Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T02:38:49.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Performance and carcass characteristics of steers fed with two levels of metabolizable energy intake during summer and winter season

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2018

R. A. Arias Open the ORCID record for R. A. Arias [Opens in a new window] ,
J. P. Keim ,
M. Gandarillas ,
A. Velásquez ,
C. Alvarado-Gilis  and
T. L. Mader
R. A. Arias*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Producción Animal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile Centro de Investigación en Suelos Volcánicos, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
J. P. Keim
Affiliation:
Instituto de Producción Animal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
M. Gandarillas
Affiliation:
Instituto de Producción Animal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
A. Velásquez
Affiliation:
Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco 4781312, Chile Núcleo de Investigación en Producción Agroalimentaria, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco 4781312, Chile
C. Alvarado-Gilis
Affiliation:
Instituto de Producción Animal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
T. L. Mader
Affiliation:
Animal Science Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE 68028, USA
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Climate change is producing an increase on extreme weather events around the world such as flooding, drought and extreme ambient temperatures impacting animal production and animal welfare. At present, there is a lack of studies addressing the effects of climatic conditions associated with energy intake in finishing cattle in South American feed yards. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of environmental variables and level of metabolizable energy intake above maintenance requirements (MEI) on performance and carcass quality of steers. In each experiment (winter and summer), steers were fed with 1.85 or 2.72 times of their requirements of metabolizable energy of maintenance. A total of 24 crossbred steers per experiment were used and located in four pens (26.25 m2/head) equipped with a Calan Broadbent Feeding System. Animals were fed with the same diet within each season, varying the amount offered to adjust the MEI treatments. Mud depth, mud scores, tympanic temperature (TT), environmental variables, average daily gain, respiration rates and carcass characteristics plus three thermal comfort indices were collected. Data analysis considered a factorial arrangement (Season and MEI). In addition, a repeated measures analysis was performed for TT and respiration rate. Mean values of ambient temperature, solar radiation and comfort thermal indices were greater in the summer experiment as expected (P<0.005). The mean values of TT were higher in steers fed with higher MEI and also in the summer season. The average daily gain was greater during summer v. winter (1.10±0.11 v. 0.36±0.06) kg/day, also when steers were fed 2.72 v. 1.85 MEI level (0.89±0.12 v. 0.57±0.10) kg/day. In summer, respiration rate increased in 41.2% in the afternoon. In winter, muddy conditions increased with time of feeding, whereas wind speed and rainfall had significant effects on TT and average daily gain. We conclude that MEI and environmental variables have direct effects on the physiology and performance of steers, including TT and average daily gain, particularly during the winter. In addition, carcass characteristics were affected by season but not by the level of MEI. Finally, due to the high variability of data as well as the small number of animals assessed in these experiments, more studies on carcass characteristics under similar conditions are required.

Keywords

tympanic temperaturemuddy conditionsrespiration ratepanting scoresclimatic factors
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , January 2019 , pp. 221 - 230
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2018 

