Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T19:47:26.721Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effects of feeding frequency on the growth and efficiency of food utilization of ruminants: an analysis of published results

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. P. Gibson
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
Get access

Abstract

An analysis of published data on the effects of feeding frequency on cattle gave the following results. On average, increasing feeding frequency increased average daily gain by 16·2±4·8%. The efficiency of growth was increased by 18·7±60·%, indicating that improvements in average daily gain were due largely to improvements in efficiency of food utilization. Much of the improvement in average daily gain and efficiency of food utilization was attributable to increasing feeding frequency from one or two meals per day to four, but there was some evidence of further improvement at higher feeding frequencies.

In terms of experimentation it was concluded that, in general, nutritional or genetic comparisons of growth and efficiency should be carried out with a strict control of feeding frequency. In terms of animal production it was concluded that cattle should be fed at least four times daily to ensure maximum food efficiency for growth.

The magnitude of the response of average daily gain to feeding frequency was dependent on several experimental variables. In particular, the response appeared to be greater when the level of average daily gain was low and when the level of concentrates was high. The variables examined seemed unable to account wholly for the differences in response found in different experiments. Predicting the magnitude of the response under defined experimental conditions therefore remains extremely difficult.

Although rather more limited, results with sheep supported the conclusions drawn from the results with cattle.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anonymous. 1958. Frequency of feeding and growth rate of young cattle. Agriculture, Lond. 65: 259260.Google Scholar
Burt, A. W. A. and Dunton, C. R. 1967. Effect of frequency of feeding upon food utilization by ruminants. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 26: 181190.Google Scholar
Campbell, J. R., Howe, W. M., Martz, F. A. and Merilan, C. P. 1963. Effects of frequency of feeding on urea utilization and growth characteristics in dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 46: 131134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, B. and Keener, H. A. 1962. Effect of frequent feeding on weight gain response in young dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 45: 11991202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohn, C., Joseph, D., Bell, L. and Allweiss, M. D. 1965. Studies on the effects of feeding frequency and dietary composition on fat deposition. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 131: 507518.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fábry, P. 1969. Feeding Pattern and Nutritional Adaptations. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Fletcher, D. M., Lane, A. G., Campbell, J. R. and Martz, F. A. 1968. Effects of multiple feeding upon performance of Guernsey heifers fed urea-treated corn silage. J. Dairy Sci. 51: 202204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordon, J. G. and Tribe, D. E. 1952. The importance to sheep of frequent feeding. Br. J. Nutr. 6: 8993.Google Scholar
Han, J. K. 1965. Some physiological effects of frequency of meals on sheep and rats ingesting diets in equal amounts. Ph.D. Thesis, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N.Y.Google Scholar
Hillier, R. J., Perry, T. W. and Beeson, W. M. 1965. Timed-interval feeding predominantly corn silage diets to beef steers. J. Anim. Sci. 24: 886 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Horton, O. H. 1964. Influence of frequent feeding of grain on weight gain in dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 47: 196197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horton, O. H. and Nelson, G. S. 1961. Frequency of grain feeding by mechanical means and growth rate response of dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 44: 976 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Leffel, E. C. and Komarek, R. J. 1959. Effects of frequency of feeding upon rumen volatile acids and weight gains in lambs. Proc. Am. Soc. Anim. Prod., nth. Atlantic Sec. 2.Google Scholar
Leveille, G. A. 1970. Adipose tissue metabolism: influence of periodicity of eating and diet composition. Fedn Proc. Fedn Am. Socs exp. Biol. 29: 12941301.Google ScholarPubMed
Leveille, G. A. 1972. Lipogenic adaptations related to pattern of food intake. Nutr. Rev. 30: 151155.Google Scholar
Mochrie, R. D. 1964. Feeding patterns and efficiency in ruminants. Fedn Proc. Fedn Am. Socs exp. Biol. 23: 8587.Google ScholarPubMed
Mochrie, R. D., Thomas, W. E. and Lucas, H. L. 1956. Influence of frequency of feeding equalized intakes on animal response. J. Anim. Sci. 15: 1256 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Mohrman, R. K., Albert, W. W., Neumann, A. L. and Mitchell, G. E. Jr, 1959. The influence of hand-feeding, self-feeding and frequent-interval feeding on performance and behaviour of beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 18: 1489 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Pant, H. C. and Roy, A. 1970. Effect of frequency of feeding on the growth of zebu (Hariana) calves, the digestibility of ration and nitrogen balance. Indian vet. J. 47: 10661073.Google ScholarPubMed
Putnam, P. A., Gutierrez, J. and Devis, R. E. 1961. Effects of frequency of feeding upon rumen volatile acids, protozoal population, and weight gains in Angus heifer calves. J. Dairy Sci. 44: 13641365.Google Scholar
Rakes, A. H., Hardison, W. A., Albert, J., Moore, W. E. C. and Graf, G. C. 1957. Response of growing dairy heifers to frequency of feeding. J. Dairy Sci. 40: 16211627.Google Scholar
Rakes, A. H., Lister, E. E. and Reid, J. T. 1961. Some effects of feeding frequency on the utilization of isocaloric diets by young and adult sheep. J. Nutr. 75: 8692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raleigh, R. J. and Wallace, J. D. 1965. Frequency of feeding and urea utilization by ruminants. J. Anim. Sci. 24: 595 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Renton, A. R. and Forbes, T. J. 1974. A note on the effect of once, twice or three times a day feeding with concentrate on the efficiency of utilization of a diet given to beef cattle. Anim. Prod. 19: 111114.Google Scholar
Rhodes, R. W. and Woods, W. 1962. Influence of frequent feeding on the performance of growing and fattening lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 21: 108111.Google Scholar
Thiessen, R. B. 1979. Breed comparisons in cattle. Variation in body weight, food intake and food efficiency. Rep. Anim. Breed. Res. Orgn, pp. 1318.Google Scholar
Thomas, W. E. and Mochrie, R. D. 1956. Effect of frequency of feeding equalized intakes of feed on growth of dairy heifers. Proc. Ass. sth. agric. Workers, pp. 123124.Google Scholar
Woods, W., Burroughs, W., Raun, N., Cooley, R. and Bockhop, C. 1962. Progress report from Iowa State University: high concentrate, low-fiber finishing rations for beef cattle. Feedstuffs 33 (25): 3640.Google Scholar