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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314302

Title: Effect of production system on mineral retention within serially slaughtered cattle

Author
item WATSON, A - University Of Nebraska
item MCEVERS, T - West Texas A & M University
item HERSOM, M - Oklahoma State University
item MCCURDY, M - Oklahoma State University
item WALTER, L - West Texas A & M University
item MAY, N - West Texas A & M University
item REED, J - West Texas A & M University
item Cole, Noel
item Hales Paxton, Kristin
item HORN, G - Oklahoma State University
item HUTCHESON, J - Merck Animal Health
item KLOPFENSTEIN, T - University Of Nebraska
item KREHBIEL, C - Oklahoma State University
item LAWRENCE, T - West Texas A & M University
item MACDONALD, J - University Of Nebraska
item ERICKSON, G - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2015
Publication Date: 3/1/2015
Citation: Watson, A.K., McEvers, T.J., Hersom, M.J., McCurdy, M.P., Walter, L.J., May, N.D., Reed, J.A., Cole, N.A., Hales, K.E., Horn, G.W., Hutcheson, J.P., Klopfenstein, T.J., Krehbiel, C.R., Lawrence, T.E., MacDonald, J.C., Erickson, G.E. 2015. Effect of production system on mineral retention within serially slaughtered cattle [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science. 93(Supplement 2):87-88.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Data from 3 serial harvest experiments were utilized to calculate mineral (Ca, P, Mg, K, and S) retention in cattle. Experiment 1 evaluated 3 rates of gain during a growing period (grazing wheat pasture at a high or low rate of gain and grazing dormant native range) followed by a common finishing diet utilizing British crossbred steers (n = 48; 244 ± 23 kg). Serial harvest consisted of 4 steers per treatment following the growing period (120 d) and 6 steers per treatment following the finishing period (89-163 d). Experiment 2 utilized British crossbred steers (n = 46; 237 ± 34 kg) fed 3 growing diets (sorghum silage, program fed a high concentrate diet, and grazing wheat pasture) or placed directly into the feedlot as calf-feds. Serial harvest included 4 steers prior to the growing phase at d 0, 6 steers from each of 3 growing treatments at d 112, and 6 steers from all 4 treatments at the end of the finishing period (104-196 d). Experiment 3 evaluated zilpaterol hydrochloride inclusion in a finishing cattle diet utilizing calf-fed Holstein steers (n = 115; 449 ± 20 kg). A baseline group of 5 steers was harvested after 226 days on feed. Remaining cattle were assigned to 11 harvest groups, with slaughter every 28 d. At harvest, carcasses were broken down into lean, bone, internal cavity, hide, and fat trim tissues. Retention of minerals during the growing phase was not affected by diet fed to cattle (P = 0.20; Exp. 2). Finishing beef cattle, gaining 1.63-2.02 kg/d retained 7.9-17.3 g Ca, 3.2-6.2 g P, -0.03-0.4 g Mg, 0.5-2.9 g K, and 0.3-1.9 g S/100 g protein gain (Exp. 1 and 2). Retention of Mg, K, and S during the finishing period was greater (P = 0.02; Exp. 1) for cattle grown slowly (< 0.6 kg/d) during the growing phase. Mineral retention was not affected by zilpaterol hydrochloride inclusion in the finishing ration when retention was expressed relative to protein gain (P = 0.14; Exp. 3). Expressing retention relative to protein gain resulted in no differences across days on feed (P = 0.11; Exp. 3) averaging 14.4 g Ca, 7.5 g P, 0.45 g Mg, 1.3 g K, and 1.0 g S/100 g protein gain. In all experiments, expressing mineral retention on a protein gain basis minimized differences due to BW or rate of gain.