Behavioural effects of yearling grain-finished heifers exposed to differing environmental conditions and growth-promoting agents

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Mader ◽  
J. B. Gaughan ◽  
W. M. Kreikemeier ◽  
A. M. Parkhurst

Two groups of 108 Angus cross yearling heifers were utilised to determine the effects of growth-promoting agents on behaviour, when utilised under thermoneutral, hot and cold environmental conditions. Pens of heifers were observed throughout the day for feed intake pattern via bunk score, panting (hot), degree of bunching and shivering (cold). For cattle that were exposed to cold stress, feed intake was greater earlier in the day, with the majority of the feed consumed by 1500 hours and little or no feed consumed at night, while the opposite trend occurred under heat stress. Nearly 46% of the pens containing heat-stressed heifers had greater than 50% of their feed remaining in the bunk at 1900 hours. Pens of heifers exposed to thermoneutral conditions had a tendency to show elevated panting scores at 0700 hours, while heifers exposed to hot conditions did not, indicating some acclimation to heat stress had already taken place for the heifers exposed to hot conditions. Panting score did not appear to be affected by growth-promoting treatment. Under cold stress, 100% of the cattle displayed bunching behaviour throughout the day, while under hot and thermoneutral conditions, maximum bunching (25 to 30%) occurred at 1500 hours. Within an environmental condition, trenbolone acetate cattle tended to bunch more under thermoneutral and hot conditions, particularly in the morning, when compared with other treatment groups; control and oestrogen-treated cattle tended to bunch less under the same conditions, regardless of the time of day. Although data were inconclusive as to overall effects of growth promotants on mitigating cold stress, shivering scores were increased with a more aggressive growth-promoting treatment (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that if growth promotants, which are used in feedlot cattle, impact cattle exposed to adverse environmental conditions, then they tend to be more effective at mitigating heat stress than cold stress.

2021 ◽  
pp. 102998
Author(s):  
Bianca Vilela Pires ◽  
Nedenia Bonvino Stafuzza ◽  
Luara Afonso de Freitas ◽  
Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante ◽  
Ester Silveira Ramos ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 1301-1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan D. Hayes ◽  
Tami M. Brown-Brandl ◽  
Roger A. Eigenberg ◽  
Larry A. Kuehn ◽  
R. Mark Thallman

Abstract. Heat stress in cattle results in decreased feed intake, lower daily gain, and potentially death in susceptible animals under intense conditions. A study was carried out during the summer of 2013 at the USDA-ARS U.S. Meat Animal Research Center feedlot evaluating the impact of shade on environmental conditions and cattle performance. A novel two-tiered shade was used in half of the 14 pens, each holding 30 animals. The shades were designed to reduce solar heat load by 40% to 60% and to provide traveling shade across the pen, providing varied amounts of shade area as well as varied solar reduction potential. The objective of this study was to determine if the shade was effective at improving performance (evaluated as average daily gain, feed intake, and feed to gain ratio) and reducing environmental conditions that cause heat stress. A group of mixed-breed cattle with varied genetics including both and were selected, penned on the basis of sex, and blocked by color. Production parameters of pen feed usage were measured daily, and individual body weights were taken monthly. Environmental conditions including air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, ground temperature, and black globe temperature with and without shade were measured. Solar load on the pens was reduced when shade was provided, with both ground temperature and black globe temperature showing reductions. Cattle showed nominally better performance; however, no significant differences were found in gain or feed intake. Panting scores were significantly lower with shade provided; slopes of cattle respiration rate versus ambient temperature were significantly lower with shade during the afternoon period. Keywords: Cattle, Feedlot, Heat stress, Respiration, Shade.


2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 743-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Santos ◽  
J. B. F. Souza-Junior ◽  
J. P. A. F. Queiroz ◽  
M. K. O. Costa ◽  
H. F. F. Lima ◽  
...  

