Effects of Limit Feeding Cold Stressed Growing Calves in the Morning Versus the Evening, as well as Bunk Line Sharing on Performance

Objective: To determine the response of cold stressed growing calves to being fed in the evening instead of morning hours, as well as the effect of bunk line sharing. Study Description: Crossbred steers (n = 360) of Texas, Oklahoma, and Idaho origin were blocked by weight into four size groups and randomly assigned to pens, which were randomly allocated to one of five treatments. All steers received a diet formulated to provide 60 Mcal net energy for gain/100 lb of dry matter and were limit fed with a target of 2.0% of their body weight in dry matter intake. Treatments consisted of being fed in the morning (AM), in the evening (PM), fed half of their feed in the morning and half in the evening (50/50), and two treatments that allowed cattle to be fed in the same pen yet were rotated twice daily utilizing a holding pen, allowing for half of the calves to be fed in the morning (Shuttle AM) and half to be fed in the evening (Shuttle PM), doubling the use of the pen and bunk line. The steers were fed for 77 days and individual animal weights were taken on day -1 (allocation), day 0 (initial processing), day 64/65 (blood sampling), and day 77 (final weights). Plasma glucose was obtained individually on day 64 and 65, and pen weights were collected on days 0, 21, 28, 35, 56, 63, 70, and 77. The Bottom Line: When limit feeding cold stressed growing calves, neither shifting from morning feed delivery to evening feed delivery, nor bunk line sharing signifi­cantly improves the efficiency of feed conversion

Comparing the Performance of Cattle Castrated Using Different Techniques Upon Arrival at the Feedlot

Objective:To determine the least detrimental castration technique in terms of growth performance when castrating cattle upon entry to the feedlot. Study Description:Intact bulls were sourced from the Southeastern U.S. and received at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. After backgrounding, 700-lb bulls were castrated using various techniques, including banding, banding with splitting of the distal scrotum, use of the Henderson Tool, and use of a burdizzo clamp. A group of intact bulls served as a negative control group. Weights were obtained at regular intervals throughout the 56-day study to quantify and compare growth performance. Results:The day 0 to day 56 average daily gain (ADG) showed no difference between treatment groups (P= 0.0643) but there was a trend for the Henderson group to gain at a lower rate than all other treatment groups. All other groups ended the 56-day study period with similar ADG. In addition, a trend was found for cattle castrated using the Henderson Tool to exhibit a lower activity time per hour than the other study groups for much of the day on average, as well as a greater number of minutes per hour ruminating on average. Jaw movement recorded as rumination was thought to be teeth grinding due to pain response and the lower amount of activity time would support this assessment. While the burdizzo group performed the best of all castrated groups, the labor-intensive process associated with applying the burdizzo clamp is not practical for cattle of this size. Cattle castrated using the band and band-cut methods performed better than those castrated using the Henderson Tool. The results of this study indicate that any castration technique that is surgical in nature is not ideal for castrating cattle at the feedlot. The Bottom Line:Use of a latex band for castrating cattle at entry to the feedlot appears to be the technique least detrimental to growth performance

Digestibility of Dry Matter is Better and Manure Output is Lower in Growing Cattle Limit-Fed a High-Energy Diet During the Growing Phase Compared to a Traditional Roughage-Based Diet Fed for Ad Libitum Intake

Objective: Evaluate the impact on intake and digestion of a high-energy diet limit-fed at 85% of the ad libitum daily consumption of a roughage-based diet on a dry matter (DM) basis compared to a traditional roughage-based growing diet in growing cattle. Study Description: Eight ruminally cannulated crossbred Angus heifers (body weight = 450 ± 24 lb) were used in a cross-over design with two consecutive 15-day periods at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. Two dietary treatments were fed: (1) 45 Mcal of net energy for gain (NEg) per 100 lb of DM fed for ad libitum DM intake (45AL), or (2) 60 Mcal NEg per 100 lb of DM limit-fed at 85% of 45AL diet intake on a DM basis (60LF85%). Both diets contained 40% of DM as Sweet Bran (Cargill Animal Nutrition, Blair, NE). Heifers were fed once daily at 10:00 a.m. Each 15-day period included 10 days for diet adaption, 4 days for fecal sampling, and 1 day for ruminal sampling. Daily nutrient intake was measured and apparent total-tract diet digestibility using chromic oxide (Cr2O3) marker was determined. Results: Ruminal pH was greater (P \u3c 0.01) from 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. just before feeding for heifers fed 60LF85% than 45AL heifers. Diet digestibility was improved by 5.2% (P \u3c 0.01) and fecal DM output 35% lower (P \u3c 0.01) in heifers fed 60LF85% than heifers fed 45AL. The Bottom Line: Heifers limit-fed a high-energy diet based on corn and Sweet Bran had greater ruminal pH during the overnight hours, better diet digestibility, and reduced output of manure than heifers full-fed a traditional roughage-based diet

