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Suárez-Vega A, Gutiérrez-Gil B, Fonseca PAS, Hervás G, Pelayo R, Toral PG, Marina H, de Frutos P, Arranz JJ. Milk transcriptome biomarker identification to enhance feed efficiency and reduce nutritional costs in dairy ewes. Animal 2024; 18:101250. [PMID: 39096599 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, rising prices for high-quality protein-based feeds have significantly increased nutrition costs. Consequently, investigating strategies to reduce these expenses and improve feed efficiency (FE) have become increasingly important for the dairy sheep industry. This research investigates the impact of nutritional protein restriction (NPR) during prepuberty and FE on the milk transcriptome of dairy Assaf ewes (sampled during the first lactation). To this end, we first compared transcriptomic differences between NPR and control ewes. Subsequently, we evaluated gene expression differences between ewes with divergent FE, using feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), and consensus classifications of high- and low-FE animals for both indices. Lastly, we assess milk gene expression as a predictor of FE phenotype using random forest. No effect was found for the prepubertal NPR on milk performance or FE. Moreover, at the milk transcriptome level, only one gene, HBB, was differentially expressed between the NPR (n = 14) and the control group (n = 14). Further, the transcriptomic analysis between divergent FE sheep revealed 114 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for RFI index (high-FERFI = 10 vs low-FERFI = 10), 244 for FCR (high-FEFCR = 10 vs low-FEFCR = 10), and 1 016 DEGs between divergent consensus ewes for both indices (high-FEconsensus = 8 vs low-FEconsensus = 8). These results underscore the critical role of selected FE indices for RNA-Seq analyses, revealing that consensus divergent animals for both indices maximise differences in transcriptomic responses. Genes overexpressed in high-FEconsensus ewes were associated with milk production and mammary gland development, while low-FEconsensus genes were linked to higher metabolic expenditure for tissue organisation and repair. The best prediction accuracy for FE phenotype using random forest was obtained for a set of 44 genes consistently differentially expressed across lactations, with Spearman correlations of 0.37 and 0.22 for FCR and RFI, respectively. These findings provide insights into potential sustainability strategies for dairy sheep, highlighting the utility of transcriptomic markers as FE proxies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Suárez-Vega
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain
| | - B Gutiérrez-Gil
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain
| | - P A S Fonseca
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain
| | - G Hervás
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - R Pelayo
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain
| | - P G Toral
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - H Marina
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain
| | - P de Frutos
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-University of León), Finca Marzanas s/n, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - J J Arranz
- Dpto. Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24007 Leon, Spain.
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Ramos PVB, de Oliveira Menezes GR, da Silva DA, Lourenco D, Santiago GG, Torres Júnior RAA, Silva FFE, Lopes PS, Veroneze R. Genomic analysis of feed efficiency traits in beef cattle using random regression models. J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:291-303. [PMID: 38062881 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Feed efficiency plays a major role in the overall profitability and sustainability of the beef cattle industry, as it is directly related to the reduction of the animal demand for input and methane emissions. Traditionally, the average daily feed intake and weight gain are used to calculate feed efficiency traits. However, feed efficiency traits can be analysed longitudinally using random regression models (RRMs), which allow fitting random genetic and environmental effects over time by considering the covariance pattern between the daily records. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (1) propose genomic evaluations for dry matter intake (DMI), body weight gain (BWG), residual feed intake (RFI) and residual weight gain (RWG) data collected during an 84-day feedlot test period via RRMs; (2) compare the goodness-of-fit of RRM using Legendre polynomials (LP) and B-spline functions; (3) evaluate the genetic parameters behaviour for feed efficiency traits and their implication for new selection strategies. The datasets were provided by the EMBRAPA-GENEPLUS beef cattle breeding program and included 2920 records for DMI, 2696 records for BWG and 4675 genotyped animals. Genetic parameters and genomic breeding values (GEBVs) were estimated by RRMs under ssGBLUP for Nellore cattle using orthogonal LPs and B-spline. Models were compared based on the deviance information criterion (DIC). The ranking of the average GEBV of each test week and the overall GEBV average were compared by the percentage of individuals in common and the Spearman correlation coefficient (top 1%, 5%, 10% and 100%). The highest goodness-of-fit was obtained with linear B-Spline function considering heterogeneous residual variance. The heritability estimates across the test period for DMI, BWG, RFI and RWG ranged from 0.06 to 0.21, 0.11 to 0.30, 0.03 to 0.26 and 0.07 to 0.27, respectively. DMI and RFI presented within-trait genetic correlations ranging from low to high magnitude across different performance test-day. In contrast, BWG and RWG presented negative genetic correlations between the first 3 weeks and the other days of performance tests. DMI and RFI presented a high-ranking similarity between the GEBV average of week eight and the overall GEBV average, with Spearman correlations and percentages of individuals selected in common ranging from 0.95 to 1.00 and 93 to 100, respectively. Week 11 presented the highest Spearman correlations (ranging from 0.94 to 0.98) and percentages of individuals selected in common (ranging from 85 to 94) of BWG and RWG with the average GEBV of the entire period of the test. In conclusion, the RRM using linear B-splines is a feasible alternative for the genomic evaluation of feed efficiency. Heritability estimates of DMI, RFI, BWG and RWG indicate enough additive genetic variance to achieve a moderate response to selection. A new selection strategy can be adopted by reducing the performance test to 56 days for DMI and RFI selection and 77 days for BWG and RWG selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Vital Brasil Ramos
