Search

The effects of a Nutritional Packet offered to beef steers during the final 64 d of the feedlot-finishing phase on growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and feeding behavior were evaluated. Angus-crossbred steers (N = 120; initial body weight = 544 ± 52 kg) were assigned to 30 pens (4 steers per pen; 15 pens per treatment) in a randomized complete block design where pen was the experimental unit. A steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet was offered to ad libitum, and the treatments were as follows: 1) control and 2) 30 g per steer-daily (dry matter basis) of the Nutritional Packet. The Nutritional Packet was formulated to provide 1.7 × 1010 CFU per steer-daily of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 162 mg per steer-daily of vitamin C; 400 mg per steer-daily of vitamin B1; 2.4 g per steer-daily of NaCl, and 2.4 g per steer-daily of KCl. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with the fixed effect of treatment and the random effect of block. The average daily gain (P = 0.89), dry matter intake (P = 0.57), and gain efficiency (P = 0.82) were not affected by the inclusion of the Nutritional Packet. Digestibility of dry and organic matter, and neutral and acid detergent fiber increased (P ≤ 0.02) for steers offered the Nutritional Packet, while a trend for the same response was observed for hemicellulose (P = 0.08). The 12th rib backfat thickness increased (P = 0.02) for carcasses of steers offered the Nutritional Packet, followed by a greater (P = 0.03) calculated yield grade, whereas other carcass traits were not affected (P ≥ 0.32). While the steers under the control diet decreased behavior activities on day 63, a consistent pattern of feeding behavior measurements (activity min/d and min/kg of dry and organic matter, fiber fractions, and digestible nutrients) were observed for steers consuming the Nutritional Packet during both feeding behavior assessment periods (treatment × period interactions, P ≤ 0.03). Overall time (min/d) spent on rumination, drinking, active, chewing, and resting were not affected (P ≥ 0.28) by treatments. The Nutritional Packet offered to steers during the final 64 d on feed induced an improvement in apparent digestibility of nutrients and carcass fat deposition, without affecting growth performance or other carcass quality indices. Such effects associated with the more consistent feeding behavior of steers receiving the Nutritional Packet may warrant a shorter time on feed during the final portion of the finishing phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of bacterial direct-fed microbial (DFM) mixtures on beef cattle ruminal degrad-ability were evaluated. Six ruminally cannulated beef steers (BW = 520 ± 30 kg) were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design and offered a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet to ad libitum intake during three, 28-d periods. Treatments were: 1) Control (no DFM, lactose carrier only); 2) Treat-A (L. animalis, P. freudenreichii; B. subtilis; and B. licheniformis), at 1:1:1:3 ratio, respectively; totaling 6 x 109 CFU (50 mg)/animal-daily minimum; and 3) Treat-B, the same DFM combination, but with doses at 1:1:3:1 ratio. Bacterial counts were approximately 30% greater than the minimum expected. Pre-dehydrated (55°C for 72 h) diets and forage substrates were ground (2 mm) and placed into 10 x 20 cm (28 µm) nylon bags (8 and 5 g, as-is respectively). The diet-substrate included a mixture of (DM basis) steam-flaked corn (70%), alfalfa hay (10%), and wet corn gluten feed (20%). The forage-substrate was represented by 'WW-B Dahl' Old World bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii). Substrate in-situ bags were placed within a nylon mesh (with weights) at the ruminal ventral sac, and reversely removed at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 20, 32, 48, 64, 72, and 96 h after feeding. Samples were removed, rinsed, and dehydrated for 72 h at 55°C. Residues were composited within period, steer, incubation-time, corrected for residual moisture and were used to fit a first-order kinetics model using the NLIN procedure of SAS (animal = experimental unit). Steers offered Treat-A tended to show an increase on the rate of degradation of NDF (P = 0.15) and ADF (P = 0.10) fractions; increased (P < 0.01) hemicellulose potentially degradable fraction (B); and increased (P = 0.02) the effective degradable fraction of NDF (tendency for ADF, P = 0.08) at pre-established rate of passages of 4, 5, and 6% of the diet-substrate compared with Control, while tending to have a reduced rate of degradation for the overall DM (P = 0.06) and OM (P = 0.08) fractions. When the in-situ bags containing the forage-substrate were incubated, steers offered Treat-A