scholarly journals Effects of evening feeding and extended photoperiod on growth, feed efficiency, live animal carcass traits and plasma prolactin of beef heifers housed outdoors during two Manitoba winters

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Kennedy ◽  
R. D. Bergen ◽  
T. J. Lawson ◽  
J. A. Small ◽  
D. M. Veira

The effects of evening feeding and extended photoperiod on feedlot performance, live animal carcass traits and plasma prolactin were investigated in crossbred beef heifers in two consecutive Manitoba winters (1998–1999; exp. 1 and 1999–2000; exp. 2) using a 2 × 2 factorial design. Heifers were fed in the morning (1000 exp. 1 and 0900 exp. 2) or evening (2000) and exposed to natural winter photoperiod (NP) of <15 h or extended winter photoperiod (EP) of 16–19 h (65 lux exp. 1, 51 lux exp. 2) in outdoor partially covered pens. Heifers (n = 48; 276.9 ± 19.4 kg, mean ± SD) in exp. 1 were given a 60% forage: 40% concentrate backgrounding ration for 56 d followed by a 25% forage: 75% concentrate finishing ration for 70 d. In exp. 2, heifers (n = 48; 228.8 ± 18.8kg) were given the backgrounding ration for 170 d. Mean ambient temperature during the backgrounding and finishing periods in exp. 1 was -13.7 and 0.5°C, respectively. During the backgrounding period of exp. 1, evening feeding increased (P = 0.05) growth rate 10.1%, and tended (P = 0.08) to improve feed efficiency by 9.0%; EP tended (P = 0.08) to improve feed efficiency by 9.0%. During the finishing period there was a time of feeding × photoperiod interaction (P = 0.02) for feed efficiency with a tendency for most efficient gains in the morning-fed NP heifers. There were no main or interaction effects of time of feeding and photoperiod on ultrasonically measured subcutaneous fat depth or longissimus dorsi muscle area in exp. 1. Plasma prolactin was elevated by EP on day 42 (photoperiod × day; P < 0.01) of exp. 1. Mean ambient temperature during exp. 2 was -5.1°C, and there were no main or interaction effects of time of feeding or photoperiod on weight gain, dry matter intake or feed efficiency. However, subcutaneous fat depth was reduced by EP on day 156 (photoperiod × day; P < 0.01). Plasma prolactin did not change during the first 107 d of exp. 2, but subsequently rose in all but the morning-fed EP treatment group. The results indicate that both evening feeding and extended photoperiod can impact growth and feed efficiency of beef cattle during winter-feeding. Key words: Feedlot heifers, beef cattle, evening feeding, extended photoperiod, light, prolactin

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (suppl_3) ◽  
pp. 109-110
Author(s):  
C Ekine-Dzivenu ◽  
E Akanno ◽  
L Chen ◽  
L McKeown ◽  
B Irving ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 142-142
Author(s):  
L. Suguisawa* ◽  
H. N. Oliveira ◽  
W. R. S. Mattos ◽  
A. A. Souza ◽  
M. D. B. Arrigoni ◽  
...  

Ultrasound technology provides a oportunity to quickly and economically estimate carcass atributes on the live animal (Brethour, 2000). In general, this technology has been used to detect variation for fat depth and ribeye area (longissimus dorsi muscle) in performance tested yearling bulls at several countries. In the present study, real time ultrasonography was used to predict the ribeye area (RA) and the subcutaneous fat thickness (FT) in Nellore crossbred.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 413-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arto Huuskonen ◽  
Maiju Pesonen

Abstract The objective of the present research was to study the potential for improvement of growth and carcass traits through Simmental (Si) × beef breed crossbreeding compared to purebred Si bulls in Finnish beef cattle population. The data collected from Finnish slaughterhouses included observations of 6 224 purebred Si bulls plus Si × beef breed crosses. For estimating valuable cuttings, a separate dataset including in total 314 bulls was also collected. The estimated average daily carcass gain of the purebred Si bulls was 686 g/d and it improved by 3 and 6% with Si×Blonde d’Aquitaine and Si×Charolais crossbreds, respectively. Carcass conformation improved by using Blonde d’Aquitaine, Limousin and Charolais crossbreeding compared to the pure Si bulls. Si×British breed crossbreds (Angus and Hereford) had poorer carcass gain and produced poorer conformed carcasses compared to purebred Si bulls. Furthermore, the yield of subcutaneous fat was higher in the Si×Angus and Si×Hereford bulls than in the purebred Si bulls.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Popp ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
W. J. Burgevitz ◽  
R. A. Kemp ◽  
J. P. Kastelic ◽  
...  