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Delvan Alves da Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniela Lourenco
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | | | - Paulo Sávio Lopes
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Renata Veroneze
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Coon RE, Tucker CB. Cattle are more motivated for a high-concentrate diet than Sudan grass hay, despite low reticulorumen pH. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skae049. [PMID: 38401147 PMCID: PMC10957121 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skae049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is characterized by chronic low ruminal pH, and occurs for feedlot cattle fed high-concentrate diets. Forages slow digestion and reduce acid production. We aimed to assess how motivated finishing cattle are to access forage (Sudan grass hay, SG) via their willingness to interact with an electrified barrier. Reticulorumen pH was measured to relate the results to digestive health. Twenty-eight animals fed a high-concentrate ration ad libitum had access to 4 L of one of two treatments (n = 14/treatment) fed 1×/d behind a barrier: 1) SG or 2) an additional offering of the normal ration (total mixed ration [TMR]). To access their treatment, the steer voluntarily pushed his muzzle against an electrified barrier. The electrical current was increased exponentially every 24 h (0, 156, 312, 625, 1,250, 2,500, 5,000 µA) until the animal ceased accessing it. Visits to the treatment were recorded continuously 24 h/d and reticulorumen pH was measured every 10 min. Time with a reticulorumen pH below 5.8 was 348 ± 101 and 280 ± 76 min/24 h for SG and TMR animals, respectively; these durations meet the criterion for SARA. However, animals with access to SG were less likely to advance to the next current than TMR animals (P < 0.01) and were approximately 3× less willing to interact with higher currents than TMR (mean maximum current touched: 469 ± 169 and 1,380 ± 254 μA, respectively, mean ± SE, P = 0.01). Lower motivation to access SG was further demonstrated through fewer visits to the SG (2.4 ± 0.4 vs. 5.3 ± 0.6 #/d, P < 0.01), and less SG consumed than TMR (32.0 ± 0.1 vs. 74.0 ± 0.0 %/d, P < 0.01, measured as % due to weight differences of SG and TMR). Overall, finishing cattle valued the TMR more than SG, likely because of differences in the quantity offered, palatability, and familiarity. When rumen health was considered, SG animals visited more often (r = 0.5, P = 0.09) and showed fewer failed attempts (r = -0.5, P = 0.06) to access forage as the severity and duration of pH depression below 5.6, for example, increased. No measures of treatment use were related to pH depression for TMR animals (P ≥ 0.31). These findings provide evidence that cattle are motivated for Sudan grass hay when experiencing chronic low reticulorumen pH. However, they also contribute to the mixed evidence about the motivation for forage in this life stage, because, overall TMR was valued more highly than SG. Despite widespread pH depression, TMR cattle contrafreeloaded for additional concentration, demonstrating unexpectedly high motivation for this resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Coon
- Center for Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Cassandra B Tucker
- Center for Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA
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Ahmad M, Seddon YM, Blanch M, Penner GB, Moya D. Effects of flavoring additives on feed intake, growth performance, temperament, and markers of immune function for newly received feedlot cattle. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skae139. [PMID: 38757251 PMCID: PMC11161901 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skae139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Ninety Angus × Hereford steers (259.9 ± 36.18 kg body weight [BW]) were used in a 56-d experiment to assess the effects of flavoring additives on feed intake, and stress and immune response of newly received feedlot cattle. Steers were homogenously distributed by BW into six pens equipped with an individual feed intake monitoring system, and pen was randomly assigned to one of three treatments (15 heads per pen; 30 heads per treatment): a standard feedlot receiving diet (CT), or the same diet with a flavoring additive comprised of either sweeteners (Luctarom Feedlot, SW) or a mix of basic tastes (Luctarom Feedlot Mix, MX) at 1 kg/mT. Pens were equipped with a feed intake monitoring system, while BW, chute behavior, flight speed, blood and saliva samples were collected bi-weekly, and hair samples were collected at 4-wk intervals during the study. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effects model for a pen study using individual animal records with repeated measures. There was a treatment × week interaction (P < 0.01) where meal duration was greater in SW steers than MX and CT on week 3, and then CT on weeks 7 and 8. A trend for treatment × week interaction (P = 0.06) showed that the number of visits per day tended to be greater in SW than MX steers on weeks 4 and 5, and it tended to be greater in SW than MX and CT on week 5. The concentration of IL-6 was greater (P < 0.01) on days 1 and 28 than on day 14. The IgM concentration was greater (P < 0.01) on day 1 compared to days 14, 28, and 56. The concentration of haptoglobin was greater (P < 0.01) on 14 than days 28, 42, and 56, and it was greater (P < 0.01) on day 1 than days 42 and 56. The concentration of serum amyloid A was greater (P < 0.01) on day 1 compared to the rest of sampling days. Fibrinogen concentration was greater (P < 0.01) on day 1 compared to days 14 and 42. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was greater (P < 0.01) on days 42 and 56 compared to days 1 and 28, and greater (P < 0.01) on day 14 compared to day 28. Hair and saliva cortisol concentrations were lower (P < 0.01) on day 56 compared to days 1 and 28, respectively. The use of flavoring additives, particularly when based on sweeteners (SW), caused some changes in the feeding pattern of newly received steers. These changes, however, were not consistent over the 56-d feeding period and were not accompanied by a change in growth performance, temperament, biomarkers of stress, inflammation, or immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustaq Ahmad
- Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Yolande M Seddon
- Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Marta Blanch
- Innovation Division, Lucta S.A., Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - Gregory B Penner
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada
| | - Diego Moya
- Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
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Davison C, Michie C, Tachtatzis C, Andonovic I, Bowen J, Duthie CA. Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) and Performance Group Estimation Based on Predicted Feed Intake for the Optimisation of Beef Production. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:4621. [PMID: 37430533 PMCID: PMC10223015 DOI: 10.3390/s23104621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports on the use of estimates of individual animal feed intake (made using time spent feeding measurements) to predict the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), a measure of the amount of feed consumed to produce 1 kg of body mass, for an individual animal. Reported research to date has evaluated the ability of statistical methods to predict daily feed intake based on measurements of time spent feeding measured using electronic feeding systems. The study collated data of the time spent eating for 80 beef animals over a 56-day period as the basis for the prediction of feed intake. A Support Vector Regression (SVR) model was trained to predict feed intake and the performance of the approach was quantified. Here, feed intake predictions are used to estimate individual FCR and use this information to categorise animals into three groups based on the estimated Feed Conversion Ratio value. Results provide evidence of the feasibility of utilising the 'time spent eating' data to estimate feed intake and in turn Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), the latter providing insights that guide farmer decisions on the optimisation of production costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Davison
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - Craig Michie
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - Christos Tachtatzis
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - Ivan Andonovic
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - Jenna Bowen
- Scotland’s Rural College, Beef and Sheep Research Centre, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Carol-Anne Duthie
- Scotland’s Rural College, Beef and Sheep Research Centre, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
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Improved cattle behaviour monitoring by combining Ultra-Wideband location and accelerometer data. Animal 2023; 17:100730. [PMID: 36868057 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle behaviour is fundamentally linked to the cows' health, (re)production, and welfare. The aim of this study was to present an efficient method to incorporate Ultra-Wideband (UWB) indoor location and accelerometer data for improved cattle behaviour monitoring systems. In total, 30 dairy cows were fitted with UWB Pozyx wearable tracking tags (Pozyx, Ghent, Belgium) on the upper (dorsal) side of the cow's neck. In addition to the location data, the Pozyx tag reports accelerometer data as well. The combination of both sensor data was performed in two steps. In the first step, the actual time spent in the different barn areas was calculated using location data. In the second step, accelerometer data were used to classify cow behaviour using the location information of step 1 (e.g., a cow located in the cubicles cannot be classified as feeding, or drinking). A total of 156 hours of video recordings were used for the validation. For each hour of data, the total time each cow spent in each area and performing which behaviours (feeding, drinking, ruminating, resting, and eating concentrates) were computed using the sensors and compared against annotated video recordings. Bland-Altman plots for the correlation and difference between the sensors and the video recording were then computed for the performance analysis. The overall performance of locating the animals into the correct functional areas was very high. The R2 was 0.99 (P < 0.001), and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 1.4 min (7.5% of the total time). The best performance was obtained for the feeding and lying areas (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.001). Performance was lower in the drinking area (R2 = 0.90, P < 0.01) and the concentrate feeder (R2 = 0.85, P < 0.05). For the combined location + accelerometer data, high overall performance (all behaviours) was obtained with an R2 of 0.99 (P < 0.001) and a RMSE of 1.6 min (12% of the total time). The combination of location and accelerometer data improved the RMSE of the feeding time and ruminating time compared to the accelerometer data alone (2.6-1.4 min). Moreover, the combination of location and accelerometer enabled accurate classification of additional behaviours that are difficult to detect using the accelerometer alone, such as eating concentrates and drinking (R2 = 0.85 and 0.90, respectively). This study demonstrates the potential of combining accelerometer and UWB location data for the design of a robust monitoring system for dairy cattle.
