Effects of placing cattle on feed at two-month intervals and housing on feedlot performance and carcass grades

A 5-yr study was conducted involving the placement of yearling steers on feed at 2-mo intervals under three different housing systems. A total of 3,571 steers (180 pens) initially averaging 318 kg was used. Evaluations were made for DM intake, ADG, feed efficiency (FE), carcass quality (QG), and yield grades (YG). Cattle were assigned to either an open lot with overhead shelter (S), an open lot without overhead shelter (NS), or an open-front confinement building (C). Each treatment consisted of two lots of 20 steers each per interval per trial. Corn grain provided 85% of the energy; the remainder was supplied by corn silage and protein supplement. Cattle were fed 140 to 180 d to achieve an average slaughter weight of 500 kg. The main effects of year (Y), month (M), and housing (H) affected DM intake, ADG, FE, and final live weight (P less than .01). The interactions for Y x M, M x H and Y x M x H affected ADG (P less than .05). Month and H affected hot carcass weight (P less than .01). Year affected YG, and year and month affected QG (P less than .01). Month effects on DM intake and ADG indicated that cattle started in May had the highest intake and ADG (P less than .05) and that cattle started in November had the lowest (P less than .05) DMI and ADG. Month effects on FE indicated that cattle were most efficient when placed on feed during March, May, and July (5.82, 5.72, and 5.66 kg DM/kg gain; P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)