Supplementation frequency and amount modulate postweaning growth and reproductive performance of Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers.

This 2-yr study evaluated the growth and puberty attainment of Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers offered 2 different postweaning concentrate supplementation amounts and delivery frequencies. On day 0 of each year, 64 Brangus crossbred heifers were stratified by initial body weight (BW) and age (mean = 244 ± 22 kg; 314 ± 17 d) and assigned into 1 of 16 bahiagrass pastures (4 heifers/pasture/yr). Treatments were randomly assigned to pastures in a 2 × 2 factorial design (4 pastures/treatment/yr) and consisted of concentrate dry matter (DM) supplementation at 1.25% or 1.75% of BW which were offered either daily (7×) or 3 times weekly (3×) for 168 d. On day 56 of each year, heifers were assigned to an estrus synchronization protocol consisting of intravaginal controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insertion on day 56, CIDR removal on day 70, i.m. injection of 25 mg of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) on day 86, and i.m. injection of 100 µg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and timed-AI at 66 h after PGF2α injection (day 89). Heifers were exposed to Angus bulls from day 89 to 168 (1 bull/pasture). Pregnancy diagnosis was assessed on day 213 of each year. Supplementation amount × frequency effects were not detected (P ≥ 0.12) for any variable, except for plasma concentrations of glucose (P = 0.10) and urea nitrogen (PUN; P = 0.01). Herbage mass, herbage allowance, and nutritive value did not differ (P ≥ 0.12) among treatments. Increasing supplementation DM amount from 1.25% to 1.75% of BW increased (P ≤ 0.05) plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), overall average daily gain (ADG), final BW, percentage of pubertal heifers on day 89, pregnancy and calving percentages, and percentage of heifers calving within the first 21 d of the calving season. However, reducing the supplementation frequency from daily to 3× weekly, regardless of supplementation amount, did not impact overall pregnancy and calving percentages (P ≥ 0.42), but caused (P ≤ 0.05) fluctuations in plasma concentrations of insulin and IGF-1 and decreased (P ≤ 0.03) overall ADG, final BW, puberty attainment on days 56, 89, and 168, and percentage of heifers calving during the first 21 d of the calving season. Hence, increasing the supplement DM amount did not prevent the negative effects of reducing the frequency of supplementation (3× vs. 7× weekly) on growth and reproduction of replacement Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers.

Effects of low-moisture, sugarcane molasses-based block supplementation on growth, physiological parameters, and liver trace mineral status of growing beef heifers fed low-quality, warm-season forage.

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the growth, physiological parameters, and liver trace mineral status of beef heifers provided low-quality warm-season forage and different forms (meal vs. block) of trace mineral-fortified supplementation. One hundred yearling Nellore heifers were blocked by initial body weight (BW) (184 ± 2.5 kg) and randomly assigned into 1 of 20 drylot pens (5 heifers/pen). Treatments were randomly assigned to pens (5 pens/treatment) and consisted of heifers receiving: 1) a loose meal trace mineral supplement (TM; De Heus Animal Nutrition Industry); 2) free choice access to a low-moisture, cooked sugarcane molasses-based protein block (LMB); 3) isocaloric and isonitrogenous, loose meal protein supplement pair-fed to LMB supplement dry matter (DM) intake (PSPF); and (4) loose meal protein supplement offered at 0.2% of BW (PS). Supplements were formulated to achieve same daily intake of supplemental trace mineral among treatments. Hence, TM supplement was offered at 66.6% of the supplement DMI of LMB heifers. Heifers were offered free choice access to water and ground brachiaria (Brachiaria brizantha) hay from day 0 to 45. Overall average daily gain from day 0 to 45 was the least for TM heifers (P ≤ 0.05) and did not differ among LMB, PSPF, and PS heifers (P ≥ 0.60). Daily hay DMI did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.63). Total intake of DM and TDN were least for TM heifers (P ≤ 0.03) and did not differ (P ≥ 0.66) among LMB, PSPF, and PS heifers. Total supplemental intake of crude protein (CP) and rumen degradable protein (RDP) and total intake of CP and RDP (supplement + hay) were least for TM and greatest for PS heifers (P ≤ 0.05), and intermediate for LMB and PSPF heifers (P ≥ 0.70). Effects of treatment × day and treatment were not detected (P ≥ 0.61) for plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Effects of treatment were detected for plasma concentrations of PUN (P = 0.005) and tended to be detected for plasma concentrations of glucose (P = 0.08), which were least for TM heifers (P ≤ 0.03) and did not differ (P ≥ 0.17) among LMB, PSPF, and PS heifers. Trace mineral intake and liver concentrations of all trace minerals did not differ (P ≥ 0.13) among treatments. Hence, the use of LMB supplementation resulted in positive effects on growth without impacting trace mineral status compared to a loose meal trace mineral salt, and similar growth performance and trace mineral status compared to a conventional protein supplementation offered at 0.2% of body weight.