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Pires BV, Reolon HG, Abduch NG, Souza LL, Sakamoto LS, Mercadante MEZ, Silva RMO, Fragomeni BO, Baldi F, Paz CCP, Stafuzza NB. Effects of Feeding and Drinking Behavior on Performance and Carcass Traits in Beef Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:3196. [PMID: 36428423 PMCID: PMC9686570 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Feed and water efficiency are important traits to improve beef cattle production’s economic and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated residual feed intake (RFI) and residual water intake (RWI) and their relationship with performance, ingestive behavior, and carcass traits in Caracu beef cattle. The data were analyzed using a generalized linear model with least squares means. The ingestive behavior, performance, and carcass traits were influenced by sex (p < 0.05). Males showed higher dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), mid-test metabolic weight (BW0.75), rib eye area, and rump fat thickness than females, besides spending more time drinking and eating. Low RFI animals exhibited higher DMI than high RFI animals. Low RWI animals ingested 3.89 L/d of water further than high RWI animals. The interaction between sex and RWI influenced the DMI, BW0.75, and backfat thickness. The ingestive behavior of low and high RFI animals was similar, although high RWI animals visited a smaller number of drinkers than low RWI animals. Water intake positively affects productive efficiency, and the combined use of RWI and RFI may help improve the selection of more efficient animals contributing to reducing the costs of beef cattle production and improving environmental sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca V. Pires
- Beef Cattle Research Center, Institute of Animal Science (IZ), Sertãozinho 14160-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Henrique G. Reolon
- Beef Cattle Research Center, Institute of Animal Science (IZ), Sertãozinho 14160-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Natalya G. Abduch
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto 140349-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Luana L. Souza
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Leandro S. Sakamoto
- Beef Cattle Research Center, Institute of Animal Science (IZ), Sertãozinho 14160-900, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Breno O. Fragomeni
- Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Fernando Baldi
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Claudia C. P. Paz
- Beef Cattle Research Center, Institute of Animal Science (IZ), Sertãozinho 14160-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Nedenia B. Stafuzza
- Beef Cattle Research Center, Institute of Animal Science (IZ), Sertãozinho 14160-900, SP, Brazil
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Feeding behaviour and activity of beef calves during the first week at the feedlot: impact of calf source and commingling ratios. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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9
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McGettigan C, McGee M, O'Riordan E, Kelly A, Earley B. Effect of concrete slats versus rubber-covered slats on the performance, behaviour, hoof health, cleanliness of finishing beef steers and performance, cleanliness and hoof health of weanling cattle. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.105106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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10
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Brown W, Cavani L, Peñagaricano F, Weigel K, White H. Feeding behavior parameters and temporal patterns in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of residual feed intake values. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:8130-8142. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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11
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Silva LFP, Hegarty RS, Meale SJ, Costa DAF, Fletcher MT. Using the natural abundance of nitrogen isotopes to identify cattle with greater efficiency in protein-limiting diets. Animal 2022; 16 Suppl 3:100551. [PMID: 35688653 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The difficulty in selecting cattle for higher feed and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is an important factor contributing to poor growth and reproductive performance in dry-tropics rangelands. Therefore, the objectives were to examine the cattle variation in retaining nitrogen in a protein-deficient diet and the natural abundance of stable isotopes in body tissues as a practical alternative for the detection of more efficient cattle. In experiment 1, feed efficiency parameters were determined in 89 Brahman steers fed a protein-limiting diet for 70 days, followed by 7 days in metabolism crates for total collection of urine and faeces and calculation of nitrogen retention and NUE. The diet-animal fractionation of nitrogen isotopes (Δ15N) was quantified in tail hair and plasma proteins using isotope-ratio MS. There was a large variation in growth performance, feed efficiency and nitrogen losses among steers. Quantifying Δ15N in tail hair (Δ15Ntail hair) resulted in stronger correlations with feed efficiency and nitrogen metabolism parameters than when quantified in plasma proteins. Δ15Ntail hair was positively correlated with nitrogen losses in urine (r = 0.31, P < 0.01) and faeces (r = 0.25, P = 0.04), leading to a negative correlation with NUE (r = -0.40, P < 0.01). The group of steers with lower Δ15Ntail hair had greater feed efficiency, lower nitrogen losses, and greater NUE. In experiment 2, for evaluation of isotope fraction as a predictor of reproductive performance, 630 Brahman-crossed cows were classified for reproductive performance for 2 years. From this group, 25 cows with poor reproductive performance and 25 cows with good reproductive performance were selected. Tail hair representing 7 months of growth were segmented and analysed for carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope enrichment. Reproductive performance was not associated with diet selection, as there was no difference in tail hair δ13C between groups. However, more productive cows had lower (P < 0.05) tail hair δ15N during the dry season, indicating differences in N metabolism and possibly lower N losses. In addition, cows with better reproductive performance and, therefore, greater nutrient demands, had similar body condition scores and a tendency (P = 0.09) for higher live weight at the end of the trial. In conclusion, the findings of the present study confirm that nitrogen isotope fractionation in tail hair can be used as a predictor of nitrogen losses, NUE, and reproductive performance of Brahman cattle on low-protein diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L F P Silva
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Australia.
