scholarly journals Feed efficiency in beef cattle: relationship with digestibility, antioxidant activity, oxidative stress, growth performance, and carcass characteristics

Author(s):  
Jason Ryan Russell
1970 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-396
Author(s):  
W. Addah ◽  
A. Ayantunde ◽  
E.K. Okine

The study investigated the effects of re-alimenting dietary protein or energy on growth, carcass characteristics and meat eating quality parameters of sheep. Twenty-seven intact rams (~9 months; 11.3 ± 0.5 kg) were randomly divided into three groups. Each group was fed a maintenance diet (MT) containing, on dry matter (DM) basis, 105 g/kg crude protein (CP) and 8.4 MJ/kg DM metabolizable energy (ME) for 30 days. Thereafter, they were continually fed the same MT or re-alimented with a high protein diet (HP) containing 169 g/kg DM CP and 9.3 MJ/kg ME or a high energy diet (HE) containing 123 g/kg DM CP and 10.6 MJ/kg ME for an additional 30 days to determine the effects of re-alimentation of protein or energy on their growth performance and carcass characteristics. During the initial 30-day period, DM intake (DMI) and growth performance were similar among the three groups. However, upon re-alimentation, average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency of sheep re-alimented with HP were greater than those maintained continually on MT or re-alimented with HE. Sheep on HP had higher feed efficiency, ADG and heavier carcasses than those fed MT or re-alimented with HE during the whole 60-day period. Growth of most viscera was less responsive to the restriction-re-alimentation feeding regimen except for the weights of the lungs, heart and intestines. Meat from sheep re-alimented with HE had a more intense ‘sheepy’ flavour than those fed MT or re-alimented with HP, but juiciness and tenderness were not affected. The higher ADG of sheep re-alimented with protein may be related more to enhanced efficiency of feed utilization than to higher DMI.Keywords: average daily gain, feed restriction, nutrient utilization efficiency, visceral organs


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan A Johnson ◽  
Brittney D Sutherland ◽  
John J McKinnon ◽  
Tim A McAllister ◽  
Gregory B Penner

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the source of silage, cereal grain, and their interaction on growth performance, digestibility, and carcass characteristics of finishing beef cattle. Using a completely randomized design within an 89-d finishing study, 288 steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 24 pens (12 steers/pen) with average steer body weight (BW) within a pen of 464 kg ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD). Diets were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with corn silage (CS) or barley silage (BS) included at 8% (dry matter [DM] basis). Within each silage source, diets contained dry-rolled barley grain (BG; 86% of DM), dry-rolled corn grain (CG; 85% of DM), or an equal blend of BG and CG (BCG; 85% of DM). Total tract digestibility of nutrients was estimated from fecal samples using near-infrared spectroscopy. Data were analyzed with pen as the experimental unit using the Mixed Model of SAS with the fixed effects of silage, grain, and the two-way interaction. Carcass and fecal kernel data were analyzed using GLIMMIX utilizing the same model. There were no interactions detected between silage and grain source. Feeding CG increased (P < 0.01) DM intake by 0.8 and 0.6 kg/d relative to BG and BCG, respectively. Gain-to-feed ratio was greater (P = 0.04) for BG (0.172 kg/kg) than CG (0.162 kg/kg) but did not differ from BCG (0.165 kg/kg). Furthermore, average daily gain (2.07 kg/d) and final body weight did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.25). Hot carcass weight (HCW) was 6.2 kg greater (372.2 vs. 366.0 kg; P < 0.01) and dressing percentage was 0.57 percentage units greater (59.53 vs. 58.96 %; P = 0.04) for steers fed CS than BS, respectively. There was no effect of dietary treatment on the severity of liver abscesses (P ≥ 0.20) with 72.0% of carcasses having clear livers, 24.4% with minor liver abscesses, and 3.6% with severe liver abscesses. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and starch were greater for BG (P < 0.01) than CG or BCG. As expected, grain source affected the appearance of grain kernels in the feces (P ≤ 0.04). Feeding CS silage increased the appearance of fractured corn kernels (P = 0.04), while feeding BS increased fiber appearance in the feces (P = 0.02). Current results indicate that when dry rolled, feeding BG resulted in improved performance and digestibility compared with CG and BCG. Even at low inclusion levels (8% of DM), CS resulted in improved carcass characteristics relative to BS.


2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. McGregor ◽  
C. P. Campbell ◽  
S. P. Miller ◽  
P. P. Purslow ◽  
I. B. Mandell

McGregor, E M., Campbell, C. P., Miller, S. P., Purslow, P. P. and Mandell, I. B. 2012. Effect of nutritional regimen including limit feeding and breed on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality in beef cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 327–341. The effects of nutritional management regimen and breed on growth performance, carcass attributes, and meat quality were evaluated in 68 British (BRIT) and Continental (CONT) crossbred steers, managed on one of three nutritional regimens: (1) ad libitum access to a 77% corn diet (ALGRAIN), (2) limit feeding initially of the 77% corn diet, followed by ad libitum access to the 77% corn diet (LFGRAIN), and (3) limit feeding initially of a 90% haylage diet, followed by ad libitum access to the 77% corn diet (LFHAYL). Nutritional regimen by breed interactions (P<0.02) were present for average daily gain, dry matter intake (DMI), gain to feed, and shear force. LFHAYL regimen decreased gains to a greater extent for BRIT steers than CONT steers managed on ALGRAIN or LFGRAIN. Feed intakes were similar across nutritional regimens for CONT steers, while DMI was depressed in BRIT on LFHAYL as compared with steers started on ALGRAIN or LFGRAIN. Gain to feed was greater in BRIT cattle on LFGRAIN vs. ALGRAIN, while gain to feed was similar in CONT started on grain (ALGRAIN, LFGRAIN). Shear force was lower for beef from LFHAYL BRIT vs. beef from BRIT on ALGRAIN or LFGRAIN, while the converse was true for CONT. Limit feeding of a high-energy diet may be appropriate for cattle of British background to reduce feed input costs, while ensuring tenderness.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251786
Author(s):  
Juliana M. Araujo ◽  
Rodrigo Fortes-Silva ◽  
Cícero C. Pola ◽  
Fernando Y. Yamamoto ◽  
Delbert M. Gatlin ◽  
...  