Syngenta Enogen Corn Fed as Corn Grain and Corn Silage in Diets Containing Corn Coproducts Did Not Enhance Diet Digestibility in Growing Heifers

Objective: Evaluate the effect of feeding corn grain and corn silage from Enogen corn (EC; Syngenta Seeds, LLC., Downers Grove, IL) or conventional corn (CON) in diets containing either wet distillers grain (WDG; ICM Biofuels, St. Joseph, MO) or Sweet Bran [proprietary wet corn gluten feed (WCGF); Cargill Animal Nutrition, Blair, NE] on intake and digestibility in growing cattle. Study Description: Eight ruminally cannulated crossbred heifers (initial body weight = 816 ± 94 lb) were used in an intake and digestibility study designed as a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square. Four consecutive, 15-day periods consisted of 10 days for diet adaptation, 4 days of fecal sampling, and 1 day of ruminal sampling. Heifers were fed once daily at 10:00 a.m. Chromic oxide (Cr2O3) was used as an external digestion marker to calculate apparent total-tract diet digestibility. Results: Heifers eating EC tended to have greater starch digestibility (P = 0.07) than heifers eating CON. No differences (P \u3e 0.34) in dry matter or fiber digestibilities were observed between corn sources. There were coproduct × hour interactions for concentration of ruminal ammonia (P \u3c 0.01) and two branched chain fatty acids, isobutyrate (P \u3c 0.01) and isovalerate (P \u3c 0.01). In heifers fed WCGF, isobutyrate and isovalerate concentrations reached a peak at 2 hours after feeding, then declined between 2 and 24 hours after feeding. Heifers fed WDG isobutyrate and isovalerate concentrations were greatest at 0 hours after feeding. Differences between concentrations of isobutyrate and isovalerate can be explained by differences in protein digestibility of WCGF and WDG. The Bottom Line: Enogen corn hybrids fed as dry rolled corn and corn silage in diets containing corn coproducts did not result in better diet digestibility compared to conventional corn hybrids, but diets containing WDG may offer better growth performance (Scilacci et al., 2022) for growing cattle due to more ruminally undegradable protein compared to diets containing WCGF

Feed Efficiency is Better and Activity is Greater in Growing Cattle Limit-Fed a High-Energy Diet During the Growing Phase Compared to a Traditional Roughage-Based Diet Fed for Ad Libitum Intake

The objective of this experiment was to compare performance impacts of a high-energy diet limit-fed at 2.2% of body weight (BW) daily on a dry matter (DM) basis to a traditional roughage-based diet fed for ad libitum intake during the growing phase. Study Description: Three hundred seventy crossbred heifers (initial BW = 496 ± 44 lb) were used in a receiving and growing study at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit in the spring of 2020. Animals were fed once daily at 7:00 a.m. Bunks were visually observed, and feed refused was estimated. Ad libitum feed refusal was targeted at 20 lb. A pen scale was used to measure weekly pen BW, adjust feed offerings, and to calculate pen performance. The Bottom Line: Growing heifers limit-fed a high-energy diet at 2.2% of BW daily on a DM basis had 35% better feed efficiency and were more active by 23 minutes per day, on average, than heifers full-fed a traditional roughage-based diet

A Limit-Fed, High-Energy Diet Fed During the Growing Phase Does Not Negatively Affect Subsequent Feedlot Growth Performance or Carcass Merit Compared to Feeding a Traditional Roughage-Based Diet Ad Libitum During the Growing Phase

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to compare the subsequent growth performance and carcass impacts of a high-energy diet limit-fed at 2.2% of body weight (BW) or a traditional roughage-based diet fed ad libitum during the growing phase. Study Description: Three hundred seventy crossbred heifers (initial BW = 496 ± 44 lb) previously used in a 90-day growing study at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit were transported to a commercial feedlot (Pratt Feeders, Pratt, KS) for finishing where cattle were fed a common diet. The two backgrounding diets included: (1) 45 Mcal of net energy for gain (NEg) per 100 lb of dry matter (DM) fed for ad libitum intake (45AL), or (2) 60 Mcal NEg per 100 lb of DM limit-fed at 2.2% of BW daily on a DM basis (60LF2.2). Both diets contained 40% of DM as Sweet Bran (Cargill Animal Nutrition, Blair, NE). Cattle were sorted by weight group (light or heavy) and backgrounding diet (45AL or 60LF2.2) and placed in one of four pens. Finishing growth performance and carcass characteristics were measured. Results: Heifers previously fed 60LF2.2 had greater morbidity (P \u3c 0.01) than heifers fed 45AL. No effect (P ≥ 0.52) of backgrounding diet was observed in measured carcass characteristics. The Bottom Line: Although heifers previously limit-fed a high-energy diet during the growing phase appeared to have greater incidence of morbidity in the feedlot compared to heifers previously fed a traditional roughage-based diet, previous backgrounding diet had little or no carryover effect on feedlot growth performance or carcass characteristics measured