| | - R S Hegarty
- The University of New England, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Armidale, Australia
| | - S J Meale
- The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, Australia
| | - D A F Costa
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Australia
| | - M T Fletcher
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Australia
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Individual Feed Efficiency Monitoring of Charolaise Candidate Young Bulls in Relation to Feeding Behavior and Self-Performance Test Results. Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010035. [PMID: 35011141 PMCID: PMC8749615 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of differences in residual feed intake (RFI) of Charolaise candidate young bulls on feeding behavior and self-performance test results. Bulls were classified into high and low RFI (H-RFI, L-RFI) groups. Bulls were fed in a HOKOFARM system to measure individual animal intake and behavior. L-RFI bulls had significantly lower feed intakes (p = 0.002) and higher gain to feed ratio (p = 0.001), lower intake per day/kg DM (dry matter) (p = 0.002) and lower intake g/body weight/day (p < 0.001). L-RFI animals had lower visits number per day (p = 0.02), but spent longer time per visit (p = 0.02), and tended to have higher intake g/visit (p = 0.06) on feeders. The correlation between RFI and DMI (dry matter intake)/bodyweight/day as well as intake per day/kg were large and positive. Back-loin length and rump length, and moreover muzzle width and frame, showed negative correlations with RFI value. However, bulls with better RFI values associated with lower legs score. Results reveal that RFI was shown beneficial correlations with economically relevant self-performance traits. Further investigations are needed to seek additional indicator traits that are predictive for RFI.
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Fregulia P, Neves ALA, Dias RJP, Campos MM. A review of rumen parameters in bovines with divergent feed efficiencies: What do these parameters tell us about improving animal productivity and sustainability? Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Islam MA, Lomax S, Doughty A, Islam MR, Jay O, Thomson P, Clark C. Automated Monitoring of Cattle Heat Stress and Its Mitigation. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2021.737213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change related global warming is likely to continue, despite all mitigation measures taken by humans, due to the lag effect of long-term anthropogenic activities. Warming of the atmosphere can impact worldwide cattle production directly by compromising health, welfare and productivity, and indirectly by reducing the quality and quantity of animal feed. Under warm thermal conditions, cattle adjust their physiological and behavioural responses as an integral part of thermoregulation to maintain internal body temperature within a safe range. However, a greater intensity and duration of heat exposure can exceed thermoregulatory capacity leading to an increase in internal body temperature beyond the normal limit that ultimately evokes different animal responses to heat. In cattle, response to heat stress can be visually observed as elevated respiration rate or panting, but continuous visual monitoring is labour intensive, time consuming and subjective. Therefore, different weather-based indices have been developed such as the temperature humidity index (THI) and heat load index (HLI) which are commonly used weather-based indices for monitoring cattle heat stress at commercial level. However, the thermal comfort level of cattle based on weather-based indices has limited use at a microclimatic and individual animal level. Varying sensor-based approaches have shown promise to shift the focus of heat stress management to the individual level. Monitoring individual animal response and mitigation strategies for isolated heat-susceptible cattle could save on heat management costs whilst improving animal welfare and productivity. Here we review the technologies that enable automatic, continuous, and real-time cattle heat stress monitoring and mitigation under commercial conditions. Future platforms for autonomous monitoring and mitigation of heat stress in cattle are likely to be based on minimally-invasive smart technologies either singly, or in an integrated system, enabling real-time solutions to animal responses under various production systems and environmental conditions.
