scholarly journals The influence of age and environmental conditions on supplement intake by beef cattle winter grazing northern mixed-grass rangelands

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A Wyffels ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Darrin L Boss ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

Abstract This study evaluated the influence of cow age and temperature adjusted for wind chill (Twindchill) on supplement intake behavior of beef cattle winter grazing northern mixed grass prairie rangelands. A commercial herd of 272 (year 1) and 302 (year 2) bred cows (Angus, Simmental × Angus) ranging in age from 1- to 12-yr-old grazed a 329-ha rangeland pasture (~1.5 ha animal unit monthˉ 1) from November to January. Cows were grouped into seven age classes (1 yr old, 2 yr old, 3 yr old, 4 yr old, 5 yr old, 6 yr old, and ≥ 7 yr old) and were provided free-choice access to a 30% CP self-fed canola meal-based pelleted supplement with 25% salt to limit intake. The target daily intake was 0.91 kg cowˉ 1 dˉ 1. Supplement was provided in a SmartFeed Pro self-feeder system to measure individual animal supplement intake and behavior. An Onset HOBO U30-NRC Weather Station was placed near the supplement feeders to collect weather data for the entirety of the grazing period. Average daily supplement intake and the coefficient variation in supplement intake displayed a Twindchill × cow age × year interaction (P ≤ 0.02). There was a negative linear effect of age on supplement intake (kg cowˉ 1 dˉ 1) for days with below average Twindchill conditions in both years (P < 0.01). There was also negative linear effect of age on supplement intake (g kg of BWˉ 1 dˉ 1) at average Twindchill in year 1 and below average Twindchill in year 2 (P < 0.01). Cow age had a quadratic effect on supplement intake for days with below average Twindchill in year 1 (P = 0.02); however, this was a curvilinear response where yearlings and 2-yr-olds consumed more supplement per kilogram of BW than other age cattle (P < 0.01). Cow age had positive linear effects on variation in supplement intake at below average Twindchill conditions in both years (P < 0.01). Daily visits to the supplement feeders displayed a Twindchill × cow age interaction (P < 0.01), where there was a linear decrease in visits with increasing age at below average Twindchill conditions (P < 0.01). In summary, both cow age and the winter environmental conditions interacted to influence animal supplement intake behavior and, as a result, nutrient delivery efficacy in winter grazing beef cattle.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S89-S92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A Wyffels ◽  
Alyson R Williams ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Darrin L Boss ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 210-211
Author(s):  
Samuel Wyffels ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Darrin L Boss ◽  
Tyrell McClain ◽  
...  

Abstract This study evaluated the influence of cow age and temperature adjusted for windchill (Twindchill) on supplement intake behavior of cattle winter grazing northern mixed-grass prairie rangelands. A commercial herd of 291 (yr-1) and 316 (yr-2) bred cows were winter grazed on a 329-ha rangeland pasture for 2 years. Cows were assigned to one of six age classifications and were provided free-choice access to Rumax Bovibox HM (2018–2019) and Rumax Bovibox (2019–2020) protein blocks. The target daily intake range was 0.45–0.91 kg∙cow-1∙d-1. Supplement was provided in a SmartFeedPro self-feeder system to measure individual animal supplement intake and behavior. Average daily supplement intake (expressed as kg∙cow-1∙d-1) and variation in supplement intake displayed Twindchill × cow age × yr interactions (P ≤ 0.05). There was no effect of age on daily supplement intake at below average and above average Twindchill in yr 1 (P ≥ 0.07). Age displayed a quadratic effect on daily supplement intake at average Twindchill in yr-1 (P < 0.01) but was limited to 3- and 4-yr-old cattle consuming more supplement per day than yearlings (P ≤ 0.02). During yr-2, cow age had a quadratic effect on supplement intake for all Twindchill conditions (P < 0.01) where 3-yr-old cattle consumed more supplement per day than yearlings, 5–7- and ≥ 8-yr-olds (P ≤ 0.01). Cow age exhibited quadratic effects on variation in supplement intake across all Twindchill conditions during both years (P < 0.01). However, the quadratic effects of age in yr-1 were limited to yearlings having higher variation in supplement intake than all other ages (P < 0.01). In summary, both cow age and the winter environmental conditions interacted to influence animal supplement intake behavior and, as a result, nutrient delivery efficacy in winter grazing beef cattle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S37-S42
Author(s):  
Samuel A Wyffels ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Darrin L Boss ◽  
Tyrell P McClain ◽  
...  

