Effects of supplemental safflower and vitamin E during late gestation on lamb growth, serum metabolites, and thermogenesis.

Twin-bearing Targhee ewes (Exp. 1, 1 yr, n = 42) and 1,182 single- and twin-bearing whiteface range ewes (Exp. 2, n = 8 experimental units over 2 yr) were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to determine the effect of supplemental energy source and level of vitamin E supplement on lamb serum metabolites and thermogenesis (Exp. 1) and on lamb growth (Exp. 2). During late gestation, ewes were individually fed (Exp. 1) or group-fed (Exp. 2) a daily supplement. Supplements were 226 g/ewe of daily safflower seed (DM basis; SS) with either 350 IU/ewe daily (VE) or no added supplemental (VC) vitamin E; or 340 g/ewe daily of a barley-based grain supplement (DM basis; GC) and either VE or VC. One hour postpartum in Exp. 1, twin-born lambs were placed in a 0 degrees C dry cold chamber for 30 min. Lamb rectal temperature was recorded every 60 s and blood samples were taken immediately before and after cold exposure. In Exp. 2, lambs were weighed at birth, at turnout from confinement to spring range (32 d of age +/- 7; turnout), and at weaning (120 d of age +/- 7). Ewes were weighed at turnout and weaning. In Exp. 1, a level of vitamin E x energy source interaction was detected (P < 0.10) for body temperature and change in NEFA and glucose concentrations. Lambs from SSVC ewes had the lowest (P = 0.01) body temperature and had decreased (P = 0.08) NEFA concentration. The SS lambs tended to have decreased (P < 0.11) concentrations of blood urea N (BUN) and thyroxine at 0 min than did lambs born to GC ewes. After 30 min of cold exposure, SS lambs had increased and GC lambs had decreased BUN, triiodothyronine, and triiodothyronine:thyroxine concentrations (P < 0.10). In Exp. 2, kilograms of lamb per ewe at turnout and weaning and lamb survival at weaning were greater (P < 0.07) for GC than SS lambs. Based on the decreased body temperature in SSVC lambs at birth, the greater change in BUN during the cold exposure for SS than GC lambs, and the decreased survival rate for SS than GC lambs, SSVC-supplemented ewes appeared to give birth to lambs with an apparently decreased energetic capacity. This may compromise the ability of the newborn lamb to adapt to extreme environmental conditions.

Nonstructural carbohydrate supplementation of yearling heifers and range beef cows.

A digestion study with 28 yearling heifers (428 +/- 9.9 kg; Exp. 1) and a 2-yr winter grazing trial with 60 crossbred cows (552 +/- 6.9 kg; Exp. 2) were used to determine the effects of level of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) supplementation on intake and digestibility of low-quality forage. Treatments were as follows: 1) control, no supplement; 2) 0.32 kg of NSC (1.8 kg/d of soybean hulls and soybean meal; DM basis); 3) 0.64 kg of NSC (1.7 kg/d of wheat middlings; DM basis); and 4) 0.96 kg of NSC (1.7 kg/d of barley and soybean meal; DM basis). Supplements provided 0.34 kg of CP/d and 5.1 Mcal of ME/d. In Exp. 1, heifers were individually fed hay (5.5% CP, DM basis) and their respective supplements in Calan gates for 28 d. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design. In Exp. 2, cows were individually fed supplement on alternate days, and grazed a single rangeland pasture stocked at 1.8 ha/ animal unit month. Two ruminally cannulated cows were used per treatment to obtain forage extrusa and to measure in situ DM disappearance (DMD) and carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) activity of particle-associated ruminal microbes. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design with the effects of treatment, year, and their interaction. In both experiments, Cr2O3 boluses were used to determine fecal output, individual animal was the experimental unit, and contrasts were used to test linear and quadratic effects of NSC level and control vs. supplemented treatments. In Exp. 1, hay and diet DM, NDF, and CP intakes and digestibilities were increased (P < 0.01) by NSC supplementation compared with the control. In Exp. 2, 72-h in situ DMD and CMCase were decreased linearly (P < 0.08) with increasing NSC supplementation. Intake of forage DM, NDF, and CP was decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing NSC supplementation during both years. Supplementation with NSC decreased (P = 0.01) cow BW loss compared with the control in yr 1, whereas in yr 2, cow BW loss was linearly increased (P = 0.03) by increasing NSC supplementation. Supplements containing NSC improved forage digestion and intake when heifers consumed forage deficient in CP relative to energy (digestible OM:CP > 7), but decreased forage digestion and intake when cows grazed forage with adequate CP relative to energy (digestible OM:CP < 7). Forage and supplement digestible OM:CP seemed to be superior predictors of response to supplementation with NSC compared with forage CP levels alone.