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

Angrecka, S and Herbut, P 2015. Conditions for cold stress development in dairy cattle kept in free stall barn during severe frosts. Czech Journal of Animal Science 2, 81–87.Google Scholar
Arias, RA 2008. Modeling the effects of environmental factors on finished cattle. PhD thesis, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA.Google Scholar
Arias, RA, Mader, TL and Parkhurst, AM 2011. Effects of diet type and metabolizable energy intake on tympanic temperature of steers fed during summer and winter seasons. Journal of Animal Science 89, 1574–1580.Google Scholar
Baumgard, L and Rhoads, RP 2013. Effects of heat stress on postabsorptive metabolism and energetics. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences 1, 311–337.Google Scholar
Bernabucci, U, Biffani, S, Buggiotti, L, Vitali, A, Lacetera, N and Nardone, A 2014. The effects of heat stress in Italian Holstein dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 97, 471–486.Google Scholar
Berthiaume, R, Mandell, I, Faucitano, L and Lafreniere, C 2006. Comparison of alternative beef production systems based on forage finishing or grain-forage diets with or without growth promotants: 1. Feedlot performance, carcass quality, and production costs. Journal of Animal Science 84, 2168–2177.Google Scholar
Birkelo, CP and Johnson, DE 1993. Seasonal environment, performance and energy metabolism of feedlot cattle in northern Colorado (USA). In Livestock Enviroment IV International Symposium (ed. E Collins and C Boon), pp. 1117–1124. ASAE, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.Google Scholar
Birkelo, CP, Johnson, DE and Phetteplace, HP 1991. Maintenance requirements of beef cattle as affected by season on different planes of nutrition. Journal of Animal Science 69, 1214–1222.Google Scholar
Brownson, R and Ames, D 1980. Winter stress in beef cattle. In Great Plains beef cattle handbook cooperative extension service, Great Plains States, USA.Google Scholar
Dijkman, J and Lawrence, P 1997. The energy expenditure of cattle and buffaloes walking and working in different soil conditions. The Journal of Agricultural Science 128, 95–103.Google Scholar
Ferreira, RM, Ayres, H, Chiaratti, MR, Ferraz, ML, Araujo, AB, Rodrigues, CA, Watanabe, YF, Vireque, AA, Joaquim, DC, Smith, LC, Meirelles, FV and Baruselli, PS 2011. The low fertility of repeat-breeder cows during summer heat stress is related to a low oocyte competence to develop into blastocysts. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 2383–2392.Google Scholar
Fiems, LO, Vanacker, JM, De Boever, JL, van Caelenbergh, W, Aerts, JM and De Brabander, DL 2007. Effect of energy restriction and re-alimentation in Belgian Blue double-muscled beef cows on digestibility and metabolites. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 91, 54–61.Google Scholar
Garcia, LG, Nicholson, KL, Hoffman, TW, Lawrence, TE, Hale, DS, Griffin, DB, Savell, JW, VanOverbeke, DL, Morgan, JB, Belk, KE, Field, TG, Scanga, JA, Tatum, JD and Smith, GC 2008. National beef quality audit-2005: survey of targeted cattle and carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers. Journal of Animal Science 86, 3533–3543.Google Scholar
Gaughan, JB and Mader, TL 2014. Body temperature and respiratory dynamics in un-shaded beef cattle. International Journal of Biometeorology 58, 1443–1450.Google Scholar
Grandin, T 2016. Evaluation of the welfare of cattle housed in outdoor feedlot pens. Veterinary and Animal Science 1–2, 23–28.Google Scholar
Graunke, KL, Schuster, T and Lidfors, LM 2011. Influence of weather on the behaviour of outdoor-wintered beef cattle in Scandinavia. Livestock Science 136, 247–255.Google Scholar
Hahn, GL, Gaughan, JB, Mader, TL and Eigenberg, RA 2009. Thermal indices and their applications for livestock environments. In Livestock energetics and thermal environmental management (ed. JA DeShazer), pp. 113–130. ASABE, St. Joseph, MI, USA.Google Scholar
Honeyman, MS, Maxwell, D and Busby, WD 2012. Effects of stocking density on steer performance and carcass characteristics in bedded hoop barns. Animal Industry Report, p. 4. Iowa, USA.Google Scholar
Howard, JT, Kachman, SD, Snelling, WM, Pollak, EJ, Ciobanu, DC, Kuehn, LA and Spangler, ML 2014. Beef cattle body temperature during climatic stress: a genome-wide association study. International Journal of Biometeorology 58, 1665–1672.Google Scholar
INN 2002. Bovine carcasses – definitions and grading. In (ed. INd Normalización), p. 10. INN, Santiago, Chile.Google Scholar
Mader, TL 2011. Mud effects on feedlot cattle. Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 82–83. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA.Google Scholar
Mader, TL and Davis, MS 2002. Wind speed and solar radiation corrections for the temperature–humidity index. In Proceedings of the 15th Conference on Biometeorology and Aerobiology joint with the 16th International Congress on Biometeorology, Boston, MA, USA, pp. 154–157.Google Scholar
Mader, TL and Davis, MS 2004. Effect of management strategies on reducing heat stress of feedlot cattle: feed and water intake. Journal of Animal Science 82, 3077–3087.Google Scholar
Mader, TL and Gaughan, JB 2011. Effects of climate variability on domestic livestock. In Handook on climate change and agriculture (ed.. ADAR and Mendelsohn), pp. 32–48. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, MA, USA.Google Scholar
Mader, TL, Davis, MS and Brown-Brandl, T 2006. Environmental factors influencing heat stress in feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science 84, 712–719.Google Scholar
Mader, TL and Griffin, D 2015. Management of cattle exposed to adverse environmental conditions. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 31, 247–258.Google Scholar
Mader, TL, Johnson, LJ and Gaughan, JB 2010. A comprehensive index for assessing environmental stress in animals. Journal of Animal Science 88, 2153–2165.Google Scholar
McCarthy, FD, Hawkins, DR and Bergen, WG 1985. Dietary energy density and frame size effects on composition of gain in feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science 60, 781–790.Google Scholar
Morrison, SR, Givens, RL, Garrett, WN and Bond, TE 1970. Effects of mud-wind-rain on beef cattle performance in feed lot. California Agriculture 24, 6–7.Google Scholar
National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine 2016. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle, 8th revised edition. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
National Research Council 1981. Effect of environment on nutrient requirements of domestic animals. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Pesonen, M, Honkavaara, M and Huuskonen, AK 2012. Effect of breed on production, carcass traits and meat quality of Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus×Limousin bulls offered a grass silage-grain-based diet. Agricultural and Food Science 361–369.Google Scholar
Rayburn, EB and Fox, DG 1990. Predicting growth and performance of Holstein steers. Journal of Animal Science 68, 788–798.Google Scholar
Rhoads, RP, La Noce, AJ, Wheelock, JB and Baumgard, LH 2011. Short communication: alterations in expression of gluconeogenic genes during heat stress and exogenous bovine somatotropin administration. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 1917–1921.Google Scholar
Sami, AS, Koegel, J and Eichinger, H 2006. Effects of the dietary energy source on meat quality and eating quality attributes and fatty acid profile of Simmental bulls. Animal Research 55, 287–299.Google Scholar
Smith, TR, Chapa, A, Willard, S, Herndon, C Jr., Williams, RJ, Crouch, J, Riley, T and Pogue, D 2006. Evaporative tunnel cooling of dairy cows in the southeast. II: impact on lactation performance. Journal of Dairy Science 89, 3915–3923.Google Scholar
Young, BA, Walker, B, Dixon, AE and Walker, VA 1989. Physiological adaptation to the environment. Journal of Animal Science 67, 2426–2432.Google Scholar
Zimbelman, RB, Rhoads, RP, Rhoads, ML, Duff, GC, Baumgard, LH and Collier, JL 2009. A re-evaluation of the impact of temperature humidity index (THI) and black globe humidity index (BGHI) on milk production in high producing dairy cows. In Proceedings of the 24th Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference, Tempe, AZ, USA, pp. 158–169.Google Scholar