Evaluation of ractopamine hydrochloride (Optaflexx) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing steers across different feeding durations

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) dose and duration on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing steers. In Exp. 1, 336 crossbred steers (initial BW of RAC feeding = 539 kg [SD 22]) were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with one factor being RAC dose (0 or 200 mg/steer daily) and the other factor being RAC duration (28 or 42 d prior to harvest). There were no RAC dose x duration interactions (P = 0.08) for growth performance or carcass characteristics. Feeding 200 mg RAC/steer daily increased (P < 0.01) live final BW by 9.0 kg compared with steers not fed RAC. Carcass-adjusted final BW, ADG, and G: F were greater (P < 0.01) for steers fed 200 mg RAC/d compared with steers not fed RAC. Hot carcass weight was 4.7 kg heavier (P < 0.01) for steers fed 200 mg RAC/d compared with steers not fed RAC. In Exp. 2, crossbred steers (n = 576; experiment initial BW = 408 kg [SD 29]) were used in a randomized block design with a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors included RAC dose (0, 300, and 400 mg/steer daily) and RAC duration (14, 28, or 42 d prior to harvest). There was a tendency (P = 0.08) for an interaction of RAC dose x duration for final live BW, DMI, and live G: F; therefore, simple effects are presented. At 28 d, live final BW for steers fed 400 mg RAC/d were heavier (P < 0.01) than for steers fed 0 mg RAC/d. There was a tendency at 28 d for increased live final BW for steers fed RAC at 300 mg/d (P = 0.08) compared with steers fed RAC at 0 mg and for steers fed 400 mg RAC/d compared with steers fed 300 mg RAC/d (P = 0.06). Live final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for steers fed RAC for 42 d at 300 and 400 mg/d compared with steers fed 0 mg; however, live final BW was similar (P = 0.48) between steers fed 300 and 400 mg RAC/d. Despite no RAC dose x duration interaction (P = 0.30) for HCW, simple effects will be presented for consistency. Hot carcass weight was greater for steers fed 300 and 400 mg RAC/d for 28 and 42 d compared with steers fed 0 mg at 28 (P <= 0.02) and 42 d (P < 0.01). Feeding 300 mg RAC/d for 28 or 42 d increased HCW by 5.1 and 7.6 kg, respectively, compared with steers fed 0 mg RAC. Additionally, feeding 400 mg RAC/d for 28 or 42 d resulted in increases of 8.9 and 9.4 kg, respectively, in HCW compared with steers fed 0 mg RAC. In conclusion, our results confirm that feeding RAC improves growth performance and carcass weight, with an optimal duration of feeding RAC being 28 d.