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- Title
A nutritional supplement for beef cattle grazing endophyteinfected tall fescue. I. Response of herd-managed cows and calves.
- Authors
Ely, D. G.; Aaron, D. K.; Wyles, J.; Zinner, R. A.; Lunsford, A. K.; Mallory, M. L.
- Abstract
Eighty-four Angus x Beefmaster cow/calf pairs were used in a 3-yr study to determine response to gradient levels (0, 10, 20, and 40 g/cow) of a nutritional supplement produced from brewer's dried yeast (FEB-200™, Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville, KY). The supplement, carried in 0.45 kg ground shelled corn, was provided 1x/d during the grazing period. Cows and calves were managed in eight, 10.5-ha endophyte-infected (> 90%) KY 31 tall fescue pastures (two pastures/supplement level, re-randomized each year) from May 4 to July 11 (Period 1) and from July 11 to weaning on October 24 (Period 2). Cows averaged 5.1 yr, 490 kg, and 5.3 BCS on May 4. Initially, calves averaged 106 kg at 72 d of age. In Period 1, cows in the 0, 10, and 20 g treatments lost 9, 8, and 9 kg, respectively, as cows in the 40 g treatment gained 1 kg/hd (Linear; P = 0.03). No treatment effects on cow gain were found in Period 2. Gains for the total grazing season (May 4 to October 24) were 26, 26, 23, and 31 kg/cow for 0, 10, 20, and 40 g treatments, respectively. The greatest treatment effect was found in cows older than 5 yr (Linear; P = 0.01). Cow BCS increased linearly (P = 0.07) with increasing supplementation level during Period 1. No treatment effect was found in Period 2; however, overall BCS changes from May 4 to October 24 were positive and increased linearly (P = 0.07). Although supplementation had no effect on condition of 2-yr-old cows, BCS of 3 to 5 and > 5-yr-old cows increased linearly (P = 0.04 and 0.07) as level of FEB-200™ consumption increased. Calves in the 0, 10, 20, and 40 g treatments gained 61, 60, 58, and 65 kg/hd, respectively (Linear; P = 0.01), in Period 1. Gains during Period 2 were not affected by supplement level. Overall gains from May 4 to October 24 were 154, 153, 150, and 159 kg/hd (Quadratic; P = 0.02). These results show daily supplementation with 40 g FEB-200™ can increase weight gains of cows and calves grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue.
- Subjects
TALL fescue; BEEF cattle; COWS; CALVES; TREATMENT effectiveness; WEIGHT gain; PASTURES; LACTATION in cattle
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2006, Vol 84, p396
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Article