The effects of estrus suppression (none, oral melengestrol acetate (0.4 mg d−1) or ovariectomy via Willis spay technique) and an anabolic implant (none or Synovex Plus®) on growth performance and carcass characteristics were determined using 90 beef heifers of composite breeding in a 2 × 3 factorial experiment conducted in the last 50 d before slaughter. Spaying caused no morbidity or mortality and resulted in average daily gains (1.37 kg d−1) comparable to heifers fed melengestrol acetate (1.33 kg d−1). Implanting improved (P < 0.05) feed efficiency and increased (P < 0.05) animal gain, ribeye area, carcass weight and yield and reduced (P < 0.05) intramuscular fat deposition but estrus suppression did not. Method of estrus suppression did not influence (P > 0.05) carcass traits. Spaying and implanting represent an effective means of improving returns from heifers, even late in the finishing period. Key words: Ovariectomy, implants, beef heifers, carcass composition


Author(s):  
Gabriel Miranda MOREIRA ◽  
Javier Andrés Moreno MENESES ◽  
Cintia Vanin RIBEIRO ◽  
Alyce de Melo FARIA ◽  
Helena Graciani ARANTES ◽  
...  

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of probiotic consortium on feed intake, feeding behavior, feed efficiency, fecal score, weight gain and carcass traits in finishing Nellore heifers fed high energy diets in feedlot. Twenty-four Nellore heifers were distributed in 12 pens with two animals each, being six pens per treatment. In the control treatment (CON) the animals were fed exclusively with the base diet, which contained 35% corn silage and 65% concentrate. In the treatment with probiotic consortium technology (TCP), the animals received the base diet and a single dose of 75 mL/animal/day of Bio Ciclo Completo (Global Saúde Brasil) top-dressed in the morning feeding. There was no period of adaptation to the diet. The experiment lasted 93 days. The use of TCP did not affect (P = 0.980) the dry matter intake. The average daily gain was 12.5% greater (P = 0.025) in the animals treated with TCP (0.941 kg/day for TCP versus 0.834 kg/day for CON). The animals that received TCP improved (P = 0.021) the feed efficiency by 12.6%. The animals that received TCP tended to have a better (P = 0.094) fecal score within the first 27 days of feedlot. There were no significant effects of TCP on the feeding behavior and carcass traits. Based on the results, there is a great potential of using TCP to improve productivity in beef cattle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
David N Kelly ◽  
Stephen B Conroy ◽  
Craig P Murphy ◽  
Roy D Sleator ◽  
Donagh P Berry

Abstract Few studies have attempted to quantify the association between a terminal total merit index with phenotypic feed and production efficiency in beef cattle, particularly when feed efficiency is itself explicitly absent as a goal trait in the index. The objective of the present study was to quantify the differences in phenotypic performance for feed intake, feed efficiency, and carcass traits of crossbred bulls, steers, and heifers differing in a terminal total merit index. A validation population of 614 bulls, steers, and heifers that were evaluated for feed intake and efficiency in the same feedlot and subsequently slaughtered at the end of their test period was constructed. The Irish national genetic evaluations for a terminal index of calving performance, docility, feed intake, and carcass traits were undertaken with the phenotypic records of animals present in the validation population masked. The validation population animals were subsequently stratified into four groups, within sex, according to their terminal index value. Mixed models were used to quantify the association between terminal genetic merit and phenotypic performance; whether the associations differed by sex were also investigated. The regression coefficient of phenotypic feed intake, carcass weight, carcass conformation, or carcass fat on its respective estimated breeding values was 0.86 kg dry matter 0.91 kg, 1.01 units, and 1.29 units, respectively, which are close to the expectation of one. On average, cattle in the very high terminal index stratum had a 0.63 kg DM/d lower feed intake, a 25.05 kg heavier carcass, a 1.82 unit better carcass conformation (scale 1 to 15), and a 1.24 unit less carcass fat score (scale 1 to 15), relative to cattle in the very low terminal index stratum. Cattle of superior total genetic merit were also more feed efficient (i.e., had a lower energy conversion ratio, lower residual feed intake, and greater residual gain), had a greater proportion of their live-weight as carcass weight (i.e., better dressing percentage) and were slaughtered at a younger age relative to their inferior total genetic merit counterparts. This study provides validation of an all-encompassing total merit index and demonstrates the benefits of selection on a total merit index for feed and production efficiency, which should impart confidence among stakeholders in the contribution of genetic selection to simultaneous improvements in individual animal performance and efficiency.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (10) ◽  
pp. 4341-4348
Author(s):  
Eric H C B Van Cleef ◽  
Solange Uwituze ◽  
Christian A Alvarado-Gilis ◽  
Kevin A Miller ◽  
Cadra L Van Bibber-Krueger ◽  
...  

