A snapshot of management practices and nutritional recommendations used by feedlot nutritionists in Brazil

Feedlot consulting nutritionists were invited to participate in a survey of feedlot nutritional and management practices in Brazil. Thirty-one nutritionists completed the survey on a Web site that was designed for collection of survey data. The survey consisted of 94 questions that included general information (n = 10); commodity information (n = 12); and questions about the use of coproducts (n = 5), roughage source and levels (n = 5), finishing diet adaptation methods (n = 7), supplements and micronutrients (n = 8), feed mixers (n = 6), feeding management (n = 3), cattle management and type of cattle fed (n = 16), formulation practices (n = 17), information resources used for nutritional recommendations (n = 2), and 2 additional questions. One final question addressed the primary challenges associated with applying nutritional recommendations in practice. The number of animals serviced yearly by each nutritionist averaged 121,682 (minimum = 2,000; maximum = 1,500,000; mode = 120,000; total = 3,163,750). Twenty-two respondents (71%) worked with feedlots that feed less than 5,000 animals/yr. Labor, along with availability and precision of equipment, seemed to be the main challenges for the nutritionists surveyed. Most of the nutritionists surveyed used TDN as the primary energy unit for formulation. More than 50% of the clients serviced by the 31 nutritionists did not manage feed bunks to control the quantity of feed offered per pen, and 36.6% fed cattle more than 4 times daily. The NRC (1996) and Journal of Animal Science were the most used sources of information by these nutritionists. Overall, general practices and nutritional recommendations provided by the 31 nutritionists surveyed were fairly consistent. Present data should aid in development of new research, future National Research Council models, and recommendations for Brazilian feeding systems in which Bos indicus cattle predominate.

Addition of propolis or monensin in the diet: Behavior and productivity of lambs in feedlot

This study assessed the behavior and the productive performance of lambs finished in feedlot receiving diets added with green propolis, brown propolis or monensin sodium. The experiment used a randomized block design that compared weight gain of 32 male lambs aged four months among four dietary treatments: (1) control, non-enriched diet; (2) with green propolis; (3) with brown propolis; and (4) with monensin sodium. The basic diet provided to all the groups was a total mixed ration (TMR) with a forage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, in which Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) grass was used as roughage feed and the concentrate was based on soybean meal, corn meal and minerals. The green propolis diet decreased rumination and increased resting time. The diets provided similar feeding rate (g/min). DM and aNDF intake (g/kg of body weight and g/kg of metabolic weight) were higher in the control treatment. Although the control group had the highest weight gain, the highest feed conversion and feed efficiency were found in lambs fed brown propolis and monensin sodium. Technically, brown propolis can substitute monensin sodium as a dietary additive for feedlot lambs. However, complementary studies are needed to identify the best levels of brown propolis to add to these diets. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlações simples entre as medidas de ultra-som e a composição da carcaça de bovinos jovens

Neste estudo avaliaram-se as correlações entre as medidas ultra-sonográficas e as características de carcaça de 115 bovinos jovens (Nelore, ½ Angus Nelore, ½ Simental Nelore e Canchim), com peso inicial médio de 329 kg e dois tamanhos à maturidade (pequeno e grande), em um sistema de produção do novilho superprecoce. Aos 120 dias de confinamento, foram realizadas a pesagem e medida da área de olho-de-lombo (AOL) e da gordura subcutânea (ECG), via ultra-sonografia. Após o abate, foram coletadas as medidas de AOL e ECG na carcaça e os pesos de traseiro, dianteiro e cortes cárneos comerciais, determinando-se também a composição corporal dos animais. Foram calculados os rendimentos de carcaça, cortes cárneos, traseiro, da AOL ultra-som por 100 kg de PV e da AOL carcaça por 100 kg de peso de carcaça. Dados da composição da carcaça indicaram alta deposição muscular nos animais ½ Simental Nelore e Canchim e expressiva deposição de tecido adiposo nos animais Nelore. No entanto, os animais ½ Angus Nelore mostraram-se mais apropriados para confinamento no sistema de produção do superprecoce, pois equilibraram musculosidade e gordura de acabamento. Os resultados demonstraram que a AOL tem relação com a musculosidade da carcaça e que, à medida que há seleção para o incremento desta característica, ocorre diminuição da ECG, como resultado da correlação negativa da ECG com a porcentagem de traseiro e AOL. Não foi observada diferença na composição entre os dois grupos de tamanho à maturidade, provavelmente em razão da pequena variação entre eles. Como as correlações envolvendo a AOL e a ECG por ultra-som e as mesmas medidas na carcaça apresentam resultados similares, validou-se a utilização da técnica da ultra-sonografia como alternativa para predição das características da carcaça de bovinos.