AbstractSince behavioural adjustments are an important line of defence against thermal stress, either due to their energy efficiency or to efficiency at preventing overheating, we aimed to evaluate whether broilers fed different maize particle sizes adjusted their behaviour to deal with heat stress challenges. At several times a day, the behaviour of 220 naked neck broilers was evaluated. These broilers were fed with isonutritive diets containing maize with different geometric mean diameters (GMD): 605 and 2280 μm. The thermal environment was monitored during the experiment. Panting and open wings were the only behaviours that showed differences between the times of day (P < 0.05). However, GMD showed a significant effect on feed intake and panting (P < 0.05). The interaction between GMD and time of day was significant only on panting (P < 0.05). Although no daily variation was observed, the highest feed intake was observed in broilers fed the diet containing maize with a GMD of 2280 μm. Less than 5% of the broilers were observed drinking water during the day. Open wings was the behavioural adjustment most used by broilers from 10:00 h, and remained elevated until 14:00 h for both GMDs. The birds panted more when fed the diet containing maize with a GMD of 2280 μm. In conclusion, broilers adjust their behaviour to dissipate excess body heat from the environment and as a result of feed intake. Coarse particles of maize in the diet increase the thermal challenge of broilers since the environment also provides stressful thermal conditions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 2411-2419 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRIGITTE LEFEBVRE ◽  
MOUSSA S. DIARRA ◽  
KARINE GIGUÈRE ◽  
GABRIEL ROY ◽  
SOPHIE MICHAUD ◽  
...  

In a longitudinal study (165 days), we investigated the effect of growth-promoting agents (monensin and trenbolone acetate–estradiol) and an antibiotic (oxytetracycline) on the incidence in feedlot steers of Escherichia coli O157, including antibiotic-resistant and hypermutable isolates. Eighty steers in 16 pens were treated with eight combinations of promoters, and each treatment was duplicated. Fecal samples were collected at nine different sampling times for detection of E. coli O157. Overall, 50 E. coli O157 isolates were detected in treated animals, and none were found in untreated animals. Compared with untreated controls, there was a significant association between the utilization of growth-promoting agents or antibiotics and the shedding of E. coli O157 at day 137 (P = 0.03), when a prevalence peak was observed and 50% of the isolates were detected. Multiplex PCR assays were conducted for some virulence genes. PCR results indicated that all except one isolate possessed at least the Shiga toxin gene stx2. MICs for 12 antibiotics were determined, and eight oxytetracycline-resistant E. coli O157 strains were identified. Antibiotic-resistant strains were considered a distinct subpopulation of E. coli O157 by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing. Seven of these antibiotic-resistant strains were isolated early in the study (on or before day 25), and among them two were also hypermutable as determined by rifampin mutation frequencies. The proportion of hypermutable strains among E. coli O157 isolates remained relatively constant throughout the study period. These results indicate that the use of growth-promoting agents and antibiotics in beef production may increase the risk of environmental contamination by E. coli O157.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 128-129
Author(s):  
Grant I Crawford ◽  
Wade T Nichols ◽  
John P Hutcheson ◽  
Marshall N Streeter ◽  
Brandon L Nuttelman ◽  
...  