Effects of monensin on growth performance of beef heifers consuming warm-season perennial grass and supplemented with sugarcane molasses.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of monensin on performance of beef heifers fed warm-season forages. Brangus heifers (n = 24) were stratified by BW and BCS, and randomly assigned into 1 of 12 bahiagrass pastures (1.2 ha and 2 heifers/pasture). Heifers were offered 14 kg of sugarcane molasses and 3.5 kg of cottonseed meal weekly from day 0 to 84. Treatments were randomly assigned to pastures (6 pastures/treatment) and consisted of heifers supplemented with or without 200 mg/day of monensin. On d 85, heifers were allocated to individual drylot pens, provided free choice access to bermudagrass hay, and received their respective treatment for 10 d of adaptation and 11 d of data collection. Monensin did not impact (P ≥ 0.13) heifer BW, BCS, overall ADG, bahiagrass IVDOM, CP, herbage mass, and allowance. Supplement disappearance after 10 and 34 h of supplementation was greater for control vs. monensin heifers (P = 0.04) and tended to be greater for control vs. monensin heifers 24 h post-supplementation (P = 0.07). Plasma concentrations of glucose, IGF-1, and BUN (P ≥ 0.24) did not differ between treatments. From d 85 to 106, forage and total DM intake, in vivo DM digestibility, and heifer growth performance did not differ between treatments (P ≥ 0.12). Therefore, adding monensin to sugarcane molasses-based supplements decreased supplement consumption rate, but did not impact growth and blood parameters of heifers grazing warm-season grasses with limited nutritive value.

Effects of monensin inclusion into increasing amount of concentrate on growth and physiological parameters of early-weaned beef calves consuming warm-season grasses.

Two experiments evaluated the effects of concentrate amount and monensin inclusion on growth and physiological parameters of early-weaned beef calves consuming warm-season grasses in drylot (Exp. 1) and pastures (Exp. 2). In both experiments, treatments consisted of two concentrate DM amounts (1 or 2% of BW) and two inclusion rates of monensin (0 or 20 mg of monensin/kg of total DM intake). In Exp. 1, 48 Angus × Brahman crossbred early-weaned (EW) beef calves (initial age = 90 ± 13 d; initial BW = 83 ± 12 kg) were distributed in 12 drylot pens (four calves per pen; three pens per treatment) and provided stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis) hay (9% CP and 52% IVDOM) at amounts to ensure 10% DM refusals for 56 d. In Exp. 2, 36 Angus × Brahman crossbred EW heifer calves (initial BW = 171 ± 15 kg) were randomly allocated into one of 12 bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) pastures on a continuous and fixed stocking rate (1 ha and three heifers per pasture; three pastures per treatment) and received daily supplementation of their respective treatments for 84 d. In both experiments, effects of monensin inclusion × concentrate amount were not detected for any variable (P ≥ 0.14), but overall ADG and plasma IGF-1 concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.05), whereas fecal coccidia egg counts tended (P = 0.09; Exp. 1) or were less (P = 0.05; Exp. 2) for calves offered concentrate with vs. without monensin inclusion. Calves offered concentrate at 2% of BW had greater (P ≤ 0.05) overall ADG (Exps. 1 and 2), herbage mass (Exp. 2 only), in vivo apparent digestibility, total DMI and plasma concentrations of glucose and IGF-1 (Exp. 1 only), less forage DM intake (Exp. 1 only), and no effects on fecal coccidia egg counts (Exps. 1 and 2) compared to calves offered concentrate at 1% of BW. Increasing concentrate amount is an effective management practice to increase ADG and decrease forage DMI in early-weaned calves consuming warm-season grasses, whereas the decrease in fecal coccidia egg count and additional ADG provide evidence that monensin should be supplied to early-weaned calves grazing warm-season pastures and receiving concentrate at 1% of BW or above.