This study aimed to elucidate the effects of selenium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles used as a dietary supplement on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) antioxidant and growth responses. First, chitosan-based nanoparticles containing selenium (Se) were synthesized using the ionotropic gelation method and their physicochemical characteristics, controlled release profile, and antioxidant activity properties were investigated. Thereafter, the effects on glutathione peroxidase and antioxidant activities (by radical scavenging activity), growth, and whole-body composition of Nile tilapia were evaluated when they were fed with Se-loaded chitosan nanoparticles and compared with other selenium dietary supplements. Se-loaded chitosan nanoparticles showed high entrapment efficiency (87%), spherical shape, smooth surface, and broad size distribution. The controlled release of Se consisted of an initial burst followed by a gradual release over 48 h. Se-loaded nanoparticles presented significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to free Se. A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to compare the effects of supplementing different dietary Se sources, including selenomethionine (as organic source), sodium selenite (as inorganic source), and Se-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Se-Nano and Se-Nano x1.5) on antioxidant and growth responses of Nile tilapia. A basal diet without Se supplementation was used as the control. The dietary supplementations with different Se sources (free and encapsulated selenium) lead to significant improvements in final weight and feed efficiency of Nile tilapia fingerlings. However, dietary treatments did not affect whole-body protein and lipid content. Diets containing Se-Nano and Se-Nano x1.5 were more effective than sodium selenite and selenomethionine in preventing oxidative stress and improving antioxidant activity in Nile tilapia. Overall, Se-loaded nanoparticles presented a great potential as an efficient source for delivering dietary Se to Nile tilapia, directly affecting the growth performance, feed efficiency, oxidative stress, and antioxidant activity of this species.


Author(s):  
Hadley R Williams ◽  
Mike D Tokach ◽  
Jason C Woodworth ◽  
Joel M DeRouchey ◽  
Robert D Goodband ◽  
...  

Abstract Genetic modification of corn has enhanced the use of different corn hybrids in animal agriculture. Enogen Feed corn, developed by Syngenta Seeds (Downers Grove, IL), has potential for use in livestock diets due to increase α-amylase enzyme in the corn thus improving starch digestibility. In addition, the pelleting process also increases starch gelatinization which increases its digestibility by the pig, increasing growth rate and improving feed efficiency. Therefore, pelleting Enogen Feed corn might prove to provide a greater response in growth performance than conventional yellow dent corn. Thus, the objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of corn source and diet form on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs. A total of 288 pigs (53.0 ± 0.5 kg) were used with 8 pigs per pen and 9 pens per treatment in a 72-d study. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of corn source (Enogen Feed corn or conventional yellow dent corn) and diet form (meal or pellet). For overall (d 0 to 72) performance, no interactions between corn source and diet form were observed. There was a tendency (P &lt; 0.10) for slightly improved average daily gain (ADG) and gain:feed ratio (G:F) for pigs fed conventional yellow dent corn compared to those fed Enogen Feed corn. For feed form, pigs fed pelleted diets had increased (P &lt; 0.001) ADG and G:F compared to pigs fed meal diets. For carcass characteristics, pigs fed pelleted diets had increased hot carcass weight compared to pigs fed meal diets (P &lt; 0.001). In summary, feeding pelleted diets to finishing pigs increased ADG and improved feed efficiency compared to those fed meal-based diets. There were no major differences between observed corn sources or interactions between corn source and diet form on growth performance.


Author(s):  
T. Srilatha ◽  
V. Ravinder Reddy ◽  
V. Chinni Preetam ◽  
S.V. Rama Rao ◽  
Y. Ramana Reddy

An experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different levels of crude protein in broiler diets during different phases. i.e., pre starter (0-11d), starter (12-21d) and finisher (22-42d). 360 day-old broilers (Vencobb) were procured from a commercial hatchery and fed either high or low dietary CP diets during pre-starter (23 and 21%) , starter (21 and 19%) and high, moderate or low CP diets during finisher ( 18.5, 17.5 and 16.5%) phases, for a total of 12 possible treatment combinations at d 42. The results showed that the broilers fed low levels of CP ( 21 and 19 %) had significantly(P less than 0.05) higher body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI), and better feed efficiency over the diets with high levels of CP during pre-starter and starter phases (23 and 21%, respectively). The higher (18.5%) level of protein in the finisher phase showed higher BWG and best FCR compared to the lower levels (17.5 and 16.5%). Carcass characters were not influenced by the variation in dietary CP level tested except the abdominal fat weight which was significantly higher in broiler fed low CP diet compared to those fed higher levels of CP during all three phases. The results indicated that the broilers fed low CP diets supplemented with critical amino acids (21 and 19%) had beneficial effect on the growth performance during pre-starter and starter phase. The broilers showed an ability to respond to increase in dietary CP levels during finisher phase.


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