scholarly journals Relationships between residual feed intake and feedlot performance, profitability, and carcass traits in Brahman cattle

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 525-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Favero ◽  
I.Y. Mizubuti ◽  
R.C. Gomes ◽  
E.L.A. Ribeiro ◽  
E.S. Pereira ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the feedlot performance, profitability and carcass traits of Brahman bulls classified according to the residual feed intake (RFI). Twenty-four bulls (19-month old, 370±34kg live weight) were housed in individual pens for 54 days and had the daily feed intake (observed dry matter intake, DMIobs; DMI % live weight, LW) and average daily gain (ADG) measured. Ultrasound carcass evaluations were performed at the initial and final weighings, when measurements were taken of Longissimus dorsi area, ratio, Longissimus and Biceps femoris fat thickness. The animals were ranked and divided into high (>+0.5 standard deviation; SD), medium (between ±0.5 SD from the mean), and low (<-0.5 SD) RFI groups. Low-RFI animals had lower DMIobs (P<0.10) and DMI % LW (P<0.05). No significant differences in initial and final weight or ADG were noticed (P>0.05). Low-RFI animals showed lower weight gain cost and higher daily profit (P<0.05). Carcass traits were similar between groups, regardless of evaluation date (P>0.05). Selection for RFI lead to animals with lower feed intake without affecting weight gain or carcass traits, thereby providing increased profitability for beef cattle farming.

2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 2255-2263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tayrone F. Prado ◽  
Aldi F.S. França ◽  
Maria Lúcia G. Meirinhos ◽  
Hugo J.M.C. Peron ◽  
Reginaldo N. Ferreira ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The number of sheep flocks in Brazil is increasing. It is known that lambs must be slaughtered when young for producing quality meat. The current study evaluated the inclusion of protected methionine, protected lysine, lysophospholipid and amylolytic enzymes in a diet to lambs and their effects on weight gain and quantitative carcass traits at slaughtering. Eighty non-castrated male crossbred Dorper x Santa Inês lambs, 20.57 ± 4.33 kg live weight, were used. The feedlot lasted 64 days and 60 animals were slaughtered. There were no differences for live weight, daily feed intake, feed conversion and average daily weight gain at the first 28 days of feedlot. From the 28th day lysophospholipid treatment presented the highest live weight. Lysophospholipid and amylolytic enzyme presented the best performance in average daily gain, followed by protected methionine, control and protected lysine. Lysophospholipid treatment presented higher daily feed intake rates than protected lysine and protected methionine. Feed conversion was lower for amylolytic enzyme and higher for control. No changing in carcass traits was reported due to additives. Better performance may be achieved with feedlot lambs fed on diets with the addition of amylolytic enzyme and lysophospholipid at the finishing phase.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
A. O. Ladokun

A total of 48 large white pigs were used in an experiment to investigate the use of exogenous testosterone on the growth of pigs. The pigs were randomly selected as day old piglets, balanced for weight with equal number for each sex, and allotted to two treatment groups, T1, which received Testosterone Enanthate (TE), intramuscularly, weekly, for 24 weeks and T2, the control, which received no hormone but blank injections. Dosage was based on live weight (1.2mg/kg live weight). Corn oil served as the vehicle. The parameters measured include Total weight gain (TWG), Average Daily Gain (ADG), Average Daily Feed Intake (ADFI) and Feed Conversion Ratio. The results obtained showed that exogenous testosterone increased weight gain significantly (p<0.05) in both sexes than their respective controls. The same trend was observed for feed intake and feed conversion. Exogenous testosterone also indicated pronounced sex effect on the pigs in this study with males having significantly (p<0.05) higher values than females. It can be concluded from this study that exogenous testosterone can be used to accelerate growth thereby finishing the pigs early. A withdrawal period of 4 weeks before slaughter is however recommended.