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Farthing TS, Dawson DE, Sanderson MW, Seger H, Lanzas C. Combining epidemiological and ecological methods to quantify social effects on Escherichia coli transmission. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210328. [PMID: 34754493 PMCID: PMC8493196 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Enteric microparasites like Escherichia coli use multiple transmission pathways to propagate within and between host populations. Characterizing the relative transmission risk attributable to host social relationships and direct physical contact between individuals is paramount for understanding how microparasites like E. coli spread within affected communities and estimating colonization rates. To measure these effects, we carried out commensal E. coli transmission experiments in two cattle (Bos taurus) herds, wherein all individuals were equipped with real-time location tracking devices. Following transmission experiments in this model system, we derived temporally dynamic social and contact networks from location data. Estimated social affiliations and dyadic contact frequencies during transmission experiments informed pairwise accelerated failure time models that we used to quantify effects of these sociobehavioural variables on weekly E. coli colonization risk in these populations. We found that sociobehavioural variables alone were ultimately poor predictors of E. coli colonization in feedlot cattle, but can have significant effects on colonization hazard rates (p ≤ 0.05). We show, however, that observed effects were not consistent between similar populations. This work demonstrates that transmission experiments can be combined with real-time location data collection and processing procedures to create an effective framework for quantifying sociobehavioural effects on microparasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor S. Farthing
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Daniel E. Dawson
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Mike W. Sanderson
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Hannah Seger
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Cristina Lanzas
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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Davison C, Bowen JM, Michie C, Rooke JA, Jonsson N, Andonovic I, Tachtatzis C, Gilroy M, Duthie CA. Predicting feed intake using modelling based on feeding behaviour in finishing beef steers. Animal 2021; 15:100231. [PMID: 34116464 PMCID: PMC8282503 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Current techniques for measuring feed intake in housed cattle are both expensive and time-consuming making them unsuitable for use on commercial farms. Estimates of individual animal intake are required for assessing production efficiency. The aim of this study was to predict individual animal intake using parameters that can be easily obtained on commercial farms including feeding behaviour, liveweight and age. In total, 80 steers were used, and each steer was allocated to one of two diets (40 per diet) which consisted of (g/kg; DM) forage to concentrate ratios of either 494:506 (MIXED) or 80:920 (CONC). Individual daily fresh weight intakes (FWI; kg/day) were recorded for each animal using 32 electronic feeders over a 56-day period, and individual DM intakes (DMI; kg/day) subsequently calculated. Individual feeding behaviour variables were calculated for each day of the measurement period from the electronic feeders and included: total number of visits to the feeder, total time spent at the feeder (TOTFEEDTIME), total time where feed was consumed (TIMEWITHFEED) and average length of time during each visit to the feeder. These feeding behaviour variables were chosen due to ease of obtaining from accelerometers. Four modelling techniques to predict individual animal intake were examined, based on (i) individual animal TOTFEEDTIME relative expressed as a proportion of the dietary group (GRP) and total GRP intake, (ii) multiple linear regression (REG) (iii) random forests (RF) and (iv) support vector regressor (SVR). Each model was used to predict CONC and MIXED diets separately, giving eight prediction models, (i) GRP_CONC, (ii) GRP_MIXED, (iii) REG_CONC, (iv) REG_MIXED, (v) RF_CONC, (vi) RF_MIXED, (vii) SVR_CONC and (viii) SVR_MIXED. Each model was tested on FWI and DMI. Model performance was assessed using repeated measures correlations (R2_RM) to capture the repeated nature of daily intakes compared with standard R2, RMSE and mean absolute error (MAE). REG, RF and SVR models predicted FWI with R2_RM = 0.1–0.36, RMSE = 1.51–2.96 kg and MAE = 1.19–2.49 kg, and DMI with R2_RM = 0.13–0.19, RMSE = 1.15–1.61 kg and MAE = 0.9–1.28 kg. The GRP models predicted FWI with R2_RM = 0.42–0.49, RMSE = 2.76–3.88 kg and MAE = 2.46–3.47 kg, and DMI with R2_RM = 0.32–0.44, RMSE = 0.32–0.44 kg, MAE = 1.55–2.22 kg. Whilst more simplistic GRP models showed higher R2_RM than regression and machine learning techniques, these models had larger errors, likely due to individual feeding patterns not being captured. Although regression and machine learning techniques produced lower errors associated with individual intakes, overall precision of prediction was too low for practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Davison
- Department Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - J M Bowen
- Scotland's Rural College, Beef and Sheep Research Centre, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.
| | - C Michie
- Department Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - J A Rooke
- Scotland's Rural College, Beef and Sheep Research Centre, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - N Jonsson
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden G61 1QH, UK
| | - I Andonovic
- Department Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - C Tachtatzis
- Department Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, UK
| | - M Gilroy
- Afimilk UK Ltd, Baltic Chambers, 50 Wellington Street, Glasgow G2 6HJ, UK
| | - C-A Duthie
- Scotland's Rural College, Beef and Sheep Research Centre, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
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Islam MA, Lomax S, Doughty AK, Islam MR, Clark CEF. Timing of eating during transition impacts feedlot cattle diet and liveweight gain. Animal 2020; 15:100137. [PMID: 33573939 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The timing of eating, relative to when feed is offered, is affected by the social rank of feedlot cattle due to limited feed bunk space. As cattle can select feed based on dietary preference, the timing of eating for cattle in feedlot may be associated with the ingested diet composition. Our objectives were to determine the nutritive value and timing of feed ingested by 100 feedlot cattle during transition and the association of timing of eating with feeding behaviours and average daily gain (ADG). Cattle behaviour and timing of eating were determined on 100 feedlot cattle using accelerometer-based ear tag sensors from days 3 to 6 post feedlot induction (observation period), and the ongoing impact of this period on ADG was determined for the full feed period (75 days). To determine eating patterns at the time of feed offer, cattle were grouped according to the number of days they were recorded as eating within 1 h of feed being offered across 4 observation days, G0: not present across 4 days, G1: present for 1 day, G2: 2 days, G3: 3 days and G4: present for each of the 4 days. Total mixed ration (TMR) samples were collected for nutritive value analysis from four locations along the feed bunk from the time feed was offered and at hourly intervals thereafter for 7 h each day during the observation period. The composition of feed in the bunk changed across the 7 h of measurement (P < 0.05). The DM and CP of feed increased from 65 to 70% and 15 to 16%, respectively, and the NDF decreased from 36 to 32%. Thus, the preferred TMR feed component was the fibrous dietary fraction. However, the overall composition of the ingested diet for 7 h post feeding was similar between groups. Cattle in G0 had reduced eating time (0.7 vs 4.8%; P < 0.001), rumination time (4.5 vs 19.5%; P < 0.001) and ADG (1.0 vs 1.3 kg/d; P < 0.05) across the study, as compared with cattle in G4. Offering a more fibrous ration during feedlot transition, and customised cattle segregation and/or customised feeding regimes based on sensor derived feeding behaviour profiles during acclimation to feedlot can optimise ADG, animal welfare and feedlot profit.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Islam
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia; Department of Dairy Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh.
