Relations between some body measurements and certain performance characters in Milking Shorthorn steers.

S a part of the record of performance studies with Milking Shorthorn steers at the U.S.D.A. Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, various body measurements of the steers were taken on foot before slaughter. These body measurements were taken to determine whether there exists any association between the measures themselves and between them and certain performance characters. These relationships may be of practical value to a breeder in the selection of his stock. This paper is based on five measurements--height at withers, height to floor of chest, heart girth, width at shoulders, length of body; and their relationship to average daily gain, efficiency of feed utilization, and the age of the steers when they reach 900-pounds live weight. Associations of birth weight, age and weight at weaning with these measurements and rate and efficiency of gain and final age of the steers have also been included in this study.