Ultra-sonografia para predição da composição da carcaça de bovinos jovens

Neste estudo, avaliou-se a utilização da ultra-sonografia como técnica para predição da composição da carcaça de 115 bovinos jovens (Nelore, ½ Angus Nelore, ½ Simental Nelore e Canchim), com peso inicial médio de 329 kg, de dois tamanhos à maturidade (pequeno e grande), criados no sistema de produção do novilho superprecoce. Após 120 dias de confinamento, foram realizadas a pesagem e a medida da área de olho-de-lombo (AOL) e da gordura subcutânea (ECG), via ultra-sonografia. Após o abate, foram registradas as medidas de AOL e ECG na carcaça, os pesos de traseiro, dianteiro, cortes cárneos comerciais e a composição corporal dos animais. Foram calculados os rendimentos de carcaça, de cortes cárneos e de traseiro, não se observando diferença na composição entre os dois grupos de tamanho à maturidade, provavelmente em razão da pequena variação entre eles. Embora a ultra-sonografia não tenha apresentado alta precisão na predição da musculosidade da carcaça e do rendimento de cortes cárneos, os coeficientes de determinação das equações de predição da composição da carcaça foram semelhantes, e algumas vezes superiores (quantidade de ossos), aos obtidos nas equações em que se utilizaram as medidas na carcaça após o abate, demonstrando que a ultra-sonografia pode ser utilizada para predição da composição da carcaça de bovinos de corte em determinadas situações.

Feedlot performance, feed efficiency and carcass traits in Nellore cattle selected for postweaning weight

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Shelf-life characteristics of longissimus muscle of feedlot bullocks supplemented with vitamin D and E.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fatty acid profile of feedlot Brangus bullocks fed with monensin or polyclonal antibodies.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of feeding a multivalent polyclonal antibody preparation on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, rumenitis, and blood gas profile in Bos indicus biotype yearling bulls

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of Vitamin D and E supplementation on attributes of meat tenderness of feedlot bullocks.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of twenty-four hour transport or twenty-four hour feed and water deprivation on physiologic and performance responses of feeder cattle

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of 24-h road transport or 24-h feed and water deprivation on acute-phase and performance responses of feeder cattle. Angus x Hereford steers (n = 30) and heifers (n = 15) were ranked by gender and BW (217 +/- 3 kg initial BW; 185 +/- 2 d initial age) and randomly assigned to 15 pens on d -12 of the experiment (3 animals/pen; 2 steers and 1 heifer). Cattle were fed alfalfa-grass hay ad libitum and 2.3 kg/animal daily (DM basis) of a corn-based concentrate throughout the experiment (d -12 to 28). on d 0, pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) transport for 24 h in a livestock trailer for 1,200 km (TRANS), 2) no transport but feed and water deprivation for 24 h (REST), or 3) no transport and full access to feed and water (CON). Treatments were concurrently applied from d 0 to d 1. Total DMI was evaluated daily from d -12 to d 28. Full BW was recorded before treatment application (d -1 and 0) and at the end of experiment (d 28 and 29). Blood samples were collected on d 0, 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Mean ADG was greater (P < 0.01) in CON vs. TRANS and REST cattle but similar (P = 0.46) between TRANS and REST cattle (1.27, 0.91, and 0.97 kg/d, respectively; SEM = 0.05). No treatment effects were detected for DMI (P >= 0.25), but CON had greater G: F vs. TRANS (P < 0.01) and REST cattle (P = 0.08) whereas G: F was similar (P = 0.21) between TRANS and REST cattle. Plasma cortisol concentrations were greater (P <= 0.05) in REST vs. CON and TRANS cattle on d 1, 7, 14, and 28 and also greater (P = 0.02) in TRANS vs. CON cattle on d 1. Serum NEFA concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in REST and TRANS vs. CON cattle on d 1 and greater (P < 0.01) in REST vs. TRANS cattle on d 1. Plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were greater (P = 0.04) in TRANS vs. CON cattle on d 1, greater (P = 0.05) in REST vs. CON on d 4, and greater (P <= 0.05) in REST vs. TRANS and CON on d 14. Plasma haptoglobin concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) in TRANS vs. CON and REST cattle on d 1 and greater (P <= 0.05) for REST vs. TRANS and CON cattle on d 7. In conclusion, 24-h transport and 24-h nutrient deprivation elicited acute-phase protein reactions and similarly reduced feedlot receiving performance of feeder cattle. These results suggest that feed and water deprivation are major contributors to the acute-phase response and reduced feedlot receiving performance detected in feeder cattle transported for long distances.