Ruminants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-201
Author(s):  
Samuel A. Wyffels ◽  
Cory T. Parsons ◽  
Julia M. Dafoe ◽  
Darrin L. Boss ◽  
Boone H. Carter ◽  
...  

This study evaluated the influence of cow age and temperature adjusted for windchill (Twindchill) on supplement intake behavior of cattle winter grazing rangelands. A mixed-age herd of Angus-based cows (291 and 316 in year 1 and 2, respectively) were classified by age (1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5–7-, and ≥8-year-old) and grazed rangeland pasture (329-ha) for two consecutive winters. Cows were provided free-choice access to supplement protein blocks in a SmartFeedPro self-feeder system. An Onset HOBO Weather Station collected data throughout the grazing period. Supplement intake (expressed as kg∙d−1 and g∙kg body weight−1), the coefficient of variation in supplement intake and intake rate (g∙min−1) displayed Twindchill × cow age × year interactions (p ≤ 0.02). In general, cow age displayed a quadratic effect on all supplement intake variables (p ≤ 0.04), where 3- to 4-year-old cattle had the greatest supplement intake with the least variation, while yearling cattle had the least amount of supplement intake and the greatest variation. In conclusion, winter environmental conditions interacted with cow age to affect cattle supplement intake behavior and, consequently, the efficacy of nutrient delivery systems for beef cattle winter grazing on rangelands.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S68-S73
Author(s):  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Samuel A Wyffels ◽  
Megan Van Emon ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1518
Author(s):  
Cory T. Parsons ◽  
Julia M. Dafoe ◽  
Samuel A. Wyffels ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
Darrin L. Boss

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of RFI and cow age on the supplement intake and grazing behavior of beef cattle. Average daily supplement intake (kg/cow/d) displayed an RFI × cow age interaction (p < 0.01), with a linear increase in average daily supplement intake with increasing RFI of 3-year-old cows (p < 0.01). Average daily supplement intake (g ∙ kg BW−1 ∙ d−1) displayed an RFI × cow age interaction (p < 0.01), with a quadratic effect on supplement intake of 3-year-old cows (p = 0.01). Cow age displayed a quadratic effect on variation of supplement intake (p < 0.01), where 1-year-old cows had a greater CV of supplement intake than all other cow ages (p < 0.01). Distance traveled displayed a cow age × RFI interaction (p = 0.02), where high-RFI 5-year-old cows traveled further per day than low 5-year-old RFI cows. The probability of grazing site selection was influenced by cow age (p ≤ 0.03). In summary, heifer post-weaning RFI had minimal effects on beef cattle performance, grazing behavior, or resource utilization; however, cow age impacted both grazing behavior and resource use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 48-48
Author(s):  
Jane A Parish ◽  
Kalisha C Yankey ◽  
Libby S Durst

