Responses to various protein and energy supplements by steers fed low-quality tropical hay. 2. Effect of stage of maturity of steers
S. R. McLennan A B F , J. M. Campbell C , C. H. Pham D E , K. A. Chandra B , S. P. Quigley D and D. P. Poppi DA The University of Queensland, Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, GPO Box 267, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.
B Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, GPO Box 267, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brian Pastures Research Station, PO Box 118, Gayndah, Qld 4625, Australia.
D The University of Queensland, Schools of Agriculture and Food Sciences, and Veterinary Science, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
E Present address: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Institute of Animal Science, Thuyphuong, Bac Tuliem, Hanoi, Vietnam.
F Corresponding author. Email: s.mclennan@uq.edu.au
Animal Production Science 57(3) 489-504 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15660
Submitted: 28 September 2015 Accepted: 24 November 2015 Published: 22 March 2016
Abstract
Dose response curves to various supplements were established in two pen-feeding experiments (Exp1 and Exp2) with Bos indicus crossbred steers of two age groups (Young, 10–12 months; Old, 33–36 months) fed low-quality tropical grass hays ad libitum. Diets included supplements based on (Exp1) cottonseed meal (CSM; intake (as fed) 0–10 g/kg liveweight (W).day) and a barley mix (Bar; 0–20 g/kg W.day) and (Exp2) a molasses mix (MUP) and a Bar mix, both fed at 0–20 g/kg W.day. Urea was provided with the Bar mixes and urea/copra meal with the MUP mix. Growth rates of Young steers increased linearly with Bar and MUP supplements but asymptotically with CSM whereas those of Old steers increased asymptotically with all supplement types. With supplement intake expressed on a liveweight basis (g/kg W.day), responses were greater for both steer age groups with CSM compared with Bar (Young, P < 0.001; Old, P < 0.01) and Bar compared with MUP treatments (Young, P < 0.01; Old, P < 0.05). Furthermore, Old steers outperformed their Young counterparts with both CSM (P < 0.05) and Bar (P < 0.001) supplements fed in Exp1 and with Bar and MUP supplements (P < 0.01) fed in Exp2. When supplement intake was expressed in absolute terms (kg/day), growth responses were not different between age groups for different supplements except that Old steers had a higher daily W gain on Bar than their Young counterparts (P < 0.05). Intake of hay (W-corrected) was higher for Young compared with Old steers without supplement but was variably reduced for both steer groups with increasing supplement intake. The results of these experiments have implications for supplement formulation for steers at different stages of maturity grazing low-quality forages.
Additional keywords: cattle age, digestibility, energy retention, metabolisable energy intake, plasma urea, rumen ammonia, substitution effects.
References
AFRC (1993) ‘Energy and protein requirement of ruminants.’ (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)Always SE, Gonyea WJ, Davis ME (1990) Muscle fiber formation and fiber hypertrophy during the onset of stretch-overload. American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology 259, C92–C102.
AOAC (1980) ‘Official methods of analysis.’ (Association of Official Analytical Chemists: Washington, DC)
ARC (1980) ‘The nutrient requirements of ruminant livestock.’ Technical review by the Agricultural Research Council working party. (Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux: Farnham)
Berg RT, Butterfield RM (1968) Growth patterns of bovine muscle, fat and bone. Journal of Animal Science 27, 611–619.
Bortolussi G, McIvor JG, Hodgkinson JJ, Coffey SG, Holmes CR (2005) The northern Australian beef industry, a snapshot. 3. Annual liveweight gains from pasture based systems. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 1093–1108.
| The northern Australian beef industry, a snapshot. 3. Annual liveweight gains from pasture based systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowen MK (2003) Efficiency of microbial protein production in cattle grazing tropical pastures. PhD Thesis. University of Queensland, St Lucia.
Brody S (1945) ‘Bioenergetics and growth.’ (Reinhold Publishing Corporation: New York)
Butler-Hogg BW, Cruickshank GJ (1989) The effects of environmental factors on growth and development. In ‘Meat production and processing’. Occasional Publication No. 11. (Eds RW Purchas, BW Butler-Hogg, AS Davies) pp. 87–101. (New Zealand Society of Animal Production: Wellington, NZ)
Chase CC, Hibberd CA (1987) Utilization of low-quality native grass hay by beef cows fed increasing quantities of corn grain. Journal of Animal Science 65, 557–566.
Dixon RM, Stockdale CR (1999) Associative effects between forages and grains: consequences for feed utilisation. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 757–773.
| Associative effects between forages and grains: consequences for feed utilisation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dolberg F, Finlayson P (1995) Treated straw for beef production in China. World Animal Review 82, 14–24.
Fordyce G, Coates R, Debney M, Haselton S, Rebgetz R, Laing AR, Cooper NJ, Hall R, Holmes WE, Doogan V (2009) A systems evaluation of high-input management using fortified molasses for beef production in Australia’s dry tropics. Animal Production Science 49, 177–191.
| A systems evaluation of high-input management using fortified molasses for beef production in Australia’s dry tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Freer M, Moore AD, Donnelly JR (2012) The GRAZPLAN animal biology model for sheep and cattle and the GrazFeed decision support tool. CSIRO Plant Industry Technical Paper (revised December 2012). Available at http://www.grazplan.csiro.au/files/TechPaperMay12.pdf [Verified 10 November 2015]
Genstat (2015) ‘Genstat for Windows, Release 16.1.’ (VSN International Ltd: Oxford)
Klevesahl EA, Cochran RC, Titgemeyer EC, Wickersham TA, Farmer CG, Arroquy JI, Johnson DE (2003) Effect of a wide range in the ratio of supplemental rumen degradable protein to starch on utilization of low-quality, grass hay by beef steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology 105, 5–20.
| Effect of a wide range in the ratio of supplemental rumen degradable protein to starch on utilization of low-quality, grass hay by beef steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXis12msr8%3D&md5=34b1d345e555fc64828278e6f42a1c13CAS |
Köster HH, Cochran RC, Titgemeyer EC, Vanzant ES, Abdelgadir I, St-Jean G (1996) Effect of increasing degradable intake protein on intake and digestion of low-quality, tallgrass-prairie forage by beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 74, 2473–2481.