| | - S Lomax
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
| | - A K Doughty
- Allflex Australia Pty Ltd., 33 Neumann Road, Capalaba, QLD 4157, Australia
| | - M R Islam
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
| | - C E F Clark
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
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Schneider L, Volkmann N, Spindler B, Kemper N. Large Group Housing Systems in Fattening Bulls-Comparison of Behavior and Performance. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:543335. [PMID: 33363225 PMCID: PMC7756093 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.543335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
According to international housing recommendations, fattening bulls should not be housed in groups of more than 12-20 animals. However, there are no scientific studies supporting these recommendations as most studies on fattening cattle refer to smaller groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare behavior and performance of 187 fattening bulls housed in different group sizes of 16, 22, and 33 animals. Behavioral observations were performed during three observation periods at an average age of 8.5, 13, and 17 months. Furthermore, body condition, health status and carcass weights were analyzed. Effects of increasing group size were observed regarding more synchronized lying behavior, longer lying durations and more undisturbed feeding and lying behavior. Interindividual variations in lying and feeding as well as mean and maximum percentages of animals participating simultaneously in interactions did not increase with group size. Health and growth performance were satisfactory in all group sizes. Therefore, the results of this study do not provide scientific evidence for the common argument that increasing group size leads to increased aggression. Furthermore, these findings indicate large group systems to be suitable for the housing of fattening cattle and to contribute to increasing animal welfare. Consequently, current recommendations should be revised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schneider
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Kelly DN, Sleator RD, Murphy CP, Conroy SB, Judge MM, Berry DP. Large variability in feeding behavior among crossbred growing cattle. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:5870661. [PMID: 32658252 PMCID: PMC7455305 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to define an extensive suite of feeding behavior traits in growing crossbred cattle and to investigate their phenotypic inter-relationships as well as relationships with other performance and efficiency traits. Time-series feeding behavior data, as well as feed intake and liveweight records, were available for 624 growing crossbred cattle, of which 445 were steers and 179 were heifers. Feeding behavior repeatability estimates were calculated using linear mixed models. Additionally, partial Spearman correlations were estimated among 14 feeding behavior traits, as well as between feeding behavior with both performance and feed efficiency traits, using residuals retained from linear mixed models. The marginal contribution of several feeding behavior traits to the variability in metabolizable energy intake (MEI) was also determined. Repeatability estimates of 0.57, 0.36, and 0.48 were calculated for the number of feed events per day, the total time spent feeding per day, and the feeding rate, respectively. Cattle that ate more frequently each day, ate at a faster rate and consumed less energy in each visit to the feed bunk. More efficient cattle fed less often per day and fed for a shorter duration per day; they also had a slower feeding rate and fed for longer in each visit to the feed bunk. Moreover, heavier cattle fed for a longer duration per day had a faster feeding rate, but fed less often per day; heavier animals also fed first in the pen after the fresh feed was offered. The number of feed events per day and feeding time per day together explained an additional 13.4 percentage points of the variability in MEI above that already explained by all of growth rate, liveweight, and backfat depth. The results from the present study suggest that several repeatable time-series-related feeding behavior traits, that are less resource intensive to measure, may have a role as useful predictor traits of important but relatively difficult to record traits, such as feed intake and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Kelly
- Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.,Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Roy D Sleator
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Craig P Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Michelle M Judge
- Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Donagh P Berry
- Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
