PERFORMANCE TRAITS, HOOF MINERAL-COMPOSITION, AND HOOF CHARACTERISTICS OF BULLS IN A 112-DAY POSTWEANING FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE-TEST

Objective-To evaluate relations between hoof and performance data from bulls fed in a 112-day standardized postweaning feedlot performance t est. Animals and Design-Breeds included were Angus (n = 20), Brangus ( n = 19), Hereford (n = 31), and Simmental (n = 53). Hoof measurements, scores, and a 0.5-g hoof tissue sample were obtained from the right f ore-foot of bulls on days 1 and 112 of 4 tests conducted in 3 location s in Arkansas. Data were analyzed, using least squares ANOVA. The mode l used included an overall mean, breed, farm of origin within breed, i nitial age, and initial weight within breed and residual. Residual and canonical correlations of the traits studied were calculated. Results -Residual correlations were found between some hoof minerals. Canonica l correlations between performance traits and hoof minerals, between h oof characteristics and hoof minerals, and between hoof characteristic s and performance traits were 0.62 and 0.45 (P < 0.05), 0.54 and 0.40 (P < 0.05), and 0.56 (P < 0.01) and 0.26 (P > 0.05), respectively. Con clusions-These data suggest that a relation exists between performance traits and hoof mineral composition and hoof characteristics and mine ral composition. The visual scoring system for these data did not gene tically separate bulls on the basis of claw quality. Clinical Implicat ions-By selecting bulls with high claw quality, cattle producers are d ecreasing the chances of premature culling because of hoof laminitis. Therefore, by obtaining hoof measurements and mineral composition in a feedlot performance test, producers should have the tools to select b ulls for increased lifetime performance.