International Journal of
Livestock Production

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Livest. Prod.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2448
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJLP
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 287

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of pre-weaning feed supplementation and total versus fenceline weaning on the physiology and performance of beef steers

Campistol, C.
  • Campistol, C.
  • Department of Animal Science, Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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Kattesh, H. G.
  • Kattesh, H. G.
  • Department of Animal Science, Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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Waller, J. C.
  • Waller, J. C.
  • Department of Animal Science, Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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Rawls, E. L.
  • Rawls, E. L.
  • Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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Arthington, J. D.
  • Arthington, J. D.
  • University of Florida, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Ona, Florida, USA.
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Carroll, J. A.
  • Carroll, J. A.
  • Livestock Issues Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
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Pighetti, G. M.
  • Pighetti, G. M.
  • Department of Animal Science, Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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Saxton, A. M.
  • Saxton, A. M.
  • Department of Animal Science, Economics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
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  •  Received: 16 February 2016
  •  Accepted: 31 May 2016
  •  Published: 31 August 2016

Abstract

Forty-eight Angus steers (208 ±15 days of age) housed on pasture with their dams, were divided equally based on initial body weight (BW; 312 ± 28 kg), and assigned randomly to assess whether receiving a palatable, high fiber supplement (YS; 4.5 kg/cow-calf/day) versus no supplement (NS) for 7 days prior to weaning alters the steers’ acute stress response following separation from its dam. Steers were weaned (day 0) by fenceline (FS; 12 NS and 12 YS) or total separation (TS; 12 NS and 12 YS). On day 7 the FS group was moved to a pasture lot distant from their dams and adjoining the TS group. All steers were weighed and bled on days -7, 0, 3, 7, 14, and 35 (BW only) and provided access to the supplement on days 0 to 14. By day 0, BW gain increased (P<0.01) and serum interferon-γ (IFN-γ) concentration decreased (P<0.01) in all steers. However, the YS steers exhibited greater (P<0.05) neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L) ratio and total plasma cortisol (CORT; P=0.09) and ceruloplasmin (CER; P=0.08) concentrations compared with NS steers. From weaning to day 7, NS-TS steers initially experienced a BW loss (P<0.01) followed by a BW gain (P<0.01) when compared with the remaining steers. At 3 day post-weaning, mean hematocrit for YS steers was lower (P < 0.01) than that of NS steers and CORT was greater (P<0.05) for NS-TS vs. YS-TS steers. Red blood cell number, N:L ratio, haptoglobin and IFN-γ concentrations increased (P<0.01) in all steers by day 3 and returned to pre-weaning concentrations thereafter. From days 14 to 35, NS-FS steers gained less (P<0.01) weight compared with YS-FS and all TS steers. These results suggest that providing a high fiber supplement beginning from 7 days prior to weaning may reduce BW loss and temper the steers' acute stress response when weaned using total separation.  

Key words: Beef steers, pre-weaning supplementation, stress.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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