This document discusses various aspects of implanting beef cattle including the types of implants, appropriate times to implant based on age and duration of feeding, and their impact on growth and carcass traits. It provides guidelines for implanting nursing calves, stocker/backgrounding cattle, and cattle on feed for 150-300 days. The summary aims to highlight the key points: Implants can increase average daily gain by 10-15% and feed efficiency. Different implants vary in potency and duration. Proper timing and selection of implants is needed to maximize growth while minimizing effects on quality grade. Implanting should be part of an overall cattle health and nutrition program. Improper implant technique can negatively impact cattle performance and increase

1. Implants – Return on Investment
Amy Radunz
University of Wisconsin- Madison
State Beef Extension Specialist
Slides adapted from
Bill Halfman, UW Extension Monroe County
Dr. Francis Fluharty, The Ohio State University

2. • Beef Carcass
• Muscle (40 to 65%)
• Fat (15 to 45%)
• Bone (10 to 15%)
2

3. Muscle Cell Growth
• Hyperplasia
• Increasing cell number
• Muscle cell number fixed during
gestation
• Hypertrophy
• increase in muscle cell size
• Increased protein synthesis – satellite
cells
• Decrease in protein degradation
• Combination of both

4. Implants can increase 1 full
unit of frame size
4

5. Why do we castrate?
• More desirable meat
quality
• Marbling
• Tenderness
• Flavor
• Handling/Facilities
• Safety
HOWEVER, we give up growth rate and feed
efficiency 5

6. Why do we Implant?
• Implants enhance performance
• Increase ADG (10-15%)
• Increase feed intake (8-10%)
• Improve efficiency

7. Classifying Implants
POTENCY DURATION
• High potency: Androgen • 60 – 400 days
(Testosterone) based
• Testosterone propionate
• Trenbolone acetate (TBA)
• Low potency: Estrogen based READ THE LABEL:
• Estradiol 17β Ingredients,
• Progesterone amounts, duration,
• Medium potency: and class of cattle
Combination
• Androgen/Estrogen implants
7

8. 8

9. Why do buyers discount feeder
bull calves?
Steers Bulls
No. Head 967 1795
Starting wt, lbs 468 464
60 d wt, lb 599 581
60 d ADG, lb/d 2.23 1.95
Morbidity, % 18.7 25.1
Mortality, % 0.72 2.28
Dale Blasi, 27 loads of calves received at the KSU Beef Stocker Unit

10. AVMA Policy
• Recommend to castrate at earliest age
practicable
• Why?
• Least stressful time to castrate
• Weaning plus vaccination plus other stressor
increase morbidity
• Castration at feedlot the most stressful and
results in greatest morbidity and other
negative consequences

11. Economics
• Weight gain from intact calves lost in first 28 –d
postweaning (Martson et al., 2003)
• Bull gains gain 5-15% more than non-implanted
castrated pre-weaning
• First 28-d post-weaning
• 1.52 lbs/d for early-castrated calves
• 1.16 lbs/d for calves castrated at weaning
• 0.36 lbs/d x 28 = 10 lbs

12. Age of Castration –Weaning Wt
If Implants used = +18-20 lbs
500
+$27 – 30 per hd
400 36 days of age 131 days of age
Body Weight, lbs
300
200
100
0
Early Late
Imler, et al., 2010- U of Florida

13. Guidelines for Nursing Calves
• Not approved for calves less than 30-45 d of age
• One implant between 2 months and weaning
recommended
• Only implant castrated males
• Not recommended for replacement heifers
• Do not implant bull calves
• Do not implant if intended for all natural or
organic markets

14. Nursing Calves
Trade Name Approved for Active Ingredient Payout
Period-
days
Ralgro® Steers/heifers 36 mg zeranol 70-100
Synovex-C® Steers/heifers 100 mg progesterone 100-140
Comonenet E-C® 10 mg estradiol benzoate
Compudose® Steers 25.7 mg estradiol 170-200
Encore® Steers 43.9 mg estradiol 300-400
Note: all of these implants would be classified as low potency implants
Last updated 4-10-2012

15. Stocker/Backgrounder
Guidelines
• Can expect 10-15% improvement in ADG (0.18-0.27 lb/d)
• Payout between 80-100 days
• If feeding longer than 120 days consider long duration
implant or two implants
• Factors affecting payout
• Genetic gain potential
• Forage availability
• Supplementation
• Sex
• Weight

16. Approved for grazing, weaned calves not
for replacement
Product Approved For: Active Ingredients Payout
Period- days
Ralgro® Steers/heifers 36 mg zeranol 70-100
Compudose® Steers/heifers 27.7 mg estradiol 170-200
Encore® Steers/heifers 43.9 mg estradiol 350-400
Revalor-G® Steers/heifers 200 mg estradiol benzoate 100-140
Component-TE-G®
Synovex-S® Steers 200 mg progesterone 100-140
Component E-S® 20 mg estradiol benzoate
Synovex-H® Heifers 200 mg testosterone propionate 100-140
Component E-H® 20 mg estradiol benzoate
Note: Listed in order of potency and would be consider low to medium-low potency implants
Last updated 4-10-2012