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the inclusion of crude glycerin (CG) in diets for beef cattle. In Exp. 1, 4 ruminally cannulated steers were fed diets with 0 or 15% CG (DM basis), to evaluate DM disappearance, VFA profiles, and gas production. There was a tendency for an interaction (P = 0.06) between diet fed to donor animals and substrate fed to in vitro system, and digestion was increased when CG was added to cultures with ruminal fluid from CG-fed animals. Total VFA were unaffected by diets or by substrate incubated. The CG increased production of propionate, butyrate, and valerate (P < 0.01) while the gas production was unaffected (P = 0.16). In Exp. 2, 24 crossbred heifers (334.4 ± 0.9 kg BW) were fed the same diets as Exp. 1, for 35 d. Fecal grab samples were collected 3 times daily on day 7, 21, and 35, to evaluate total tract digestibilities of DM, OM, and NDF. The CG improved digestibility of diet OM (P = 0.04), and DM followed a similar trend (P = 0.06), while the NDF digestibility was unaffected (P = 0.29). In Exp. 3, crossbred heifers (n = 374; 375.8 ± 36.1 kg BW) were used to evaluate feedlot performance and carcass traits when fed diets with 0, 7.5, or 15% CG, with or without added 0.3% salt. Heifers were assigned to 25 pens and were harvested on day 125. Removing salt from CG-based diets did not impact performance (P = 0.50). The CG did not influence average daily gain (P = 0.27), but decreased DM intake (P = 0.003), USDA Yield Grade (P = 0.01), and improved feed efficiency (P = 0.03), while tended to decrease USDA prime carcasses (P = 0.10). Carcass weight (P = 0.24), Longissimus muscle area (P = 0.63), and kidney, pelvic, heart fat (P = 0.59) were unaffected by CG. Twelfth-rib fat was less for heifers fed 15% CG without salt compared with the other treatments (P = 0.005), while marbling was less for heifers fed CG diets compared with the control-fed animals (linear, P = 0.004; quadratic, P = 0.02). In conclusion, GC can replace dry-rolled corn in diets for beef heifers when fed at 15% of diet DM, improving OM digestion, increasing ruminal propionate and butyrate without affecting greenhouse gas emissions. Feeding up to 15% CG improves feed efficiency but depresses marbling and tends to decrease Quality Grade. Removing supplemental salt from CG-diets has no impact on performance or carcass traits.


1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. McKAY ◽  
G. W. RAHNEFELD

Feed efficiencies, defined as feed-to-gain or weight ratios, were computed on 1046 steers reared between 1973 and 1978 at the Brandon Research Station. The progeny were out of 10 specific F1 crosses of dams mated to Charolais (C), Simmental (S), Limousin (L), and Chianina (Chi) bulls with none of the F1 dams being backcrossed. Dam crosses included the Hereford × Angus (HA) and crosses sired by C, S, and L bulls out of Hereford (H), Angus (A), and Shorthorn (N) dams. Feed-to-gain ratios were calculated on a live animal postweaning basis (for both a 140-d test and total liveweight gain from on-test to slaughter) and a carcass basis (hot carcass weight and rough or untrimmed lean, fat, and bone weights of combined cuts). The combined cuts were the rib, long loin (comprising the short loin and the sirloin butt), and round. In the live animal traits, the progeny from the 10 F1 dam crosses did not differ, but on a carcass basis, the progeny from the "exotic" crosses had better feed-to-gain ratios than the HA cross. Differences among the progeny of the "exotic" crosses included: C crosses < L crosses, "exotic" × A and "exotic" × N < "exotic" × H for hot carcass weight; "exotic" × N < "exotic" × H for rough weight of the combined cuts; S crosses < L crosses and "exotic" × N < "exotic" × A for fat and bone weights of the combined cuts; and "exotic" × N < "exotic" × H for fat weight of the combined cuts. There were no significant breed of dam's sire (maternal grandsire) × breed of dam's dam (maternal grand-dam) effects. Differences in breed of dam's sire were C < S for 140-d test, C < L for total liveweight gain, and S < L for bone weight of the combined cuts. Breed of dam's dam differences were N < (A = H) for fat weight of the combined cuts. Breed of terminal sire effects revealed that the progeny from the S and C breeds were similar for all measures of feed efficiency and the L and C breeds were only similar for feed efficiencies expressed on a carcass basis. Progeny from the Chi breed were comparable to the progeny from the C breed but not to the progeny from the S and L breeds in these traits. Key words: Beef cattle, breed crosses, steers, feed efficiency


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