2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1180-1186
Author(s):  
A.M. Oliveira ◽  
L.D.F. Silva ◽  
A.P.O. Souza ◽  
E.L.A. Ribeiro ◽  
C.C. Jobim ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sorghum silage substitution with different proportions of triticale silage on the performance and carcass of Braford heifers. Twenty-four Braford heifers were randomly assigned to four diets where sorghum silage was replaced at 0%, 30%, 60%, and 100% for triticale silage in a feedlot system. During sixty-tree days of the experiment, the feed intake, feed ratio conversion, and average daily gain were measured. The heifers were slaughtered and the effects of the sorghum and triticale silage in carcass characteristics were evaluated. The replacement of sorghum silage with triticale silage did not affect the feed intake and average daily gain (P> 0.05). Feed gain ratio was higher for the heifers that received lower proportions of triticale silage (0% and 30%) in replace sorghum silage (P <0.05). Eye loin area and fat thickness were similar among treatments (P<0.05). Other carcass characteristics, such as slaughter live weight, dressing percentage, conformation and fat classification were similar among experimental treatments (P<0.005). Triticale silage can replace sorghum silage for finishing beef heifers in feedlot system and provides similar carcass characteristics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raizza Fátima Abadia Tulux Rocha ◽  
Andréa Roberto Duarte Lopes Souza ◽  
Maria Da Graça Morais ◽  
Mayara Mitiko Yoshihara Carneiro ◽  
Henrique Jorge Fernandes ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess the performance, carcass traits, and non-carcass components of feedlot finished Texel crossbred lambs from different residual feed intake classes (RFI). Forty-seven uncastrated male Texel crossbred lambs (¾ Texel + ¼ Pantaneira) tested here were 4-month-old with an initial weight of 29.9 ± 5.5 kg. The lambs were confined for 70 days for individual dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) assessment. The diet containing corn silage was provided as roughage, while the concentrate consisted of corn grain, soybean meal, urea, and mineral mixture with a 40:60 roughage to concentrate ratio and 76.34% total digestible nutrients (TDN). After confinement for 70 days, the lambs were slaughtered to assess carcass traits and non-carcass components. Based on the RFI, lambs were divided into three classes according to the standard deviation (sd): Positive RFI (inefficient, 0.5 above the mean), Negative RFI (efficient, 0.5 below the mean), and Medium RFI (intermediate). Classes with Negative (efficient) and Positive RFI (inefficient) showed no differences in ADG (0.321 vs 0.306 kg; P > 0.05). Dry matter intake (g d-1), and percentage of body weight (BW) differed significantly between the RFI classes (P < 0.05). Compared to lambs in the inefficient class, those in the efficient class (Negative RFI) showed a 9% reduction in DMI and had the same ADG. The lambs in either Positive or Negative RFI classes showed no weight differences between non-carcass components (P > 0.05). The RFI classes showed no differences in shrunk body weight, hot carcass weight, hot dressing, and weight of commercial cuts (P > 0.05). They showed no differences in neck, shoulder + shank, loin, rack, flank steak, rack cap off, and leg weights (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that improvement in feed efficiency, as a function of the RFI index, does not compromise performance and carcass traits of Texel crossbred lambs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-236
Author(s):  
Iolanda Aparecida Nunes ◽  
Ricardo Alessandro Martins Brito ◽  
Letícia Aparecida de Morais ◽  
Vanessa Souza Silva ◽  
Marco Antônio Pereira da Silva ◽  
...  

This study evaluated the performance, carcass characteristics, and centesimal composition of the meat of intact and castrated lambs of the Santa Inês breed and of the crossbred animals: one-half Santa Inês × one-half Texel. Thirty-four lambs were used, nine intact and nine castrated males of the Santa Inês breed, and seven intact and nine castrated crossbred males, all aged between 6 and 7 mo and with an average live weight of 18.2 kg. The design was completely randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial (two crossing and two sexual conditions), with statistical analyses performed in the STAT version 9.4 program. There was a significant difference the Santa Inês and the Texel and Santa Inês crossbred animals in feed conversion and average daily gain, with superiority of the latter group. Castration of animals aged <12 mo had no significant effect on the performance and on the carcass traits of the Texel and Santa Inês crossbred animals, whereas the genotype had a great influence on weight gain and on subjective and quantitative carcass characteristics, demonstrating that crosses in sheep are needed to explore the complementarity of breeds, and heterosis is needed to achieve better performances and carcass characteristics.