Bunk Space Requirements for Growing Beef Cattle Limit-Fed a High-Energy Corn and Corn Co-Product Diet

Objective: The objective of our experiment was to evaluate the effects of bunk allotment on performance of growing beef calves during a 58-day receiving period and investigate possible residual effects of bunk-space allotment on subsequent growth performance during a 90-day grazing season. Study Description: A group of 385 crossbred steers (initial weight 473 ± 56 lb) were purchased in Texas and transported to the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. Calves were blocked by arrival date, assigned to one of four bunk space treatments (i.e., 10, 15, 20, or 25 in of bunk per head), and limit-fed a high-energy corn and corn co-product diet for 58 days. Following the receiving period, steers were blocked by bunk-space treatment, randomly assigned to one of eighteen pastures, and grazed for 90 days. The Bottom Line: We interpreted our data to suggest that bunk allotments of 10, 15, 20, or 25 in per calf had minimal impact on growth performance during a 58-day receiving period and did not affect final body weights following a 90-day grazing season

Syngenta Enogen Corn Fed as Corn Grain and Corn Silage in Diets Containing Corn Coproducts Did Not Enhance Growth Performance of Growing Heifers

Objective: Evaluate the effect of feeding corn grain and corn silage from Syngenta Enogen corn hybrids (EC; Syngenta Seeds, LLC., Downers Grove, IL) or conventional corn hybrids in diets containing either wet distillers grain (WDG; ICM Biofuels, St. Joseph, MO) or Sweet Bran (WCGF; Cargill Animal Nutrition, Blair, NE) on growth performance in growing cattle. Study Description: Three hundred eighty-four crossbred heifers [initial body weight (BW) = 582 ± 42 lb] were used in a completely randomized design, 81-day receiving and growing study, with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of four dietary treatments. Experimental diets were formulated to contain 30% WDG or 30% WCGF on a dry matter (DM) basis and provide 51 megacalories of net energy for gain per 100 lb of DM daily. Diets were fed ad libitum once daily. The Bottom Line: Our results revealed no effect of replacing conventional corn grain and silage with Enogen corn grain and silage on the growth performance of growing cattle, but diets containing WDG resulted in a better gain to feed ratio and average daily gain in growing heifers compared to diets containing WCGF

Inclusion of Biuret With or Without Bovatec in a Commercial Mineral Supplement Did Not Improve Growth Performance of Yearling Calves Grazing Native Grass: Year 1 of 2

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to measure the effects of non-protein nitrogen (NPN; biuret) or NPN + ruminal modifier (biuret + Bovatec, Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ) inclusion in a commercial mineral mix on growth performance of yearling beef calves grazing in the Kansas Flint Hills. Study Description: Three hundred ninety-five crossbred steers (initial body weight: 612 ± 77.8 lb) of Texas origin previously backgrounded at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit were used. Three mineral treatments consisting of a basal supplement (control), a basal supplement plus NPN (biuret), and a basal supplement plus NPN and lasalocid (Bovatec) were provided with a 4 oz/head/day mineral consumption target. The three mineral treatments were randomly assigned to one of 18 pastures with a total of six pastures per treatment. Feeders were checked daily to determine days-to-empty and were weighed weekly to determine mineral consumption. Individual weights were collected at the start and end of the 90 days to determine initial and final body weights (BW). Results: There was no difference (P ≥ 0.31) in final BW, total BW gains, average daily gains, and mineral consumption between mineral treatments. For days-to-empty, there was an interaction between treatment and week of the experiment (P = 0.02). The bottom line: The data were interpreted to suggest that the addition of biuret or biuret and lasalocid to a commercial mineral supplement did not affect growth performance of yearling beef cattle grazing in the Kansas Flint Hills

Effects of Limit Feeding and Shade Allocation on Growing Calf Performance, Water Usage, and Animal Comfort

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of limit feeding in conjunction with shade allotment on animal performance, animal comfort, and water usage during periods of heat stress. Study Description: During the summers of 2021 and 2022, 852 heifers were assigned to one of four treatments: limit-fed high-energy ration or high-roughage ration fed for ad libitum intake with or without access to shade. Growth performance and water usage were measured during a 90-day growing period. Calves were fed a gut equilibration diet for 7 days to account for gut fill. The Bottom Line: Limit feeding a high-energy ration at 2.2% of body weight daily on a dry matter basis in combination with shade can improve animal efficiency, reduce water consumption, and improve animal comfort during periods of heat stress