Effects of early weaning on growth, feed efficiency and carcass traits in Shorthorn cattle
M. L. Wolcott A B , H.-U. Graser A and D. J. Johnston AA Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit1, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: mwolcott@une.edu.au
Animal Production Science 50(4) 315-321 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09153
Submitted: 13 November 2009 Accepted: 10 March 2010 Published: 12 May 2010
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the impact of early weaning on residual feed intake, and other production and carcass traits, in a group of cattle subjected to early or conventional weaning treatments, but otherwise managed as contemporaries. Shorthorn (n = 140) calves were randomly allocated by sex and sire to early and conventional weaning treatments. Early weaned animals (n = 69) were weaned at an average of 123 days of age and 145 kg liveweight, while conventionally weaned steers and heifers (n = 71) were 259 days old at weaning and 273 kg. Following conventional weaning, animals were managed as contemporaries through backgrounding, and entered feedlot finishing at a mean age of 353 and 408 days for heifers and steers, respectively, for finishing and feed intake testing. At the conclusion of feed intake testing hip height was measured, and animals were ultrasound scanned to assess fat depth, eye muscle area and percent intramuscular fat. Early weaned animals were significantly lighter (P < 0.001) than their conventionally weaned contemporaries, when weighed at conventional weaning. The weight difference observed at conventional weaning of 19.4 kg between treatment groups persisted throughout the experiment, with significant (P < 0.05) differences of 17.1, 15.6 and 15.8 kg at feedlot entry, and the start and end of the feed intake test period, respectively. Weaning treatment also approached significance for daily feed intake (P = 0.06), with early weaned animals tending to eat less than their conventionally weaned contemporaries (daily feed intake = 11.6 and 12.0 kg, respectively). Weaning treat\ment did not significantly affect feed efficiency whether measured as residual feed intake (P = 0.64) or feed conversion ratio (P = 0.27). None of the other traits measured were significantly affected by weaning treatment. These data showed that early weaning, as implemented for this experiment, resulted in animals that were lighter than their conventionally weaned contemporaries through backgrounding and finishing. Weaning treatment did not, however, influence feed efficiency or the post-weaning growth and carcass composition traits measured for this experiment.
Additional keywords: liveweight, residual feed intake, weaning weight.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the Morgan family (‘The Grove’, Condomine, New South Wales), who supplied the animals for this experiment and management expertise for the early weaning component of this study. We also thank the staff at ‘Tullimba’ feedlot for the management of animals and equipment at the feed intake measurement facility. Also acknowledged is the contribution of Peter Vincent of the Shorthorn Society of Australia and the producers and managers associated with Durham Research and Development Pty Ltd.
Anderson KL,
Nagaraja TG,
Morrill JL,
Avery TB,
Galitzer SJ, Boyer JE
(1987) Ruminal microbial development in conventionally or early-weaned calves. Journal of Animal Science 64, 1215–1226.
| PubMed |
[Verified 12 November 2009]
Elsasser TH,
Rumsey TS, Hammond AC
(1989) Influence of diet on basal and growth hormone-stimulated plasma concentrations of IGF-I in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 67, 128–141.
| PubMed |
[Verified 12 November 2009]
Greenwood PL, Café LM
(2007) Prenatal and pre-weaning growth and nutrition of cattle: long term consequences for beef production. Animal 9, 1283–1296.
Greenwood PL,
Café LM,
Hearnshaw H,
Hennessy DW,
Thompson JM, Morris SG
(2006) Long-term consequences of birth weight and growth to weaning on carcass, yield and beef quality characteristics of Piedmontese- and Wagyu-sired cattle. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46, 257–269.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hegarty RS,
Goopy JP,
Herd RM, McCorkell B
(2007) Cattle selected for lower residual feed intake have reduced daily methane production. Journal of Animal Science 85, 1479–1486.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Heinemann WW, VanKeuren RW
(1956) The effect of wintering plane of nutrition on subsequent gains of beef yearling steers on irrigated pastures. Journal of Animal Science 15, 1097–1102.
Herd RM,
Archer JA, Arthur PF
(2003) Reducing the cost of beef production through genetic improvement in residual feed intake: opportunity and challenges to application. Journal of Animal Science 81, E9–E17.
Hornick JL,
Van Eenaeme C,
Ge’rard O,
Dufrasne I, Istasse L
(2000) Mechanisms of reduced and compensatory growth. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 19, 121–132.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
Koch RM,
Swiger LA,
Chambers D, Gregory KE
(1963) Efficiency of feed use in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 22, 486–494.
Meyer JH,
Hull JL,
Weitkamp WH, Bonilla S
(1965) Compensatory growth responses of fattening steers following various low energy intake regimes on hay or irrigated pasture. Journal of Animal Science 24, 29–37.
| PubMed |
Myers SE,
Faulkner DB,
Nash TG,
Berger LL,
Parrett DF, McKeith FK
(1999a) Performance and carcass traits of early-weaned steers receiving either a pasture growing period or a finishing diet at weaning. Journal of Animal Science 77, 311–322.
| PubMed |
Myers SE,
Faulkner DB,
Ireland FA, Parrett DF
(1999b) Comparison of three weaning ages on cow-calf performance and steer carcass traits. Journal of Animal Science 77, 323–329.
| PubMed |
Nkrumah JD,
Okine EK,
Mathison GW,
Schmid K,
Li C,
Basarab JA,
Price MA,
Wang Z, Moore SS
(2006) Relationships of feedlot feed efficiency, performance, and feeding behaviour with metabolic rate, methane production, and energy partitioning in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 84, 145–153.
| PubMed |
Robinson DL, Oddy VH
(2001) Improving estimates of weight gain and residual feed intake by adjusting for the amount of feed eaten prior to weighing. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, 1057–1063.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sainz RD,
De la Torre F, Oltjen JW
(1995) Compensatory growth and carcass quality in growth-restricted and re-fed beef steers. Journal of Animal Science 73, 2971–2979.
| PubMed |
Salmon RK,
Bailey DRC,
Weingardt R, Berg RT
(1990) Growth efficiency in mice selected for increased body weight. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 70, 371–381.
| Crossref |
Stick DA,
Davis ME,
Loerch SC, Simmen RC
(1998) Relationship between blood serum insulin-like growth factor I concentration and postweaning feed efficiency of crossbred cattle at three levels of dietary intake. Journal of Animal Science 76, 498–505.
| PubMed |
Terré M,
Devant M, Bach A
(2006) Performance and nitrogen metabolism of calves fed conventionally or following an enhanced-growth feeding program during the preweaning period. Livestock Science 105, 109–119.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wertz E,
Berge LL,
Walker PM,
Faulkner DB,
McKeith FK, Rodriguez-Zas S
(2001) Early weaning and postweaning nutritional management affect feedlot performance of Angus x Simmental heifers and the relationship of 12th rib fat and marbling score to feed efficiency. Journal of Animal Science 79, 1660–1669.
| PubMed |
1 Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit is a joint venture of Industry and Investment NSW and the University of New England.