Abstract Data from three large-pen feedlot studies were pooled to evaluate use of a long-acting implant (Revalor-XS) as an initial implant in a re-implant program. The three studies consisted of 2,764 steers in 40 pens, with an initial body weight (BW) of 271 kg. Treatments consisted of Revalor-IS [80 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA), 16 mg estradiol (E2)] administered on arrival, followed by Revalor-200 (200 mg TBA, 20 mg E2) terminal implant (IS/200) or Revalor-XS (80 mg TBA, 16 mg E2 uncoated; 120 mg TBA, 24 mg E2 coated; 200 mg TBA, 40 mg E2 total) on arrival followed by Revalor-200 terminal implant (XS/200). Steers were fed to equal days-on-feed (DOF) within study and averaged 210 DOF. Steers within treatment were re-implanted at same DOF in two studies (Day 124 on average followed by an 81-day terminal implant window). In the third study, IS/200 steers were implanted on Day 120 and XS/200 steers on Day 140 of the 217-day study. Final BW averaged 635.6 and 638.3 kg for IS/200 and XS/200, respectively (P = 0.21). There were no differences (P &gt; 0.26) in DMI, ADG and Gain:Feed between treatments. Hot carcass weight tended (P = 0.07) to be greater with XS/200 (412.7 kg) compared with IS/200 (409.1 kg). Ribeye area was greater (P &lt; 0.01) and fat thickness tended (P = 0.06) to be lower with XS/200 compared with IS/200. Distributions of USDA quality grades were not affected (P = 0.26) by treatment. Distributions of USDA yield grades (YG) were affected (P = 0.01) by treatment with a shift toward more YG 1 and 2 carcasses with XS/200 and more YG 4 and 5 carcasses with IS/200. This analysis indicates that using Revalor-XS as an initial implant leads to greater carcass weight and ribeye area and lower YG when compared with Revalor-IS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 152-153
Author(s):  
Flannery J Whitmore ◽  
Allan P Schinckel ◽  
Robert Stwalley ◽  
Tyler Field ◽  
Morgan Burgett ◽  
...  

Abstract The study objective was to evaluate the impact of electronically controlled cooling pads on physiological measurements of heat stress during early lactation. Twelve sows (d 3 to 11 of lactation) were provided with a specially designed cooling pad. Sows randomly received no cooling (CONTROL, n=6) or pads set to flush 2L cool water every 30s when aluminum plate reached 29.5°C (TREAT, n=6). Respiration rates (RR), rectal temperatures (RT) and skin temperatures (ST, 15 cm posterior to the ear) were recorded daily (0700 and 1500 h) for seven days of early lactation. Feed intake (DFI) was measured daily at 0700 h. RR, RT, and ST were fitted to a model that included the effects of day, time, parity, cooling pad treatment, and interactions. DFI was fitted to the same model, excluding time of day. For RR: treatment, day, time, treatment by day, treatment by time, and day by time interactions were significant (P&lt; 0.0004, CONTROL=49, TREAT= 30). Pad treatment had greater impact on RR during the first two days of the trial when the temperature was greater (32°C maximum CONTROL mean=66 vs. TREAT mean=30) than the following five days: 42, and 30 respectively). There was greater treatment impact on RR at 1500 versus 0700 h (0700 h: CONTROL= 35, TREAT= 25; 1500 h: CONTROL= 61, TREAT= 36). For RT: treatment, day, time, parity and interaction of day by time were significant (P&lt; 0.01, CONTROL= 37, treat= 35.). For ST: treatment, day, time, parity and the interactions of time by parity, treatment by time, and day by time were significant (P&lt; 0.0006, mean CONTROL=36.5, TREAT= 35.1). For DFI: day and the interaction of day by treatment were significant. The difference in feed intake between treatments increased as day increased. The use of electronically controlled cooling pads reduced measures of heat stress in early lactating sows.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 13155-13170

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) exhibit biocontrol and biofertilzer traits and help plants survive adverse environmental conditions. In this study, the rhizobacteria are explored for their ability to tolerate drought stress and their potential to act as plant growth promoters. Herein, we have isolated bacterial strains from the rhizosphere of Spilanthes acmella Murr. (toothache plant) found in the Shivalik hills region of Himachal Pradesh. We screened nine drought-tolerant culturable bacteria by analyzing their ability to survive in varying concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (10% - 50%), which is further supported by their 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity and their ability to release exopolysaccharides (EPS). Strains having these activities are identified by 16S rDNA analysis, which reveals that they belong to four different bacteria genera, namely Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Burkholderia, and Pantoea. These isolates also harbor plant growth-promoting traits such as solubilization of phosphate, production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and antifungal activity. The Enterobacter cloacae showed maximum drought tolerance among all the other isolates. We found that the drought stress of 60% PEG inhibited wheat seedlings' growth, but the bacterization with the isolated strains stimulated seedling growth. Hence we conclude that these drought-tolerant PGPR from the rhizosphere of S. acmella Murr. can be utilized to enhance the survival and growth of plants under drought stress. The isolated strains not only exhibit the drought-tolerant ability but also show the biocontrol and biofertilizer traits. Inoculation of these strains could help the plant survive under adverse environmental conditions.


