlot operators could select potential feedlot animals on the basis of temperament before entry to the feedlot to improve performance in the feedlot.

One hundred Brahman cross steers were Subcutaneous fat depth at 105 and 175 days (17.3 mm) removed from pasture and fed a high grain diet for a was greater than at 35 and 70 days (14.5 mm) and finishing period of 0, 35, 70, 105, or 175 days. The significantly (P<0.05) greater than at the initial steers were then slaughtered and assessed for slaughter (12.5 mm). subcutaneous fat depth, fat colour, meat colour, Fat colour was correlated (in the subcutaneous and marbling, and p-carotene and lutein concentrations in intermuscular fat, respectively) with p-carotene the fat and serum.(r = 0.61 and 0.55) and lutein (r = 0.53 and 0.52) The average liveweight gain was 0.7 kg/day. After concentrations, and in the serum, with p-carotene 35 days of grain feeding, fat colour was significantly (r = 0.49) concentration. Objective assessment of fat (Pc0.05) decreased from 3.9 to 2.4 when assessed using colour, the Minolta b* value, was also correlated (in the grading chips ranging from 0 (polar white) to 9 (creamy subcutaneous and intermuscular fat, respectively) with yellow). There was a trend to a further decline in fat p-carotene (r = 0.85 and 0.80) and lutein (r = 0.74 and colour over longer finishing periods (1.7 at 105 days 0.73) concentrations and was correlated with p-carotene and 2.0 at 175 days), although 1 steer had a fat colour (r = 0.61) concentrations in the serum. It was score of 6 at 70 days and 1 at 105 days slaughter, and demonstrated that grain feeding had an effect on another had a score of 4 at 175 days. Steers fed for changing bovine fat colour, and although p-carotene was 175 days had higher marbling but darker meat than predominant in serum, both p-carotene and lutein those fed for the other finishing periods (P<0.05). contributed to the yellowness in bovine carcass fat.

SUMMARY Standardbred geldings were used in a number of nutritional balance experiments. These consisted of 28‐day cycles each of an 18‐day equilibration period in yards and a 10‐day settling and collection period in metabolism crates. The crates were made of galvanised metal tubing over wooden flooring covered by rubber matting and rubber sheets. Total faeces were collected in trays at the rear of crates and total urine by canvas funnels slung beneath the sheath of each horse. RÉSUMÉ Des hongres ont été utilisés dans un certain nombre d'expérimentations. On a réalisé ces expériences par cycles de 28 jours comportant une phase d'équilibration de 18 jours, suivie d'une phase de prélèvement de 10 jours dans des enceintes à métabolisme. Ces enceintes étaient faites de tubes en métal galvanisé au‐dessus d'un plancher de bois couvert d'un metalas de caoutchouc et de draps de caoutchouc. Les fécès furent recueillis en totalité dans des plateaux et les urines en totalité recueillies par des entonnoirs de tissu adaptés en dessous du fourreau de chaque cheval. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Amerikanische Traber‐Wallache wurden verwendet zur Durchführung einer Anzahl von Fütterungsversuchen. Diese Versuche wurden in einem 28‐Tage‐Zyklus durchgeführt, mit einer Einstellungsphase von 18 Tagen in Paddocks und einer 10‐tägigen Experimentierphase in Stoffwechselkäfigen. Die Käfige wurden hergestellt aus galvanisiertem Metall mit hölzernen Böden, die mit Gummimatten bedeckt wurden. Die totale Kotmenge wurde in Kästen hinten an den Käfigen gesammelt und die gesamte Urinmenge in Segeltuchsäcken, die unter dem Praeputium jedes Pferdes aufgehängt waren.

This experiment examined the association between the level of sorghum midge resistance of a grain sorghum hybrid and its ultilisation by cattle. Twenty-five Hereford steers were placed in individual pens and fed a feedlot ration (80% grain) for 8 weeks containing 1 of the following grain sorghum hybrids: Pacific 810, DK55plus (susceptible to midge); Barrier (low resistance to midge); AQL39/QL36, DK470 (moderate resistance to midge). There was no significant (P>0.05) difference between the hybrids in dry matter intake, liveweight gain, feed conversion efficiency, apparent nitrogen digestibility, and digestibility of the dry matter. No tannins were detected in the grain of any of the hydrids. It was concluded that the development of grain sorghum hybrids resistant to sorghum midge will not affect the utilisation of the grain in steers.

No abstract