showed an increased (P < 0.01) lag time (T0) for hemi-cellulose compared with Control, while those offered Treat-B had a decreased (P = 0.02) hemicellulose potentially degradable fraction (B) compared with Control. The effective degradable fraction for hemicellulose at pre-established rate of passages of 4, 5, and 6% tended (P = 0.09) to numerically increase for steers offered Treat-A compared with Control. The combination of bacteria in Treat-A enhanced the ruminal degradation of high-quality fiber components, as indicated by the improvements observed within the more degradable fractions from ingredients used in the diet and the forage substrates. Further assessment is warranted to investigate post-ruminal nutrient disappearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As perennial warm-season grasses mature in late summer, dry matter intake (DMI) of growing heifers may be limited due to low protein (7.2 ± 2.5 %) and increased NDF content (67.5 ± 2.7%), which may compromise growth potential. Cottonseed meal (CSM) supplementation may improve forage digestibility by increasing rumen degradable protein offered, but research regarding the specific effects of CSM supplementation on gain performance and composition of gain in heifers is limited. It was hypothesized that supplementation of CSM to heifers grazing mature forage would have greater growth performance compared with heifers not receiving CSM. Objectives for this experiment were to compare the effects of two CSM supplementation strategies on the growth performance of heifers grazing mature summer forage. In two consecutive summers, commercial Angus cross heifers (n = 63) weighing 266.08 ± 32.74 kg were blocked by BW (light, medium, and heavy) and allocated to 9 paddocks (1.64 ha) of WW-B. Dahl Bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) for 67 to 70 d. This was a RCBD with a factorial arrangement of 3 treatments by 3 BW blocks, with paddock and year as random effects. Heifers received one of three supplementation strategies: no cottonseed meal (CON), 454 g/animal of CSM daily (CSM1), or 908 g/animal of CSM every other day (CSM2). Initial and final shrunk BW were measured; ADG and percent of BW gained were calculated. Ultrasound of initial and final longissimus muscle area (LMA), backfat (BF), and intramuscular fat (IMF) were measured; percent gained was calculated, respectively. There were no treatment by block interactions for any measured variable. Heifers receiving CSM1 and CSM2 had greater final BW than heifers receiving CON (317 and 320.8 vs 302.6 kg, respectively; (P = 0.01). Likewise, percent of BW gained was greater (P = 0.02) for CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented heifers compared with CON heifers (19.4 and 20.2 vs 14.6%, respectively). The ADG of CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented heifers was greater (P = 0.01) than CON (0.74 and 0.78 vs 0.54 kg/d, respectively). Treatment did not affect the percent of BF (P = 0.24) or IMF gained (P = 0.39). Heifers receiving CSM1 and CSM2 tended to gain proportionally more LMA than heifers receiving CON (13.58 and 13.77 % vs 7.24%, respectively; P = 0.07). As anticipated, BW block affected final BW (P < 0.001) and percent BW gained (P = 0.02), as well as percent LMA gained (P = 0.02). In conclusion, CSM supplementation significantly affected growth performance of heifers grazing late summer WW-B. Dahl Bluestem forage versus no supplementation. In addition, there was no difference in growth performance between heifers receiving 454 g/d of CSM supplementation or 908 g/animal every other day, indicating flexibility for feeding strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of live yeast and diet type (grower or finisher) offered to beef steers on feeding behavior were evaluated. Eight ruminally cannulated yearling beef steers (BW = 550 ± 20 kg) were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin Square design and offered four dietary treatments to ad libitum intake, following a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement: A) presence or not of live-yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae [2 × 1010 CFU/g (CNCM I-1077)]; and B) diet type. Diets (DM basis) contained 3% yellow-grease and mineral/vitamin supplement-adjusted. The grower [40% low-quality alfalfa-hay (LQ-hay), 35% steam-flaked corn (SFC), 20% wet corn gluten feed (WCGF)] and finisher (65% SFC, 20% WCGF, 8% LQ-hay) diets were offered once daily at 0700 h. Live-yeast cells or placebo (soybean meal) were delivered with gel capsules (0.25 g, as is) twice daily directly into the rumen via ruminal cannula. Four, 35 d periods were used, in which feeding behavior assessment was conducted by trained personnel on d 31 (continuous 24 h, every 5 min) while no other major management was performed during the evaluation. The time spent eating, ruminating (standing/laying), resting (stating/laying), active, and drinking were recorded, while chewing was estimated by adding rumination and eating time. The number of meals and time spent on each meal were also assessed. