Dormant Season Grazing: Effect of Supplementation Strategies on Heifer Resource Utilization and Vegetation Use

Grazing dormant forage under low-input heifer development strategies typically exposes cattle to low-quality forage. Protein supplementation while grazing dormant range can enhance heifer growth and reproductive performance. We examined resource utilization of heifers and the effects of dormant season grazing on residual vegetation characteristics under two supplementation management strategies. Approximately 100 weaned composite heifer calves were randomly selected and placed into one of two supplementation treatments in each of 2 yr, one receiving a free access 62% crude protein self-fed concentrate and the other receiving a daily hand-fed 20% crude protein cake. Grazing occurred from December (2015 and 2016) through March (2016 and 2017). Thirty transects were randomly located within each pasture for measuring vegetation quality and structure before and after grazing. Daily space use and behavior was evaluated for 21 individuals within each treatment using global positioning system (GPS) collars and resource utilization functions. Heifers supplemented with concentrated protein spent more time grazing per day than heifers supplemented with cake (6.92 ± 0.18, 6.24 ± 0.17 h). Relative use by heifers in the cake treatment was negatively related to horizontal distance from the supplement delivery site early to midwinter ($\stackrel{?}{\overline{\beta }}$ = ? 0.41 ± 0.16, ? 0.53 ± 0.17). Both treatments selected grazing locations relative to standing biomass of perennial grasses ($\stackrel{?}{\overline{\beta }}$ = 0.0005 ± 0.00004) and crude protein ($\stackrel{?}{\overline{\beta }}$ = 0.12 ± 0.007). However, resource selection was highly variable among individuals for both supplementation treatments. We found no treatment effects on pre-post grazing differences in residual cover of litter, grass, forbs and shrubs (P > 0.24). However, the time period when grazing occurred had an effect on residual vegetation conditions (P < 0.01). Our results indicate high levels of variability in grazing site selection by heifers, suggesting future research should incorporate individual animal measurements in an attempt to account for individual animal variability.     

Dose response of rumen‐protected conjugated linoleic acid supplementation to fattening bulls and heifers on growth,and carcass and meat quality

We investigated the influence of rumen‐protected conjugated linoleic acid (rpCLA) on growth performances, and carcass and meat quality traits in beef. Twenty‐four young bulls and 30 heifers obtained from double‐muscled beef sires and dairy cows were fed a low‐protein ration (110 g/kg DM of crude protein) supplemented with 0, 8 or 80 g/d of a commercial rpCLA product. The animals were monthly weighed and scored for body muscularity and fatness. Blood samples were collected after 140 days on feed. Animals were slaughtered when they reached average in vivo fatness scores of around 2.5 (heifers) and 2.0 (bulls) points respectively. At slaughter, carcasses, various organs and parts of the gastrointestinal tract were weighed; the 5th rib was dissected and its tissue and muscle chemical composition was determined. The rpCLA had little influence on growth performance but decreased the blood urea content by 28% (p < 0.01). The rpCLA × sex interactions for daily gain (p < 0.05), conformation scores (p < 0.01), and blood creatinine content (p < 0.05) suggest that males were more responsive to rpCLA than females when fed a low‐protein ration, probably because of the metabolic protein‐sparing effect of CLA. Only slight differences were observed in carcass weight and quality at slaughter. The results indicate that the response of beef cattle to rpCLA is dependent on sex or on their propensity for lean and fat accretion. It is also possible that counteracting feedback mechanisms compensate for the influence of rpCLA administration over the course of growth.     

不同蛋白营养水平精补料对黄渠桥羊羔肉氨基酸含量的影响

试验研究了不同蛋白营养水平精补颗粒料对羔羊生长育肥性能的影响,试验选择出生15 d、体质量在10 kg左右的哺乳羔羊,采用随机分组试验设计,羔羊与母羊钻栏补饲的方法,通过饲喂不同营养水平的精补颗粒料,检测羔羊目标体质量达23 kg左右时,屠宰测定其羊肉氨基酸含量的变化。结果表明:羔羊早期补饲有利于羔羊增重,在羔羊生长到38日龄后,其体质量以试验Ⅰ组增长最快;饲喂不同蛋白水平精补颗粒料羔羊肉背最长肌中蛋白质含量、必需氨基酸含量及其占总氨基酸比例均是Ⅰ组均高于Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组,但组间差异不显著(P>0.05);同一饲养环境下,不同蛋白水平精补颗粒料饲喂羔羊其背最长肌肉中氨基酸风味各有不同,但差异不明显(P>0.05)。结果提示,以补饲颗粒精料粗蛋白18.5%和代谢能11.34 MJ/kg水平组合羔羊日增质量及其背最长肌中蛋白质含量、必需氨基酸含量等优势比较明显。     

White or red clover-grass silage in organic dairy milk production: Grassland productivity and milk production responses with different levels of concentrate

