Effects of a Terminal Sorting System with ZilpaterolHydrochloride on Feedlot Steers

combination with feeding Zilmax for the last 20 days prior to slaughter. Previous research indicates that sorting cattle allows pens of cattle to be fed longer without increasing overweight discounts (1999 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, pp.57-59). Another study showed sorting in combination with feeding Zilmax in the finishing period allowed for an increase in carcass weight without increasing variation in carcass weight, and allowed for cattle to reach an optimum fat endpoint (2012 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, pp.115-118). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of 1) identifying heavy cattle within a pen with one sort or sorting a large group four ways and 2) feeding Zilmax to steers on feedlot performance and carcass traits.