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Do Carmo M, Genro TCM, Cibils AF, Soca PM. Herbage mass and allowance and animal genotype affect daily herbage intake, productivity, and efficiency of beef cows grazing native subtropical grassland. J Anim Sci 2021; 99:6380203. [PMID: 34599336 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The beef sector in Campos grasslands must increase animal productivity without external inputs, while reducing environmental impact. The objective of this study was to estimate herbage intake (g/metabolic body weight [MBW]/d) of straightbred (Hereford/Angus) and crossbred (F1 of Hereford × Angus) beef cows grazing subtropical native grassland with High and Low herbage allowance (HA, 5 vs. 3 kg DM/kg bodyweight [BW]) during gestation and lactation and its relationship with biological efficiency of cow-calf productivity. Herbage intake (estimated via n-alkanes C32:C33 ratio) was measured during early (Ge1, -163 d prior calving) and mid to late [Gm1 (-83) and Gm2 (-90 d prior calving)] gestation and lactation (L0, L1, and L2, 60, 47, and 31d following calving) periods in 24 to 36 cows, selected to create 8 groups (4 per block) of HA × cow genotype treatment. Cows grazed native grassland year-round, under High and Low HA (except in winter). We analyzed the effect of cow genotype (straightbred vs. crossbred cows) and HA (High vs. Low) on herbage mass and height, daily herbage intake rate (DMI), cow body condition score (BCS), calf average daily gain (ADG) and BW at weaning (BWW) and g of calf weaned/kg DMI. High allowance improved DMI during lactation periods (High 115.6 vs. Low 94.1 ± 5.3; P < 0.05 g/MBW/d). Crossbred cows decreased DMI during gestation (Crossbred 81 vs. Straightbred 94 ± 4.3; P = 0.05 g/MBW/d) compared with straightbred cows. Crossbred and High HA improved biological efficiency, 40.0 vs. 26.2 and 36.0 vs. 29.7 g of calf/kg DMI, respectively. High allowance increased herbage mass and sites with greater canopy height that allow greater DMI, positively associated with cow BCS at weaning, calf ADG, BWW, and g of calf/kg DMI. Crossbred cows reduced DMI during gestation showing no greater annual DMI. Animal productivity and biological efficiency can be improved using High HA and crossbred cows, which should decrease the environmental impact of cow-calf systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Do Carmo
- Centro Universitario de la Región Este, Universidad de la República, Rocha, Rocha, Uruguay.,Department of Pastures and Animal Production, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Bañado de Medina, Cerro Largo, Uruguay
| | | | - Andrés F Cibils
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Pablo M Soca
- Department of Pastures and Animal Production, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Paysandú, Uruguay
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Anzai H, Hirata M. Individual Monitoring of Behavior to Enhance Productivity and Welfare of Animals in Small-Scale Intensive Cattle Grazing Systems. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.694413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To enhance productivity and welfare of individual animals maintained as a group, management based on individual behavioral tendencies is essential, which requires individual monitoring of animal behavior. Several behavior monitoring systems are currently available to livestock producers. The data obtained from these systems are analyzed to detect significantly high or low frequencies or intensities of behavior associated with estrus, calving and poor health conditions based on thresholds or past trends of the monitored individual. However, because behavior under grazing is more complex and changeable than under confinement, behavioral symptoms are more difficult to detect, and on-farm monitoring of individual animal behavior has been less validated and utilized in grazing systems. Nevertheless, individual monitoring of all animals in a herd is more feasible and cost-effective in small-scale intensive grazing systems because these systems pursue high productivity at the individual level with smaller herd size than large-scale extensive systems. Individually tailored management to enhance productivity and welfare will be possible by focusing on inter-individual differences in behavior within a herd. Behavior of an individual can be analyzed and understood in more detail by comparing it with those of the herd mates. Higher or lower levels of specific activities than the other animals can be associated with health disorders, temporal changes in physiological states, or productivity- or welfare-related traits. More sensitive monitoring and detection of behavioral responses of individuals to changes in nutritional, physical and social environments will lead to more efficient and welfare-conscious management that better meets the needs of individuals.
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Moura FHD, Costa TC, Trece AS, Melo LPD, Manso MR, Paulino MF, Rennó LN, Fonseca MA, Detmann E, Gionbelli MP, Duarte MDS. Effects of energy-protein supplementation frequency on performance of primiparous grazing beef cows during pre and postpartum. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2020; 33:1430-1443. [PMID: 32106648 PMCID: PMC7468163 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.19.0784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective Twenty-four pregnant Nellore primiparous grazing cows were used to evaluate the effects of energy-protein supplementation and supplementation frequency during pre (105 d before calving) and postpartum (105 d after calving) on performance and metabolic characteristics. Methods Experimental treatments consisted of a control (no supplementation), daily supplementation (1.5 kg/d of concentrate/animal) and infrequent supplementation (4.5 kg of concentrate/animal every three days). During the pre and postpartum periods, concentrations of blood metabolites and animal performance were evaluated. Ureagenesis and energy metabolism markers were evaluated at prepartum period. Results Supplementation frequency did not alter (p>0.10) body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and carcass traits during pre and postpartum. The BW (p = 0.079), adjusted BW at day of parturition (p = 0.078), and ADG (p = 0.074) were greater for supplemented cows during the prepartum. The body condition score (BCS; p = 0.251), and carcass traits (p>0.10) were not affected by supplementation during prepartum. On postpartum, supplementation did not affect animal performance and carcass traits (p>0.10). The dry mater intake was not affected (p>0.10) by supplementation and supplementation frequency throughout the experimental period. Daily supplemented animals had greater (p<0.001) glucose levels than animals supplemented every three days. Supplementation and supplementation frequency did not alter (p>0.10) the levels of blood metabolites, neither the abundance of ureagenesis nor energy metabolism markers. Conclusion In summary, our data show that the reduction of supplementation frequency does not cause negative impacts on performance and metabolic characteristics of primiparous grazing cows during the prepartum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thaís Correia Costa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil.,Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Aline Souza Trece
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | | | - Marcos Rocha Manso
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Mário Fonseca Paulino
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Luciana Navajas Rennó
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Mozart Alves Fonseca
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, University of Nevada - Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Edenio Detmann
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Mateus Pies Gionbelli
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-000, Brazil
| | - Marcio de Souza Duarte
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil.,Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brazil
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