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Parsons IL, Johnson JR, Kayser WC, Tedeschi LO, Carstens GE. Characterization of feeding behavior traits in steers with divergent residual feed intake consuming a high-concentrate diet. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:skaa189. [PMID: 32589744 PMCID: PMC7357578 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the differences in feeding behavior patterns of steers with divergent phenotypes for residual feed intake (RFI). Three trials were conducted with 508 Angus-based composite crossbred steers (body weight [BW] = 309 ± 57 kg) fed a high-concentrate diet in pens equipped with electronic feed bunks (GrowSafe System). Initial and final carcass ultrasound measurements (intra-muscular fat, backfat depth, and rib-eye area) were collected on days 0 and 70, and BW measured at 14-d intervals. Individual dry matter intake (DMI) and feeding behavior traits were collected for 70 d, and RFI calculated as the residual from the regression of DMI on average daily gain (ADG) and mid-test BW0.75. Steers were ranked by RFI and assigned to low-, medium-, and high-RFI classes based on ± 0.5 SD from the mean RFI within the trial. The feeding behavior traits evaluated in this study included frequency and duration of bunk visit (BV) and meal events, head-down (HD) duration, mean meal length, time-to-bunk interval, the maximum nonfeeding interval, and the day-to-day variation of these traits, defined as the root mean squared error (RMSE) from linear regression of each trait on the day of trial. Additionally, three ratio traits were evaluated: BV events per meal, HD duration per BV event, and HD duration per meal event. Low-RFI (feed-efficient) steers consumed 16% less (P < 0.01) DMI, while BW and ADG were not different compared with high-RFI steers. Low-RFI steers had 18% fewer and 21% shorter (P < 0.01) BV events, and 11% fewer and 13% shorter (P < 0.01) meal events per day compared with high-RFI steers. Furthermore, low-RFI steers exhibited less (P < 0.05) day-to-day variance in DMI, as well as in frequency and duration of BV and meal events and HD duration compared with high-RFI steers. Differences in feeding behavior traits due to RFI were minimally affected by covariate adjustment for DMI, indicating that steers with divergent RFI have distinct feeding behavior patterns that are largely independent of differences in DMI. These results suggest that feeding behavior traits may be useful biomarkers for the prediction of feed efficiency in beef cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira L Parsons
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Jocelyn R Johnson
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - William C Kayser
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Luis O Tedeschi
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Gordon E Carstens
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
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Schneider L, Volkmann N, Kemper N, Spindler B. Feeding Behavior of Fattening Bulls Fed Six Times per Day Using an Automatic Feeding System. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:43. [PMID: 32118066 PMCID: PMC7012782 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The usage of automatic feeding systems (AFS) in cattle offers multiple advantages, mostly due to the possibility of an increased feeding frequency. While it is gaining more and more importance in dairy farming, there is still a lack of experience and scientific knowledge regarding its use in fattening cattle. The aim of this study was to describe the behavior of 56 Simmental bulls fed with an AFS six times daily a total mixed ration. The animals arrived at the farm with an average age of 148 ± 11 days. They were housed in four straw-bedded pens in groups of 14 animals each. Their average slaughter age was 558 ± 20 days. Behavioral observations were made during three observation periods (OP) at an average of 11, 14, and 16 months of age. Using scan sampling, feeding, and lying behavior of all animals and the order of bulls feeding after feed delivery were recorded. Furthermore, body condition and health status were monitored and complemented with the carcass weights. Body condition, health status, and carcass weights of the bulls were found to be satisfactory: Mean body condition score increased from 2.8 ± 0.3 in OP1 to 3.0 ± 0.1 in OP3 and mean carcass weight was 432.71 ± 40.82 kg. No severe health problems occurred. The feeding activity of the bulls was spread out over the course of the day with peaks in the afternoon and evening. Percentages of bulls feeding per pen never exceeded 20%, animals feeding mostly alone (during 28.04 ± 2.15% of total observation time) or in groups of two to three (16.61 ± 2.00% and 6.74 ± 1.90%). The order of bulls feeding after feed delivery varied indicating that all animals had similar access to fresh feed. These results emphasize the importance of constant feed availability and quality at any time of the day, thus indicating the ability of an AFS with six daily feedings to ensure such a consistency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schneider
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany
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de Souza-Vilela J, Andrew NR, Ruhnke I. Insect protein in animal nutrition. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/an19255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Global meat consumption per capita is expected to increase ~40% from 2019 to 2050. Over 30% of the total cropland worldwide is currently being used to produce either livestock and poultry feed or silage to meet the demand. One solution to reduce cropland use for animal feed is to increase the production of alternative protein sources. The primary protein sources for animal nutrition, including soybeans, peas and fish meal, are of increasing demand and are subsequently becoming more expensive, making their long-term use unsustainable. Insects such as the black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), crickets (Gryllus testaceus Walker) or mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) offer a viable addition to the feed sources and can provide valuable, high-quality energy, protein and fat to an animal’s diet. Here, we review the environmental benefits of insect feedstuff, current research findings related to the use of insects for animal nutrition, and outline additional products that can generate benefits to insect producers.
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