Multiple administrations of bovine-appeasing substance during a 42-d preconditioning program followed by feedlot receiving and its effects on physiologic, health, and performance responses of feeder cattle.

This experiment evaluated the effects of multiple bovine-appeasing substance (BAS) administration during a 42-d preconditioning program followed by a feedlot receiving period on productivity, health, and physiological variables of feeder cattle. Ninety calves were weaned, weighed, loaded into a livestock trailer, transported for 70 km, and unloaded at the Bozeman Agricultural Research and Teaching Farm for a 42-d preconditioning program. Upon arrival, calf body weight (BW) was recorded again, and both pre- and post-transport BWs were averaged and used as calf weaning initial BW. Calves were ranked by BW, sex, and age in a completely randomized design and assigned to receive 1) multiple administrations of BAS at weaning (day 0), days 14, 28, and before transport and feedlot entry (day 42; BAS; RSEA Group, Quartier Salignan, France; n = 9 pens/treatment), or 2) placebo (diethylene glycol monoethyl ether; CON; n = 9 pens/treatment). Treatments (5 mL) were applied to the nuchal skin area of each animal during the preconditioning period. Calves within treatment groups were ranked again by initial BW, sex, and age, in a manner that pens have similar initial BW, age, and three steers and two heifers and allocated to 1 of the18 drylot pens. On day 42, calves were combined within the treatment group, loaded into two different single double-deck commercial livestock trailers, and transported for 1,000 km (approximately 16 h). Upon arrival (day 43), calves were unloaded at the same feedyard. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 43, 46, 50, 57, 64, and 90. Average daily gain, final BW, and feed efficiency did not differ (P > 0.52) between BAS and CON calves in the preconditioning and receiving phases. A treatment × day interaction was detected (P < 0.001) for plasma haptoglobin concentrations, which was greater (P < 0.01) in CON on days 3 and 7 vs. BAS calves. During the preconditioning phase, serum NEFA concentration was reduced (P < 0.01) in BAS on day 3 compared with CON calves. A treatment × day interaction was detected (P = 0.001) for exit velocity, which was greater (P < 0.001) for CON vs. BAS calves on days 3, 7, 14, and 21 during the preconditioning phase and on day 46 of the receiving phase. Therefore, Applications of BAS reduced immunological responses and exit velocity associated with stress caused by management practices, but did not improve performance during the preconditioning and receiving phases.

To mitigate stress caused by inevitable management practices and to enhance cattle health, a preconditioning program is recommended from weaning to feedlot entry. This experiment evaluated the effects of multiple bovine-appeasing substance (BAS) administrations during a preconditioning program followed by feedlot receiving on productivity and health. Applications of BAS diminished immune responses and exit velocity associated with stress caused by management practices, whereas they did not benefit performance during the preconditioning and receiving phases.

Residual effect of narasin on feed intake and rumen fermentation characteristics in Nellore steers fed forage-based diet.

This study aimed to evaluate the residual effect of narasin on intake and ruminal fermentation parameters in Nellore cattle fed a forage-based diet. Thirty rumen-cannulated Nellore steers [initial body weight (BW) = 281 ± 21 kg] were allocated to individual pens in a randomized complete block design, with 10 blocks and 3 treatments, defined according to the fasting BW at the beginning of the experiment. The animals were fed a forage-based diet containing 99% Tifton-85 haylage and 1% concentrate. Within blocks, animals were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: (1) forage-based diet without addition of narasin (CON; n = 10), (2) CON diet plus 13 mg of narasin/kg DM (N13; n = 10), or (3) CON diet plus 20 mg of narasin/kg DM (N20; n =10). The experiment lasted 156 d and was divided into two periods. The first period lasted 140 d and consisted of the daily supply of narasin. In the second period (last 16 d), the animals were not supplemented with narasin when the residual effect of the additive was evaluated. The treatments were evaluated by linear and quadratic orthogonal contrasts. The results were reported as least square means and the effect was considered significant when P ≤ 0.05. No treatment × day interaction was identified for dry matter intake (P = 0.27). There was a treatment × day (P ≤ 0.03) interaction after narasin removal for the molar proportion of acetate, propionate, ac:prop ratio, and ammonia nitrogen. The inclusion of narasin decreased linearly (P < 0.01) the molar proportion of acetate (P < 0.01), and this effect persisted until day 5 after narasin withdrawal (P < 0.01). Narasin inclusion linearly increased the molar proportion of propionate (P < 0.04), and linearly decreased (P < 0.01) ac:prop ratio up to 5 d after removing narasin from the diets. No treatment effects were observed (P > 0.45) on days 8 and 16 after the withdrawal. Narasin linearly decreased ammonia nitrogen up to 1 day after withdrawal (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the use of narasin for a prolonged period (140 d) resulted in a residual effect on rumen fermentation parameters after the removal of the additive from the diets.