HUME LIBRARY

Agricultural Research Center, Ona APR 20 '
RC-1972-5. April 4, 197'
I.FA.S. Univ. of Florida
USE OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL IMPLA TIF T T.LE
FED ON PANGOLA PASTURE-1
H. L. Chapman, Jr. and A. Z. Palmer-

Research in Florida has shown that diethylstilbestrol will
increase the rate of gain of steers fattened on pasture about
9 or 10% on about 8% less feed (1, 2). This earlier research
was done on Roselawn St. Augustine (1) and Argentine bahiagrass
(2) pastures. This report presents an experiment conducted to
determine the value of diethylstilbestrol implants for beef
steers being fed on Pangolagrass pasture.

Experimental Procedure

Forty-eight crossbred steers were divided into four
groups of 12 steers each, on the basis of weight and breed.
The groups were randomly assigned to experimental treatments
of 0, 12, 24 or 36 mg. of diethylstilbestrol implanted at the
beginning of the feeding period. Each group was placed on
10 acres of Pangolagrass winter pasture. The stand of Pangola-


l/ Diethylstilbestrol implants were furnished by Charles
Pfizer & Co., Terre Haute, Indiana.
2/ Director, Ona Agricultural Research Center, and Meat
Scientist, Department of Animal Science, University of
Florida, Gainesville.






2

grass was infested with,Vasey and Bermudagrass but the majority
of forage was Pangolagrass. The feeding period was from

January to May. The steers were fed 10 pounds a day of a

concentrate mixture comprised of 50% dried citrus pulp, 32%
corn hominy feed, 10% blackstrap molasses, 5% dehydrated

alfalfa meal pellets (15% protein), 2% urea 287 and 0.5%

each of a complete mineral mixture and DIKAL Initial and

final weights were taken after a 14-hour shrink, in order to

minimize effect of fill on live weights. The steers were fed

for 113 days after which they were sold to Center Hill Packing

Company. Carcass evaluation was made by personnel from the

Meats Laboratory in Gainesville.

Results

Rate of gain and carcass data are presented in Table 1.
Gain was increased from 14 to 19 percent by the use of the

diethylstilbestrol implants with an almost linear increase in

gain for the three levels of implantation. It was not possible

to obtain intransit shrink for each group but the entire
experiment lost 3.28 percent enroute to the packing house.

The use of diethylstilbestrol did not have any significant

effect on carcass characteristics.



3/ DIKAL was furnished by Borden Chemical Company, Plant
City, Florida.











Table 1. Average gain and carcass data for steers implanted

with different levels of diethylstilbestrol (113

days on feed).


Level of diethvlstilbestrol

0 12 24 36


Initial weight, lb.

Final weight, lb.

Total gain, lb.

Daily gain, lb.

Hot carcass weight, lb.

*** Dressing /

Federal grade
% Kidney fat

Fat over eye (in.)

Ribeye area (sq. in.)

Marbling of ribeye
Estimated % yield
Fat color

Lean color

Lean texture

Lean firmness


758

941
183
1.62

554

58.9
G-

2.1

0.09

11.4

Trace

53.1
2.3

3.9

3.6

3.0


763

971
208

1.84

567

58.4
G-

1.8

0.09

12.1

Trace +

53.8
2.2

4.0

3.1

3.0


760

971
211

1.87

566

58.3
G-

1.7
0.06

11.6

Trace +

53.5
2.2

3.8

3.6
2.8


753

970
217
1.92

563

58.0
S+

1.8

0.08

11.8

Trace

53.6
2.2

3.9

3.4
2.9


/ Dressing % = Hot carcass weight
Final weight









Literature Cited


1. Chapman, H. L., Jr., A. Z. Palmer, R. W. Kidder, J. W.

Carpenter,.and C. E. Haines. 1964. Oral and implanted

stilbestrol for beef cattle fattened on pasture and in

drylot. Fla. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 666.

2. Peacock, F. M., W. G. Kirk, E. M. Hodges, A. Z. Palmer,

and J. W. Carpenter. 1965. Influence of summer pasture,

diethylstilbestrol and shade on fattening cattle in south

Florida. Fla. Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 700.