17. Simmental bulls and steers
slaughtered at 1370 lbs
Bulls Steers SEM P-Value
Age, d 420 475
ADG, lbs/d 4.06 3.24 0.16 0.001
Carcass fat gain, g/d 437.5 467.7 22.7 NS
Final carcass fat, % 22.7 32.1 9.0 0.001
Carcass protein gain, g/d 198.7 127.6 6.6 0.001
Final carcass protein, % 16.6 14.7 2.0 0.001
Castration impacts on carcass traits
Increased quality grade
Increased back fat (higher numeric yield grade)
Anderson et al., 1988

18. Implants Impact Carcass Traits
• Implants impacts on carcass traits
• Decreased quality grade
• Decreased backfat (lower numeric yield grade)
• Increased muscle and carcass weight (higher dressing
percentage)
• Tougher
• Need to match cattle type, implant, and marketing to
get the most return on investment

19. Start with End in Mind
• Questions to ask yourself:
• How many times do I want to implant?
• How many days on feed do I expect for this group of
cattle?
• How will this strategy influence my marketing?
• Information needed for decision
• Frame size of feeder cattle
• Muscling of cattle
• Breed of cattle
• Energy density of diet

20. Most Return
• When Implanted in Growth Curve
• More return at the end of the growth period
• Delay fat deposition and increase muscle
• Improved feed efficiency when the poorest
• Once Implanted
• Most return and response from animal early
• Effects will diminish over time = payout period

21. ADG Choice
30
25
20
15
Percentage change
10
5
0
-5 Zeranol Estradiol TBA + E
-10
-15
-20
21
-25

22. Implant Program
Estradiol Estrodial/TBA
45
40
35
30
$ profit/hd
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 20
CH:SE Spread, $/cwt

23. Minimize Impacts on QG
• Lower potency
• Delay implanting
• Energy density of diet
• Timely marketing

24. Trade Name Approved For: Active Ingredient Payout period- days
Ralgro Magnum® Steers 72 mg zeranol 60-80
Synovex-Choice® Steers 100 mg progesterone 60-80
14 mg estradiol benzoate
Revalor-IH® Heifers 80 mg of trenbolone acetate 60-100
Component TE- IH® 8 mg estradiol
Revalor- IS® Steers 80 mg of trenbolone acetate 60-100
Component TE- IS® 16 mg estradiol
Revalor-S® Steers 120 mg of trenbolone acetate 80-120
Component T-S® 24 mg of estradiol
Revalor-H® Heifers 140 mg of trenbolone acetate 80-120
Component TE-H® 14 mg estradiol
Component T-H® Heifers 200 mg of trenbolone acetate 80-120
Finaplix H®
Revalor 200® Steers/Heifers 200 mg of trenbolone acetate 100-140
Component- TE-200® 20 mg estradiol
Synovex-Plus® Steers/heifers 200 mg of trenbolone acetate 100-140
28 mg of estradiol benzoate
Revalor XS® Steers 20 pellets w/ 20 mg of trenbolone 130-180
acetate & 4 mg estradiol
Note: These are in addition to implants approved for grazing, weaned calves
And listed for in relative order of potency
Last updated 4-10-2012

25. 150 days or less (Yearlings)
Low E TBA combo (med to strong) : 60-80 d
TBA combo (med to strong): 80-120 d
TBA combo or TBA : 100-120 d
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
25
Days on Feed
Adapted from Bill Halfman

26. 200 days (Calf-feds)
Estrogenic or Med. Combo: 60-80 d TBA combo (med to strong) : 60-80 d
TBA combo (med to strong): 100-120 d
Long duration low to medium potency: 200-300 d
0 40 60 100 140 160 200
26
Days on Feed
Adapted from Bill Halfman

27. 300 days (Long-fed, Holsteins)
Low- Estrogenic Med- Estrogenic Med- Combo or TBA
Low-Med Estrogenic – long duration Med- Combo or TBA
Low Estrogenic Long duration Implant (200-300 d)
Long duration Implant (200-300 d)
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
27
Days on Feed
Adapted from Bill Halfman

28. Not a fix for poor management
• Implants will not fix
• Inadequate nutrition
• Lack of bedding
• Excessive manure
• Poor bunk management

29. Final Tips
• If using multiple implants increase potency with
the following implants
• Diminishing returns – animals become
‘adapted’ to implant
• Last implant should include some level of TBA
• Greatest improvement in feed efficiency
• Longer duration implants may want to consider if
you can restrain 900-1000 lb steers

30. Implant Placement

31. Cost of Improper Technique
Estimated cost/head
Abscess $25
Bunched/Crushed $15
Missed $25
Walled off/In Cartilage $25
Partial loss $20

32. References
• Implant strategies for high quality beef production. Robbi Pritchard,
SDSU.www.cabpartners.com/news/research/pritchard_implanting.doc.pdf
• Implant Use in Backgrounding Calves. NDSU.
www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/beef/as1178w.htm
• Beef Cattle Implants, Utah University Extension.
www.sustainabletable.org/issues/docs/Utah_University_Implants.pdf
• Elanco Implant Portfolio: https://www.elanco.us/products-services/beef/
• Intervet, Inc.- Revalor products: http://www.revalor.com/
• Pfizer Animal Health – Synovex products:
https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/PahWeb/US/EN/Pages/Beef.aspx
• Merck Animal Health Implants - Ralgro products:http://www.merck-animal-
health-usa.com/products/130_163380/productdetails_130_163790.aspx