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS, with animal considered as the experimental unit. The statistical model used the fixed effects of diet type, liveyeast presence, and the diet × live-yeast interaction, while square, period, and animal(square) were used as random effects. No diet × live-yeast interactions (P = 0.17) or main effects of live-yeast (P = 0.23) were observed for the variables measured. Feeding behavior was affected by diet type, in which steers offered a grower diet had greater time spent ruminating (341 vs. 231 min/d; P < 0.01), eating (154 vs. 105 min/d; P < 0.01), chewing (494 vs. 336 min/d; P < 0.01), and meal length (13 vs. 10 min/meal; P < 0.01), while less time resting (838 vs. 973 min/d; P < 0.01) compared with those offered the finisher diet. The time spent drinking (15 min/d; P = 0.29) and the number of daily meals (13 meals/d; P = 0.66) were not affected by treatments, while steers offered the finisher diet tended (P = 0.12) to be more active than those offered the grower diet (116 vs. 95 min/d). As expected, grower diets were more prone than finisher diets to stimulate feeding behavior variables of beef steers. Moreover, when directly introduced inside the rumen via ruminal cannula, the live yeast used seemed to not affect the feeding behavior of beef steers consuming a steam-flaked corn-based grower or finisher diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of live-yeast and diet type (grower or finisher) offered to beef steers on fecal pH variables were evaluated. Ruminally-cannulated Anguscrossbred steers (n = 8; BW = 550 ± 20 kg) were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin Square design, on a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement, with factors described as follows: A) presence of live-yeast [Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CNCM I-1077), at 2 × 1010 CFU/g); and B) diet type. Diets (DM basis) contained 3% yellowgrease and min/vitamin supplement-adjusted. The grower [40% low-quality alfalfa-hay (LQ-hay), 35% steam-flaked corn (SFC), 20% wet corn gluten feed (WCGF)] and finisher (65% SFC, 20% WCGF, 8% LQ-hay)] diets were offered to ad libitum intake, once daily at 0700 h. Live-yeast treatment and control (soybean meal as carrier only) were pre-weighed (0.25 g, as is) within gel-capsules and kept at room temperature until introduced directly into the rumen (via ruminal cannula) twice daily (0700 and 1800 h). Four periods of 35 d (28 d of adaptation and 7 d of collection) were used. Fresh fecal samples (50 ± 1 g, as is) were collected via rectal finger-stimulation 4 times per day (every 6 h), during 6 consecutive days, while sampling time was adjusted by advancing 1 h daily so that all the 24 h period after feeding became represented by collections. Samples were suspended with deionized water (to complete 100 g, total) into a plastic container with cap and immediately measured using a pH electrode. The statistical model used animal as experimental unit, the fixed effects of diet, live-yeast, and diet × live-yeast. Square, period, and animal(square) were used as random effects, except by pH average (repeated measures), in which animal(treatment) was also included. For fecal pH average, no 3-way, treatment × time, or diet × time interactions were observed (P = 0.86), except by a treatment × diet interaction, in which animals offered liveyeast on a grower diet had greater (P = 0.04) fecal pH compared with those offered live-yeast on a finisher diet (6.63 vs. 6.55). Regardless of treatments, collection time was meaningful (P = 0.01), where the greatest fecal pH average (6.70) was reached at 14 h, while the least (5.52) was reached at 8, 15, and 22 h after feeding. The fecal pH average across all treatments was 6.58, and it was used to calculate area and time under such threshold. The area (147, min × pH-delta) and the time (730 min) under the curve (pH 6.58), maximum (6.98), minimum (6.22), and the pH magnitude of change (0.76) were not affected (P = 0.37) by treatments. Fecal pH was cyclic and seemed to be positively affected by dietary live-yeast inclusion when offered to beef steers consuming a grower diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment evaluated forage quality, total nutrient yield, water footprint, and growth performance of beef steers receiving protein supplements while grazing Teff grass ['Tiffany' Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] over two consecutive growing seasons. Each