The Claim

Supplementing feedlot steers with ractopamine hydrochloride (300 mg/day) or lubabegron (36 mg/day) for the final 35 days before slaughter increases average daily gain by approximately 12-15% and improves feed efficiency by 8-10% compared to unsupplemented controls, resulting in greater final body weight and lean muscle mass without altering dry matter intake.

Source: The supplementation of lubabegron or ractopamine hydrochloride in the summer improved growth performance but did not impact rumination, mobility scores, and behaviors in feedlot cattle in the United States

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
20score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Feeding ractopamine hydrochloride or lubabegron to cattle during the last 35 days before slaughter increases their daily weight gain by 12-15% and improves how efficiently they convert feed into body mass, leading to heavier animals with more lean muscle, without changing how much feed they consume.

See the scientific wording

Supplementing feedlot steers with ractopamine hydrochloride (300 mg/day) or lubabegron (36 mg/day) for the final 35 days before slaughter increases average daily gain by approximately 12-15% and improves feed efficiency by 8-10% compared to unsupplemented controls, leading to greater final body weight and lean muscle mass without altering dry matter intake, indicating these β-agonists enhance growth efficiency in cattle under summer feedlot conditions.

Why this might work

The supplement binds to specific receptors on muscle and fat cells, triggering a chain reaction inside the cells that stops fat storage and turns on muscle building. This causes the animal to put more of its food into muscle instead of fat, making it gain weight faster and use feed more efficiently without eating more.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: The supplementation of lubabegron or ractopamine hydrochloride in the summer improved growth performance but did not impact rumination, mobility scores, and behaviors in feedlot cattle in the United States

    Adding these two special feed supplements to cattle for the last month before slaughter helped them grow faster and turn food into muscle more efficiently—without eating more. They ended up heavier and leaner, just like the claim said.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.