Abstract Pastured cattle are sometimes offered multiple separate salt (NaCl)-containing nutritional supplements. This study objective was to determine how range meal presence impacts mineral supplement intake when cattle choose between multiple salt source offerings. Weaned Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 24) (initial BW = 263 ± 4.0 kg) were stratified by BW in a completely randomized design across 4 pens with 2 GrowSafe bunks per pen with ad libitum access to mixed-grass pasture and 1) one bunk supplied with a mineral supplement containing 15.0% salt (Grazer Hi/Se Hi/Cu CTC 2800; Multi-Kare, Inc., Tifton, GA) (MINERAL) or 2) one bunk containing a 2:1 range meal containing 30% salt and 13% CP (HI-GRAIN RANGE MEAL 1–2; Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC, Shoreview, MN) and the other bunk containing the mineral supplement (RM2) (Exp. 1). In Exp. 2 the 2:1 range meal was replaced with a 3:1 range meal containing 22.5% salt and 15% CP (HI-GRAIN RANGE MEAL 1–3; Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC, Shoreview, MN) (RM3). After a 14-d acclimation period intake was monitored for 42 days for Exp. 1 followed by a 7-d acclimation and Exp. 2 spanning 42 days. Mean daily DMI per steer were 104.6 ± 22.7 g and 525.8 ± 228.0 g of the 2:1 and 3:1 range meal, respectively. In Exp. 1 steer daily DMI was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for MINERAL (31.9 ± 2.2 g) than for the mineral portion (4.3 ± 2.2 g) of RM2. Mean steer daily DMI in Exp. 2 was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for MINERAL (57.2 ± 6.1 g) than the mineral portion (3.4 + 6.1 g) of RM3. Range meal offered separately and simultaneously with a salt-containing mineral supplement decreases mineral supplement consumption by severalfold with implications for potential inadequate daily intake of nutrients and medications mixed in these supplements.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1261
Author(s):  
Hannah M. DelCurto-Wyffels ◽  
Julia M. Dafoe ◽  
Cory T. Parsons ◽  
Darrin L. Boss ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

This study evaluated the influence of diet and environmental conditions on intake behavior and activity of feedlot steers. Feedlot rations used were comprised of a main concentrate: (1) corn or (2) barley. A GrowSafe system measured individual animal intake and behavior and HOBO accelerometers measured steer standing time. An Onset weather station collected on site weather data. Steer daily intake displayed a diet by temperature class interaction (p ≤ 0.05). Relative temperature change had no effect on variation in intake (p = 0.60); however, diet influenced variation of intake (p < 0.01), where corn-fed steers had a greater coefficient of variation (CV) than barley-fed steers (21.89 ± 1.46 vs. 18.72 ± 1.46%). Time spent eating (min d−1) and eating rate (g min−1) both displayed a diet by temperature class interaction (p ≤ 0.05). Diet did not affect steer lying activity (p ≥ 0.12), however, time spent lying (min d−1) and frequency of lying bouts (bouts d−1) increased on relatively cold days while the duration of lying bouts (min bout−1; p < 0.01) decreased. Short-term environmental temperature changes interacted with diet influencing feedlot beef cattle intake behavior; however, they did not interact with basal diet in respect to steer activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 208-208
Author(s):  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Samuel Wyffels ◽  
Megan Van Emon ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

Abstract behavior of beef cattle winter grazing rangelands in North Central Montana. A herd of non-lactating commercial Angus cows, n = 205 (yr-1) and n = 203 (yr-2), ranging in age from 1 to 9 yr old, grazed rangeland pastures (586 ha) from mid-October to early January of 2018 and 2019. Cows were grouped into 6 age classes to evaluate the effects of RFI and age on average daily individual supplement intake, CV of supplement intake, and intake rate, as well as changes in body weight and body condition during an 84-day grazing period each year. Additionally, 30 cows were stratified by age and RFI and fitted with Lotek GPS collars each year to record distance traveled and time spent grazing. Change in cow weight differed by year where cows in yr-1 gained 26.3 ± 1.96 kg while cows in yr-2 lost 19.2 ± 1.96 kg during the 84-day grazing period (P &lt; 0.01). Change in BCS exhibited an age × RFI interaction (P = 0.05); however, an analysis within age groups did not result in differences between RFI classifications (P ≥ 0.27). There was an interaction between RFI, age and year related to supplement intake expressed as g∙kg cow bw-1∙d-1 where in year 2, 4-yr-old high RFI cattle consumed less supplement than 4-yr-old low and average RFI cattle (P &lt; 0.01). Supplement intake rate expressed as g∙min-1 also differed by year (P &lt; 0.01), with cows in yr-1 consuming less supplement per minute than in yr-2 (29.9 ± 1.81 and 91.8 ± 1.87). There were no effects of RFI, cow age or year on time spent grazing (P ≥ 0.19) with cows averaging 6.1 ± 0.61 hrs per day grazing. In summary, cow age had an influence on supplement intake, change in weight and body condition, and grazing behavior, while RFI classification had minimal effects.


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