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Title: Effects of pre-shipping management on measures of performance and inflammation in beef calves entering a receiving feedlot.

Author
item ARTHINGTON, J. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item QIU, X. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item COOKE, R. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item ARAUJO, D. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item Chase, Chadwick - Chad
item Coleman, Samuel

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2007
Publication Date: 7/8/2007
Citation: Arthington, J.D., Qiu, X., Cooke, R.F., Araujo, D.B., Chase, C.C., Coleman, S.W. 2007. Effects of pre-shipping management on measures of performance and inflammation in beef calves entering a receiving feedlot[Abstract]. 2007 Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Meeting. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 85(1):A766.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of pre-shipping management on performance of calves subjected to a 24-h transport. The study was conducted over two consecutive years using a total of 96 crossbred steers. Steers were randomly allocated to one of four pre-shipping management strategies: 1) Control; weaned immediately prior to transport, 2) Creep-fed; free-choice access to grain for 45 d prior to weaning, 3) Pre-weaned; weaned 45 d prior to shipping, and 4) early-weaned; weaned at 80 d of age. on d 0, calves were loaded onto a commercial truck, hauled for 24 h, and delivered into a feedlot (d1). Calves were penned within treatment (4 pens per treatment) and provided free choice access to hay and grain. Calf BW and blood samples were obtained on d 0, 1, 4, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 30. Concentrations of haptoglogin and ceruloplasmin were measured in blood samples. Overall calf ADG was greater for early-weaned vs. control calves. In wk 1, early weaned calves consumed more grain, and less hay compared to control calves and pre-weaned calves consumed more grain, but a simular amount of hay compared to creep-fed calves. Overall DMI intake was greatest for early-weaned compared to control, and pre-weaned compared to creep-fed calves. Feed efficiency of early-weaned calves was greater than control, but similar among pre-weined and creep-fed calves. Haptoglobin concentrations were less in creep-fed vs. pre-weaned calves on d 0, but increased sharply after shipping and were greater than pre-weaned on d 1 and 4. In Yr. 1, control calves experienced a sharp increase in ceruloplasmin concentrations, resulting in concentrations greater than early-weaned on d 15, 22, and 29. Creep-fed calves also experienced greater ceruloplasmin concentrations than pre-weaned calves on d 29 (Yr. 1) and d 4 (Yr.2). These data suggest that early-weaned calves (80 d of age) have improved performance in the receiving yard compared to calves weaned directly prior to transport and feedlot entry, Differences in pre-shipping mangagement apopear to significantly impact measures of the acute phase response in calves.