Effects of zeranol on bone growth and other carcass traits in steers and bulls

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Chaudhary, Z. I.
  • Price, M. A.
  • Makarechian, M.

• The effects of zeranol were studied in 24 steers and 24 bulls starting at an average weight of 200 kg for a trial period of 183 days. Bulls grew faster than steers (P = 0.07) and zeranol-treated cattle showed higher average daily gain than controls (P < 0.05); there was no significant interaction between gender and treatment. Castration increased carcass fatness (P < 0.01) and decreased dressing percent (P < 0.01), rib-eye area (P < 0.01), shank muscle (P < 0.01) and shank muscle:bone ratio (P < 0.01). Implantation with zeranol had no effect on these traits. The weights of the radio-ulna, metacarpal and metatarsal bones were not significantly affected by gender or treatment. Growth at the distal end of the radius during the last 2 mo of the experiment was significantly less in treated cattle than in controls (P < 0.01) and in steers than in bulls (P < 0.01). Zeranol resulted in larger pelvic openings (P < 0.01) in bulls and steers and reduced libido (P < 0.05) in treated bulls.

• Date created

  1985

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Bone growth
  • Cattle
  • Zeranol
  • Carcass traits
  • Castration
  • Sexual development

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3251FP6T

• License

  @1985 Chaudhary, Z. I., Price, M. A., Makarechian, M. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.