Red (RC) or white (WC) clover were grown in mixture with grasses, ensiled and offered to dairy cows in early lactation over two successive years (48 cows per year) to compare grassland yield, feed intake, milk production and milk quality. The crops were ensiled in round bales and proportional mixtures of the second and third cut prepared each year were used to ensure that the silage treatments were representative of the crop. In addition to silage type, concentrate supplementation, without and with (10 kg/day), was included as a factor in a 2 × 2 factorial, continuous experiment. Total dry matter (DM) yield, silage chemical composition and total DM intake was hardly affected by silage type. There was no effect of silage type on milk yield and milk constituents either, except for higher milk protein content (P < 0.05) on WC and higher milk fat content of C18:3n-3 (P < 0.001), C18:2n-6 (P < 0.05) fatty acids (FAs) and sum of polyunsaturated FA (P < 0.001) and lower n-6/n-3 FA ratio (P < 0.01) on RC. Concentrate supplementation increased total DM, N and net energy intakes (P < 0.001), milk yield (P < 0.001), milk fat (P < 0.01) and protein (P < 0.001) content, decreased the milk urea content (P < 0.001), and increased the milk fat content of short- and medium-chained FAs (< C16, P < 0.001), C18:0 (P < 0.01) and C18:2n-6 (P < 0.001), decreased the content of C16:0 (P < 0.05), C18:1t11 (P < 0.001) and C18:3n-3 (P < 0.001), and increased the n-6/n-3 FA ratio (P < 0.001). The effect of concentrate supplementation was not affected by silage type, except for milk protein content where the positive effect of supplementation was stronger on WC than on RC diets (P < 0.05). This study illustrates that the white- and red clover-grass mixtures investigated were widely similar with regard to their effects on grassland yield, silage intake and milk production and milk constituents, except for a higher milk fat content of C18:3n-3 and C18:2n-6 and lower n-6/n-3 FA ratio on red clover diets. Our findings also show that N conversion efficiency from feed to milk on pure forage diets is more sensitive to changes in dietary protein intake than silage diets containing cereal based concentrates.     

Effect of sodium molybdate supplementation on high concentrations of Cu in liver of yearling bulls

AIM: To determine the impact of sodium molybdate treatment, given weekly, on concentrations of Cu in liver, activity of liver enzymes, and weight gain over 4 weeks, in yearling bulls with elevated concentrations of Cu in liver.

METHODS: The study was carried on two commercial grazing farms in the Otago region of New Zealand in yearling Friesian bulls (n=150 on Farm A and n=49 on Farm B) with mean concentration of Cu in liver >3,000 µmol/kg fresh weight. On Day 0, all animals were weighed and half were systematically allocated to treatment with sodium molybdate (3?mg/kg liveweight on Farm A and 7?mg/kg liveweight on Farm B); the remainder received no treatment (Control). Sodium molybdate was given as a drench weekly for 4 weeks and all animals were weighed again on Day 28. Ten animals on each farm (five from each treatment group) were systematically selected for blood sampling and liver biopsies on Days 0 and 28. Samples were analysed for concentrations of Cu in plasma, vitamin B₁₂ in serum, activities of γ–glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase in serum, and concentrations of Cu and vitamin B₁₂ in liver. Separate multivariable linear models were used to compare the change in outcome variables between Days 0 and 28 between bulls that had been drenched with sodium molybdate or not.

RESULTS: On Farm A, mean concentrations of Cu in liver on Day 28, as a percentage of concentrations on Day 0, for the control group was 55 (95% CI=40–73)% and for the treatment group was 73 (95% CI=43–111)%. On Farm B, the equivalent mean for the control group was 75 (95% CI=42–131)% and for the treatment group was 85 (95% CI=38–134)%. The multivariable linear models indicated that the changes in concentrations of Cu in liver, activities of liver enzymes and weight gain between Days 0 and 28 did not differ between the bulls treated or not with sodium molybdate (p>0.18).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Treatment with sodium molybdate in one bolus at weekly intervals for 4 weeks did not affect concentrations of Cu in liver, activity of liver enzymes or weight gain in animals with high concentrations of Cu liver on two farms.     

Does virginiamycin supplementation affect the metabolism and performance of Nellore bulls grazing under low and high gain rates?

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of virginiamycin on the metabolism and performance of growing Nellore bulls under low and high gain rates on pasture. In experiment 1, 80 Nellore bulls (age = 12 ± 2 months, body weight = 258 ± 15 kg) were assigned to 16 paddocks in a 2 × 2 randomized block factorial arrangement. In experiment 2, 12 cannulated Nellore bulls were assigned to three 4 × 4 balanced Latin squares. The factors were: (1) mineral salt without or with virginiamycin, and (2) low or high gain rate. No interaction was noted between factors (p > .10). Animals fed virginiamycin had greater average daily gain (14%, p < .01), body weight (11 kg, p = .05), plasma nonesterified fatty acid (20%, p < .01), serum calcium concentration (2.62%, p = .04), and total protozoa (p = .03) and had the same bacterial proportion (p > .27). Animals with a low gain rate had greater serum urea concentration (19.6%, p < .01) and ruminal ammonia nitrogen (62%, p < .01). Thus, virginiamycin increases the performance and changes the metabolism of growing Nellore bulls under low and high gain rates on pasture.