Author(s):  
L. V. Tashmatova ◽  
О. V. Mantseva ◽  
N. V. Gorbacheva

The basic moments of a process of obtaining apple tetraploids as donors of diploid gametes for apple breeding with polyploidy using are demonstrated. In industrial terms, triploids are of the greatest importance. The manifested effect of heterosis leads to the improvement of many characteristics - higher resistance to diseases, pests and adverse environmental conditions, greater autogamy than in diploids, less pronounced periodicity of fruiting, larger fruits and a convenient crown for harvesting. Triploids are developed as a result of crosses 2n × 3n or 2n × 4n. Tetraploids are necessary for more successful apple breeding with polyploidy using. For industry they are not of great importance but they are of interest as donors of diploid non-reduced gametes and allow to make the selection process more directional. One of the methods of experimental polyploidy is the induction of polyploids using mutagenes. The germs were treated with colchicines at concentrations 0.1% - 0.4% during 24 and 48 hours. According to the morphology the obtained plants were divided into five groups. Colchicine concentrations 0.3% and 0.4% during 48 hours of the treatment had a disastrous impact on the development of germs. As a result of the cytological analysis, tetraploids and chimeras were revealed, which were obtained from the seeds from the open pollination of Orlik and Svezhest (treatment variants – 0,1% colchicines solution and 24 and 48 hours of exposition), as well as from the seeds obtained as a result of the Svezhest × Bolotovskoye crossing. Tetraploids had a normal growth but they differed in large leaves, while chimeras were of low size with normal leaves and internodes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 174-174
Author(s):  
Mark Knauer ◽  
Venkatesh Mani ◽  
Tom Marsteller ◽  
Vanessa Iseri ◽  
Brian Kremer

Abstract Heat stress (HS) severely impacts swine leading to compromised barrier integrity, diminished intestinal health and decreased performance. ButiPEARL® Z (BPZ) is an encapsulated formulation of zinc and butyrate shown to alleviate the impact of HS by improving intestinal health. KemTRACE® Chromium (KTCr) is an organic trace mineral shown to decrease the impact of stress and improve glucose utilization, leading to muscle growth and improved performance. To test the efficacy of BPZ and KTCr on mitigating stress from natural heat exposure, a grow-finish trial was conducted from June-September. There were four treatments: negative control (NC), NC+.45kg BPZ, NC+.91kg BPZ and NC+1.82kg BPZ. Three BPZ treatments were also supplemented with 200ppb KTCr. Pigs (n=480) were randomly assigned to 96 pens at 22.5kg. Performance was measured at d0, 28, 56 and at marketing. From d56 to market, ADFI was greater (P&lt; 0.05) for 0.45kg and 0.91kg BPZ when compared to NC and 1.82kg BPZ (3.40 and 3.35 vs. 3.26 and 3.27kg, respectively). Therefore, relationships between ADFI day 56 to market and ADFI day 0 to market with BPZ level were curvilinear (P&lt; 0.05). Both market weight and overall ADG tended (P&lt; 0.10) to have curvilinear relationships with BPZ level. While not different, 0.45kg and .91kg BPZ supplemented pigs were .97kg and 1.25kg heavier, respectively, on marketing day compared to control. No differences (P &gt;0.10) were observed for Feed:Gain. Part of the negative effects of HS include decrease in feed intake which contributes to intestinal damage and decreased performance. Data from this study show that both treatment combinations were able to improve feed intake and decrease stress which might have led to the improved weight gain at the end. The data provides evidence that the combination of BPZ and KTCr may alleviate the negative effects of HS and help with the performance of grow-finish pigs during heat stress.


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