DIVERGENT SELECTION FOR POSTWEANING FEED CONVERSION IN ANGUS BEEF CATTLE IV. PHENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS BETWEEN BODY MEASUREMENTS AND FEED CONVERSION

Postweaning performance data were obtained on 401 group fed purebred Angus calves from 24 selected sires (12 high and 12 low feed conversion sires) from 1983 through 1986 at the Northwestern Branch of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. The objective of this study was to determine the interrelationships between body measurements and 140-d feed conversion (feed/gain) adjusted for maintenance (ADJFC), 140-d feed conversion unadjusted for maintenance (UNADFC) and feed conversion measured until progeny reached 8.89 mm of backfat (FC). Variables measured at the completion of the 140-d postweaning period included hip peight (HH), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW), head width (HDW), head length (HDL), heart girth (HG), muzzle circumference (MC), backfat thickness (BF), length between hooks aod pins (HOPIN) and length between shoulder and hooks (SHHO). Measurements were taken from progeny born from 1983 through 1986 for HH and BF, while others, except chest measurements (CD and CW), which were available only in 1985, were taken from progeny born in 1985 and 1986. Negative phenotypic correlations were found for UNADFC, ADJFC and FC. respectively, with HG (-0.76, -0.65 and -0.85), HOPIN (-0.05, -0.28 and -0.09), HDL (-0.63, -0.66 and -0.57), MC (-0.12, -0.35 and - 0.25), HH (-0.38, -0.29 and -0.001), BF(-0.29, -0.31 and -0.12) and CW (-0.03, -0.35 and -0.58). In general, fatter animals with larger HG, longer HDL and greater MC had better feed conversion.