Victor Forge
Developing muscle in steers is a complex process influenced by genetics, nutrition, and management practices. While genetics play a significant role in determining muscle growth, proper nutrition and management during gestation and early life are also crucial factors. Vitamin A injections have been shown to promote muscle growth and increase oxidative muscle fibers in cattle. Additionally, providing adequate protein, energy, minerals, and proper nutrition, including concentrates, roughages, and vitamins, is essential for muscle development and reaching market weight. Management practices such as early weaning and creep feeding can also impact muscle growth and marbling in steers. Ultimately, a combination of genetic predisposition, nutritional intake, and management strategies influences the development of muscle in steers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle shape | Flat or angular, or round and bulging |
| Muscle development | Largely genetic, influenced by nutrition and management of the cow during pregnancy |
| Nutrition | Proper nutrition includes appropriate protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and water |
| Weight | 450–1,360 kg (1,000–3,000 pounds) |
| Exercise | Can give more muscle definition but not thickness |
| Implants | Can enhance muscle definition |
| Supplements | Can enhance muscle definition |
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What You'll Learn
Nutrition and genetics
Nutrition is a key factor in the muscle development of steers. Proper nutrition ensures that a steer not only grows to reach market weight but also develops muscle and reaches an appropriate fat cover. A steer's diet should include appropriate protein, energy, and mineral content. Commercial feeds are formulated to meet the vitamin and mineral requirements of steers and typically contain 90% dry matter. It is important to provide steers with clean, fresh water to encourage water consumption, as poor water quality can affect feed intake and subsequently impact the animal's growth rate.
The nutrition of the cow during pregnancy can also influence the muscle development of the calf. Muscle cells develop during early and mid-gestation, and poor nutrition during these stages can affect muscle expression in the calf. While animals can compensate by increasing muscle fiber size, the total number of skeletal muscle fibers is set by the 8th month of pregnancy. Therefore, it is crucial to provide proper nutrition to the pregnant cow to ensure the optimal development of muscle cells in the calf.
Genetics also plays a significant role in muscle development. Certain breeds of beef cattle, such as Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus, have been selectively bred to produce muscle, resulting in heftier animals compared to dairy cows. The size and weight of a steer can vary depending on the breed, with weights ranging from 450 to 1,360 kg (1,000 to 3,000 pounds). Additionally, some breeds are genetically polled (hornless), while others may be dehorned at a young age for convenience and safety.
While genetics largely determines muscle development, exercise can enhance muscle definition in steers. Regular walks can improve muscle definition, as observed in the grandkids walking their steers a mile per day in the example provided. However, exercise may not significantly increase the overall thickness of the animal. Similarly, implants and certain supplements can enhance muscle definition but are dependent on factors such as the steer's weight, age, and daily feed intake.
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Exercise and supplements
Exercise
Exercise can play a role in improving muscle definition in steers. Walking steers is a common practice, with some recommending a minimum of one mile per day, often split between morning and evening walks. This not only helps build muscle in the steer but also provides an opportunity for the handler to improve their muscle assessment skills.
Supplements
Providing proper nutrition is crucial for steers to reach their full potential. Ensuring adequate protein, energy, and mineral intake is essential for muscle development and appropriate fat cover. Commercial feeds are designed to meet vitamin and mineral requirements, but some custom grain mixes may lack these essential nutrients. In such cases, offering a high-quality salt-and-mineral mix formulated for growing cattle is necessary.
Implants are another option to enhance muscle definition, but these often require more time to see results and work best when the steer has sufficient fat reserves. Additionally, vitamin A injections have been shown to promote cattle muscle growth and increase oxidative muscle fibers.
The type and amount of feed depend on various factors, including the steer's weight, age, and the intended purpose, such as preparing for a market show. Proper nutrition also involves providing clean, fresh water daily and ensuring good digestive health. Hay is commonly included in the diet to provide roughage and maintain a healthy rumen.
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Grooming and presentation
The size and weight of a steer are highly dependent on the breed, with their weight ranging from 450–1,360 kg (1,000–3,000 pounds). The muscle shape of a steer can be assessed by viewing the animal from the rear, observing the roundness over the loin region, the width between the forelegs and the width between the back legs. A wide stance of the forelegs and hind legs indicates a round/bulging muscle pattern.