year, four 2.66-ha irrigated paddocks (experimental units) were stocked with crossbred beef steers (n = 5 per paddock, initial BW = 289 ± 30 for yr 1; and n = 6, initial BW = 286 ± 23 for yr 2) in a randomized complete block design and stocked continuously for 63 d. Daily supplements [0.45 kg/d of cottonseed meal (Control) enough to avoid a negative ruminal N balance; and 0.50% mean paddock BW animal-daily (approximately 1.65 kg) of sorghum-dried distillers grains plus solubles, (DDGS)] were randomly assigned to two paddocks each. Supplement did not influence forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber, crude protein, or in vitro true digestibility (P ≥ 0.54), except for a tendency (P = 0.08) for a numerical increase in NDF content of paddocks with steers that received DDGS supplementation. Paddock nutrient-yields were similar (P ≥ 0.43) between supplement treatments. Supplementation with DDGS produced greater (P = 0.01) cattle shrunk average daily gain (ADG). Predicted teff dry matter intake (DMI), net energy for maintenance (NEm), and growth (NEg) (P ≤ 0.03) were greater with cattle offered Control treatment. Predicted total DMI was similar (P = 0.14) although predicted dietary NEm, NEg, gain:feed, and total BW gain were greater (P ≤ 0.02) with DDGS. Predicted forage intake was greater (P ≤ 0.05) for cattle offered Control treatment. Teff nutrients remaining on d 56 were similar (P = 0.33) between treatments. Water footprint for total production of forage nutrient components did not differ (P ≥ 0.12) by treatments. Nutrient yield and water use efficiency of continuously stocked teff grass was not affected by supplemental regimen. Using DDGS as a supplement may increase BW gain through increased nutrient utilization without hindering teff nutrient production on a continuous stocking system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and institutional trust between two groups of dairy producers in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil was evaluated. The entity used in this comparison was the Rural Producers Association (RPA), in which two groups were formed: a) RPA members (AG); and b) RPA non-members (NAG). The questionnaire developed used model questions from the World Values Survey. Among a total of 38 producer-members of the RPA, 22 (58%) responded to the questionnaire. For the non-member producers, 44 were identified, while 39 (89%) responded to the questionnaire. To assess social trust, the following question was asked: "Generally speaking, would you say that people can be trusted or that we need to be very careful when dealing with people?". In AG, 81.8% of the producers responded that we need to be very careful when dealing with other people, and among the NAG producers, 87.2% also agreed with such a statement. Despite the lack of social trust in AG, 77.1% of the members fully or partially trust their association. To assess levels of trust in national institutions by producers, a question was asked as follows: "To what extent do you trust the institutions listed below?". For more than 50% of the NAG group, none of the institutions presented deserved full trust, reinforcing the lack of trust, as indicated in the previous question. For those in the NAG group that chose the option "I trust completely", the institutions opted were as follows: religious (46.2%), research institutions (43.6%), public universities (38.5%), and rural extension services (33.3%); while those opted as "I do not trust" were represented by political parties (82.1%), the municipal government (64.1%), and the national congress (61.5%). In the AG group, the institutions with the greatest levels of trust were the rural extension services (54.5%) and the RPA (54.5%), religious institutions (40.9%), public universities (40.9%), and research institutes 36.4%. Moreover, the institutions least trusted were political parties (63.6%), national congress (63.6%), municipal government (36.4%), and land organizations (36.4%). None of the producer groups were officially affiliated with political parties. An open-ended question was asked as follows: "What do you think about the current situation of the association, cooperative, or dairy in which you participate or commercialize milk with?" In the AG, 81.75% see RPA positively, and 18.25% believe that the association was in a bad situation and could even end. In the NAG, 59% of the producers commercialize milk in some type of organization (other than the RPA); in which among these, 43.47% have a negative image of such an organization in general. It is suggestive that regardless of the RPA participation, producers interviewed lack social trust. Future analysis is warranted to involve a multi-location and a broader population sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]