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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2015
Numerous reports citing experiment data continue to claim advantages in gain rates and feed efficiency for bulls in comparison with steers. Although most experiment data agree about such advantages, magnitudes differ considerably among the reports for good reason. Variations in the design of bull-steer experiments are almost as copious as the number of stations reporting results. Bulls and steers used in any given experiment are generally of comparable age and have been subjected to the same feeding environment, but rations tend to differ among experiments, as do breed, age, and time on feed. Though some researchers feed to a predetermined slaughter weight which may differ for steers and bulls, others feed both on equal number of days. Likewise, because some studies have been designed for carcass comparisons of steers and bulls, they fail to provide critical feedlot performance data such as feed efficiencies. Carcass data may or may not include slaughter weights, dressing percentages, or yield of retail cuts.