Liquid supplement and forage intake by range beef cows.

One hundred eighty crossbred cows were assigned to one of six native range pastures during two winters to evaluate forage and supplement intake as affected by liquid supplement (yr 1: 50% crude protein, 84% from urea; yr 2: 57% crude protein, 91% from urea) delivery method and cow age (2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 yr). Treatments were: 1) no supplement (Control); 2) a lick-wheel feeder containing liquid supplement (ADLIB); and 3) a computer-controlled lick-wheel feeder that dispensed 0.9 kg x cow(-1) x d(-1) of liquid supplement (average 0.5 kg of dry matter x cow(-1) x d(-1); Restricted). Each treatment was applied to two pastures. Forage digestibility was increased (P = 0.03) by supplementation. Supplemented cows lost less (P = 0.05) body condition than unsupplemented cows (average -0.3 vs -0.6). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was highest (P = 0.001) for ADLIB (8.7 mg/dL), intermediate for Restricted (6.2 mg/dL), and lowest for Control (2.3 mg/dL). Forage DMI was 31% higher (P = 0.01) in 1995 than in 1996, and was increased (P = 0.02) by supplementation both years. Cows supplemented with ADLIB consumed 23% more forage dry matter than Control cows, whereas Restricted cows consumed 21% more dry matter than ADLIB cows. Supplement intake by cows on ADLIB was greater (P = 0.001) than by cows on Restricted in both years. Supplement intake was lowest (P = 0.002) by 2-yr-old cows, intermediate by 3-yr-olds, and greatest by 4-, 5-, and 6-yr-old cows. Variation in supplement intake by individual cows was higher (P = 0.09) for cows in the Restricted treatment (coefficient of variation [CV] = 117%) than those on ADLIB (CV = 68%) during the first year, but did not differ between supplement treatments (average CV = 62%) in the second year. The proportions of cows consuming less than 0.3 kg/d of supplement dry matter intake (DMI) and consuming less than the target amount of supplement (0.5 kg DMI) were less (P = 0.001) for ADLIB than for Restricted during both years. ADLIB cows spent more (P = 0.001) time at the supplement feeder and had more (P < 0.002) supplement feeding bouts than Restricted cows during both years. During the first year, 2- and 3-yr-old cows spent less (P < 0.01) time at the feeder and had fewer feeding bouts per day than 6-yr-old cows. Age had no effect (P > 0.24) on feeding behavior during the second year. Supplementation of beef cows grazing winter range with 50 to 57% crude protein liquid supplement increased forage digestibility and intake. Restricting supplement access increased forage consumption and variability of supplement intake.

Feeding and watering behavior of healthy and morbid steers in a commercial feedlot.

Our objective was to determine whether there were differences in feeding and watering behavior of newly received healthy and morbid feedlot steers. Two separate 32-d feeding trials were conducted in Wellton, Arizona, in July and November 1996. Radio frequency technology was used to record individual animal behaviors from 108 (average weight 139 kg) and 143 (average weight 160 kg) steers in each respective trial. Steers that were subsequently identified as morbid were present at the feed bunk in greater percentages than reported in previous studies. In Trial 1, healthy steers spent more (P < .001) time at the feed bunk and had more (P < .009) feeding bouts than morbid steers. In Trial 2, healthy steers did not spend more time at the feed bunk, but they had more (P < .02) daily feeding bouts than morbid steers. There were no differences in daily time spent at the water trough by healthy or morbid steers in either trial. The greatest proportion of feeding and watering behavior occurred during the daylight hours in response to feed delivery. The pattern of time spent at the feed bunk throughout the 32-d feeding period was similar for healthy and subsequently morbid steers, but healthy steers had more feeding bouts per day.

Delivery method and supplement consumption by grazing ruminants: a review.

The effectiveness of supplementation programs is affected by the ability to reduce intake variation and to meet target supplement consumption. A review was made of factors affecting variation in individual animal consumption of supplement by grazing cattle and sheep, including supplement type and feeding method, animal dominance and social interactions, and forage availability. The effects of palatability were not included. The proportion of animals not consuming supplement is increased by limited trough space, small supplement allowance, self-fed supplements, neophobia to feed or feed delivery devices, and group feeding situations. Variation in individual animal supplement intake is increased by excessive trough space, limited supplement allowance, self-fed supplements, feed and feed delivery equipment neophobia, and individual feeding of supplements. Factors influencing the percentage of animals consuming the target amount of supplement need to be more clearly identified. There seems to be an optimum level of feeding competition that reduces intake variation and improves the proportion of animals consuming adequate amounts of supplement, but this optimum varies with the feeding situation.