2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Manafiazar ◽  
J. A. Basarab ◽  
V. S. Baron ◽  
L. McKeown ◽  
R. R. Doce ◽  
...  

Manafiazar, G., Basarab, J. A., Baron, V. S., McKeown, L., Doce, R. R., Swift, M., Undi, M., Wittenberg, K. and Ominski, K. 2015. Effect of post-weaning residual feed intake classification on grazed grass intake and performance in pregnant beef heifers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 369–381. There is limited knowledge of how cattle tested for feed efficiency under drylot conditions perform when they graze on summer pasture. Residual feed intake adjusted for end of test backfat thickness (RFIfat) was determined on 171 beef crossbred heifers under drylot conditions over 2 yr using an automated system. Upon completion of the test, the 10 lowest and 10 highest RFIfat (–0.54±0.17 vs. 0.58±0.15 kg DM d−1) heifers in 2012, and the 14 lowest and 14 highest RFIfat (−0.47±0.16 vs. 0.53±0.19 kg DM d−1) heifers in 2013 were selected and placed on meadow bromegrass pasture to investigate the effect of RFIfat ranking on their grass intake and performance on the pasture. The pasture adaptation period (8 d in 2012 and 19 d in 2013) was followed by a pasture feed intake experiment during which heifers were dosed twice daily (0815 and 1415) with 500 g of C32-labeled feed pellet for 13 d (day 0 to 12) and fecal sampled twice daily (0815 and 1415) from day 8 to 12. Forage DM intake on pasture for each heifer was determined using the double alkane (C31/C32) methodology. High and low RFIfat heifers were similar in body weight (BW), backfat and rump fat thickness, and average daily gain (ADG) during the grazing trial period, except backfat thickness at the end of test period. However, low RFIfat heifers consumed 5.3% less forage when expressed as kg DM d−1 (8.20±0.08 vs. 8.66±0.09, P<0.001) and 5.1% less when expressed as a percentage of body weight (1.86±0.02 vs. 1.96±0.02% of BW, P<0.001) compared with high RFIfat heifers. RFIfat measured under drylot conditions in growing heifers was positively correlated to grazed RFIfat determined in pregnant heifers (rp=0.30, P=0.04). These results suggest that beef heifers classified as low RFIfat during the post-weaning drylot period had lower dry matter intake as heifers in their first pregnancy grazing tame pasture, with no negative impact on their body weight, back-fat thickness, and ADG compared with their high RFIfat herdmates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 210-210
Author(s):  
Hannah DelCurto Wyffels ◽  
Julia M Dafoe ◽  
Cory T Parsons ◽  
Darrin L Boss ◽  
Timothy DelCurto ◽  
...  

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of barley and corn finishing rations on feedlot performance and feed intake behavior of steer calves. For 2 consecutive years, Angus-based steer calves were fed and finished at the Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre, MT. Steers averaged 427 kg (n = 48) in year 1 and 407 kg (n = 47) in year 2. Feedlot rations used in this study were comprised of 1) corn or 2) Hockett barley. Diets were balanced to be isonitrogenous (12% CP). Steers were fitted with an electronic identification ear tag and fed in a GrowSafe system to measure individual animal intake and behavior. Initial and final unshrunk weights were obtained on two consecutive days and averaged. Weight gain, ADG, and G:F were measured for each steer. Feeding behavior including: time spent eating (min∙day-1), visits per day, time per visit (min), eating rate (g∙min-1), intake (kg∙day-1), and intake per visit (g) were also measured for each individual. Average daily gain, final live weight, DM intake, hot carcass weight, marbling, and REA all had significant year effects (P &lt; 0.05.). Corn-fed steers had heavier hot carcass weights (P = 0.01), and greater average daily gains (P = 0.04); however, corn-fed steers also had higher average daily DMI (P = 0.02) than barley-fed steers. Carcass weights were on average 15.89 kg heavier for steers fed corn compared to steers fed barley (P = 0.02) and corn-fed steers displayed higher numerical yield grade (P = 0.02). There were no treatment effects observed for final live weight, gain to feed, marbling, fat, REA, time spent eating, visits per day, time per visit, eating rate or intake per visit (P ≥ 0.05). In summary, barley-fed steers yielded comparable performance outcomes as corn-fed steers, thus, depending on cost and production year, barley could be a potential high-quality feed source in beef cattle finishing rations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Faria de Moraes ◽  
Luiza Rodrigues Alves Abreu ◽  
Isabel Cristina Ferreira ◽  
Idalmo Garcia Pereira

