Effects of preshipping management on measures of stress and performance of beef steers during feedlot receiving

Over 2 yr, a total of 96 steers (approximately 7 mo of age) were allocated to 1 of 4 weaning management strategies: 1) control: weaned on the day of shipping; 2) creep-fed: allowed free-choice access to concentrate before weaning and shipping; 3) preweaned: weaned and provided supplemental concentrate on pasture before shipping; and 4) early-weaned: weaned at 70 to 90 d of age and kept on pasture. On the day of shipping, steers were loaded together onto a commercial livestock trailer and transported 1,600 km over 24 h before being received into the feedlot. At the feedlot, steers were penned by treatment (4 pens/treatment) and provided access to free-choice hay and concentrate in separate feeding spaces. Samples of blood were collected on d 0, 1, 4, 8, 15, 22, and 29 relative to shipping. Steer performance was assessed over the receiving period, including DMI of hay and concentrate, ADG, and G:F. Predetermined contrasts included control vs. early-weaned, creep-fed vs. preweaned, and control vs. creep-fed and preweaned. Overall ADG was greater (P < 0.01) for early-weaned vs. control steers (1.39 vs. 0.88 kg). In wk 1, early-weaned steers consumed more concentrate and less hay compared with control steers (P < 0.03), and preweaned steers consumed more concentrate (P < 0.01) but a similar amount of hay (P = 0.75) compared with creep-fed steers. Average DMI was greater for preweaned compared with creep-fed steers (2.84 vs. 2.50% of BW; P = 0.01) and tended to be greater for early-weaned compared with control steers (2.76 vs. 2.50% of BW; P = 0.06). Feed efficiency of early-weaned steers was greater than that of control steers (G:F = 0.17 vs. 0.12; P < 0.01) but similar for preweaned compared with creep-fed steers (P = 0.72). Plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were less (P < 0.05) in control vs. early-weaned steers on d 0, but increased sharply after shipping and were greater in control vs. early-weaned steers on d 15 and 22 (P < 0.05). Creep-fed steers also experienced greater (P < 0.05) plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations than preweaned steers on d 29. These data suggest that early-weaned steers have improved performance in the feedlot compared with steers weaned directly before transport and feedlot entry. Differences in preshipping management appear to significantly affect measures of the acute phase protein response in steers.