Lapierre H, Lobley GE (2001) Nitrogen recycling in the ruminant: a review. Journal of Dairy Science 84, E223–E236.
| Nitrogen recycling in the ruminant: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
MacRae JC, Lobley GE (1982) Some factors which influence thermal energy losses during the metabolism of ruminants. Livestock Production Science 9, 447–456.
| Some factors which influence thermal energy losses during the metabolism of ruminants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McCollum FT, Horn GW (1990) Protein supplementation of grazing livestock: a review. The Professional Animal Scientist 6, 1–15.
McLennan SR (2004) More effective supplements for the northern beef industry. Final report. Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd, No. NAP3.122. Available at http://www.mla.com.au/Research-and-development/Search-RD-reports/RD-report-details/Productivity-On-Farm/Developing-Improved- Supplementation-Strategies/2005 [Verified 3 March 2016]
McLennan SR (2014) Optimising growth paths of beef cattle in northern Australia for increased profitability. Final report. Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd, No. B. NBP.0391. Available at http://www.mla.com.au/Research-and-development/Search-RD-reports/RD-report-details/ Productivity-On-Farm/Optimising-growth-paths-of-beef-cattle-in-northern-Australia-for-increased-profitability/372 [Verified 3 March 2016]
McLennan SR, Poppi DP (2012) Application of nutrient requirement systems to grazing cattle, with and without supplements. In ‘Proceedings of the 4th international symposium of beef cattle production, 2012’. (Eds SC Valadares Filho, MF Paulino, PVR Paulino, AG Silva, D Zanetti, LF Prados, LV Barros, LHP Silva, MA Fonseca, PDB Benedeti) pp. 95–122. (Universidade Federal de Viçosa: Viçosa, Brazil)
McLennan SR, Bolam MJ, Kidd JF, Chandra KA, Poppi DP (2017) Responses to various protein and energy supplements by steers fed low-quality tropical hay. 1. Comparison of response surfaces for young steers. Animal Production Science 57, 473–488.
| Responses to various protein and energy supplements by steers fed low-quality tropical hay. 1. Comparison of response surfaces for young steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore JE, Brant MH, Kunkle WE, Hopkins DI (1999) Effects of supplementation on voluntary forage intake, diet digestibility, and animal performance. Journal of Animal Science 82, 122–135.
Moss RJ, Buchanan IK, Casey ND, Matschoss AL, Martin PR (1998) Degradability of protein concentrates available in north Australia. Animal Production in Australia 22, 340
NRC (1996) ‘Nutrient requirements of beef cattle.’ (National Academy Press: Washington, DC)
NRDR (2007) ‘Nutrient requirements of domesticated ruminants.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)
Ørskov ER (1970) Nitrogen utilization by the young ruminant. In ‘Proceedings of the 4th nutrition conference for feed manufacturers, University of Nottingham’. (Eds H Swan, D Lewis) pp. 20–35. (J and A Churchill: London)
Owens FN, Garza J, Dubeski P (1991) Advances in amino acid and N nutrition in grazing ruminants. In ‘Proceedings 2nd grazing livestock nutrition conference’. (Eds FT McCollum, MB Judkins) pp. 109–137. (Oklahoma State University: Stillwater)
Perdok HB, Leng RA (1990) Effect of supplementation with protein meal on the growth of cattle given a basal diet of untreated or ammoniated rice straw. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 3, 269–279.
| Effect of supplementation with protein meal on the growth of cattle given a basal diet of untreated or ammoniated rice straw.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Poppi DP (1990) Manipulation of nutrient supply to animals at pasture: opportunities and consequences. In ‘Proceedings of 5th Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production (AAAP) Animal Science Congress, Volume 1, Taipei, Taiwan’. pp. 40–79. (AAAP: Chunan, Miaoli, Taiwan)
Ryan WJ (1990) Compensatory growth in sheep and cattle. Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews 60, 653–664.
Schiere JB, de Wit J (1995) Feeding urea ammonia treated rice straw in the tropics. II. Assumptions on nutritive value and their validity for least cost ration formulation. Animal Feed Science and Technology 51, 45–63.
| Feeding urea ammonia treated rice straw in the tropics. II. Assumptions on nutritive value and their validity for least cost ration formulation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sinclair LA, Garnsworthy PC, Newbold JR, Buttery PJ (1995) Effects of synchronizing the rate of dietary energy and nitrogen release in diets with a similar carbohydrate composition on rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in sheep. The Journal of Agricultural Science 124, 463–472.
| Effects of synchronizing the rate of dietary energy and nitrogen release in diets with a similar carbohydrate composition on rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis in sheep.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXmslCgtrk%3D&md5=1ad9669a17f9f425742b3026992bd362CAS |
Wickersham TA, Cochran RC, Titgemeyer EC, Farmer CG, Klevesahl EA, Arroquy JI, Johnson DE, Gnad DP (2004) Effect of postruminal protein supply on the response to ruminal protein supplementation in beef steers fed a low-quality hay. Animal Feed Science and Technology 115, 19–36.
| Effect of postruminal protein supply on the response to ruminal protein supplementation in beef steers fed a low-quality hay.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXks1eqs7o%3D&md5=c3d3f7281cbc6ac853dcaee2d2a593c1CAS |