ABSTRACT: The study of the genetic evaluation of residual feed intake adjusted for fat (RFIFat) is important for the appropriate use of feed efficiency in selection programs. The objective was to analyze the influence of selection for RFIF at on carcass and performance traits by estimating various genetic parameters. Data were analyzed from five tests of feed efficiency, which were conducted with 677 Nellore males. Genetic evaluation was performed by Bayesian inference using an animal model via single- and two-trait analyses. Variables analyzed were dry matter intake, average daily gain, RFIFat, rib eye area, back fat thickness, rump fat thickness, marbling score, and subcutaneous fat thickness. The posterior mean distributions estimated at each analysis were used to estimate heritability of the traits and to perform various correlations. The studied traits showed high heritability estimates, and they should respond well to selection. The RFIFat presented a phenotypic correlation with carcass traits (which was next to zero), and there was also a negative genetic correlation. Additive genetic variability for RFIFat showed that selection for this trait can promote genetic gains in future generations, resulting in animals that are efficient in terms of nutrient use, and according to the genetic and phenotypic correlations, with no significant negative changes to carcass traits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Julio Cezar Heker Junior ◽  
Mikael Neumann ◽  
Robson Kyoshi Ueno ◽  
Margarete Kimie Falbo ◽  
Sandra Galbeiro ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the associative effect of monensin sodium to virginiamycin and/or essential oils on performance, consumption of nutrients and dry matter, apparent digestibility, feeding behavior and carcass characteristics of feedlot finished steers. The experiment lasted 106 days with 10 days of adaptation and 96-day trial, and had 32 crosses angus steers, average age 12 months and average weight of 376 kg, divided into 16 stalls, the weighing took place every 21 days and at the end of the experiment. The treatments consisted of the combination of the following additives to the diet included: Monensin sodium, 200 mg day-1 (MO); Monensin sodium, a dose of 200 mg day-1 + essential oil dose of 1.5g day-1 (MO+EO); Monensin sodium, a dose of 200 mg day-1 + virginiamycin, 200 mg day-1 (MO+VI); Monensin sodium, 200 mg day-1 + essential oil dose of 1.5g day-1 + virginiamycin day, 200 mg day-1 (MO+EO+VI), each treatment had four repetitions, where each repetitions consisted of a bay with two animals. The MO+VI association in relation to MO only increase in average daily gain (ADG) of 24.44%, 22.35%, 21.10% and 17.31% in weighing 42, 63, 84 and 96 days, similar the combination of MO+EO+VI which provided an improvement of 21.94%, 13.59%, 15.45% and 14.75% respectively in the same weightings. The daily carcass gain and carcass overall gain were higher in associations MO+VI and MO+EO+VI and provided an average gain of 16.67 kg more compared to MO and MO+EO. In the parameters feed efficiency, dry matter intake and nutrient expressed in kg day-1 and percentage of live weight were not observed differences (P > 0.05) between treatments. Data on apparent digestibility, feeding behavior and carcass characteristics did not show statistical difference between treatment, except for fat thickness which was higher when associated with any of the additives to the MO, and farm weight was higher in associations containing VI. Associating MO+VI or MO+EO+VI proved to be best in this work compared to MO+EO or only MO in the diets of steers in termination.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document