To improve the muscle shape of a steer, proper nutrition is essential. This includes providing appropriate protein, energy, and minerals, as well as ensuring access to good-quality water daily. Commercial feeds are formulated to meet the vitamin and mineral requirements of steers and typically contain 90% dry matter. It is important to feed steers at the same time each day to maintain feed intake. Additionally, providing roughage such as hay in the diet helps to keep the rumen functioning well for digestion and prevents it from becoming too acidic.
Implants and certain supplements can also enhance muscle definition, but the specific recommendations depend on factors such as the steer's weight, age, and daily feed intake. Exercise can provide a little more definition to the muscles, but it will not make the steer significantly thicker.
To prepare a steer for a show, grooming techniques such as clipping and hair coating can accentuate the animal's good qualities and minimize any bad qualities.
Groomed steers are also more likely to meet buyer demands.
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Pregnancy and gestation
Research has shown that maternal nutrient restriction during pregnancy can negatively impact the skeletal muscle development of the offspring. This restriction can lead to a decrease in muscle fibre formation and an increase in collagen content in the skeletal muscle. The critical stage for fetal skeletal muscle development in cattle is early to mid-gestation. During this period, the fetus is particularly vulnerable to nutritional deficiency, which can have long-lasting, irreversible negative consequences.
Maternal over-nutrition can also have detrimental effects, increasing collagen content and cross-linking of skeletal muscle, heart and large intestine of fetuses. This suggests that proper maternal nutrition during pregnancy is essential for fetal fibrogenesis and adipogenesis. Manipulating maternal nutrition during specific periods of gestation can result in the re-programming of fetal and post-natal development, potentially permanently influencing the fetus via DNA methylation and gene expression differences.
Additionally, studies have found that steers born from dams managed on a higher plane of nutrition had improved meat tenderness characteristics, animal growth, and carcass composition. This indicates that proper late gestation nutrition can support fetal programming events, leading to enhanced growth and meat quality traits. Therefore, understanding the effects of maternal nutrition during pregnancy and finding strategies for skeletal muscle manipulation may be valuable for enhancing beef cattle performance postnatally.
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Muscle shape and assessment
The muscle shape of cattle is an important factor in producing cattle that meet buyer demand. A steer's muscle shape can be assessed by observing its physical characteristics, muscle movement, and stance. From the rear, a steer with well-developed muscles will exhibit roundness over the loin region, with the widest point being lower, towards the hindquarters. The hip bones and stomach wall will be less prominent due to the muscle coverage. The width between the forelegs and hind legs also indicates muscle development, with a wide stance suggesting round and bulging muscles separating the legs from the rib cage.
To improve muscle assessment skills, participation in live animal assessment events and carcass competitions can be beneficial. Observing and documenting the characteristics of specific cattle before and after slaughter provides valuable feedback for understanding muscle shape and development. Additionally, the AUS-MEAT language provides a standardised measure for muscle shape, scoring carcasses from A (full muscling) to E (least muscling) based on the fullness or roundness of the buttocks.
Genetics plays a significant role in the muscle development of steers. Some breeds, such as the Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus, have been selectively bred for muscle production. Proper nutrition during pregnancy and early life is also crucial for muscle growth. Vitamin A injections during early development have been shown to increase muscle growth and promote the expression of myogenic marker genes. Providing adequate protein, energy, and minerals, as well as ensuring access to clean water, are essential for muscle development in steers. Commercial feeds with additives can help maintain steer health and digestive function.
Exercise can enhance muscle definition, but it may not significantly increase muscle thickness. Implants and supplements can also be used strategically to enhance muscle definition, but these interventions require careful consideration of various factors, including the steer's weight, age, and daily feed intake. Overall, a combination of genetic factors, nutrition, and management practices influences the muscle shape and development of steers.
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Frequently asked questions
There are a few ways to quickly develop muscle on a steer, including proper nutrition, exercise, and grooming. A steer with proper nutrition will receive appropriate protein, energy, and minerals, allowing it to grow and develop muscle. Exercise can also give the steer more muscle definition. Grooming the steer can also help it appear thicker.
Genetics play a large role in the muscle development of steers. The weight and size of a steer are highly dependent on its breed, with weight ranging from 450-1,360 kg (1,000-3,000 pounds). Therefore, selecting the right breed is essential for developing muscle on a steer. Additionally, the nutrition and management of the cow during pregnancy can influence muscle development in the calf.
There are a few ways to assess muscle development on a steer. One way is to observe the animal's stance. A wide stance of the forelegs and hind legs can indicate round/bulging muscles. Another way is to observe the steer in motion. An animal with bulging muscles will show a pronounced movement of the muscles while walking.
