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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420793
Research Project: Environmental and Management Influences on Animal Productivity and Well-Being Phenotypes

Location: Livestock Issues Research

Title: Effects of restricted feeding on enteric methane production and energy and nitrogen balance in growing steers

Author
item GRANT, MADDIE - Texas Tech University
item CANTERBURY, LANDON - Texas Tech University
item THOMPSON-SMITH, AUBREY - Texas Tech University
item DORNBACH, COLTON - Texas Tech University
item CHILDRESS, KALLIE - Texas Tech University
item Broadway, Paul
item Sanchez, Nicole
item Neville, Bryan
item GALYEAN, MICHAEL - Texas Tech University
item HALES, KRISTIN - Texas Tech University

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/2024
Publication Date: 5/20/2025
Citation: Grant, M.S., Canterbury, L.G., Thompson-Smith, A.C., Dornbach, C.W., Childress, K.D., Broadway, P.R., Sanchez, N.C., Neville, B.W., Galyean, M.L., Hales, K.E. 2025. Effects of restricted feeding on enteric methane production and energy and nitrogen balance in growing steers. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 103(1):229. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf102.250.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf102.250

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Limit feeding is a management technique that has potential to decrease methane production and increase feed efficiency in finishing cattle. Thus, the effects of restricted feed intake on energy balance was evaluated using 7 beef x dairy steers (initial BW: 306 ± 18.5) in a repeated Latin square design. Treatments included: 1) steers fed using slick bunk management to target no residual feed at 0730 h (100R); 2) 4% restriction of slick bunk management (96R); 3) 8% restriction of slick bunk management (92R); and 4) 12% restriction of slick bunk management (88R). Each experimental period consisted of a 14-d diet adaptation, 7 d of total fecal and urine collections, and a 24-h gas exchange collection using indirect respiration calorimeter headboxes. Dry matter (DM) intake, gross energy (GE) intake, and apparent DM digestibility did not differ among treatments (P = 0.71). Fecal energy loss, digestible energy (DE), and urinary energy loss did not differ among treatments (P = 0.55). Methane energy loss and methane as a proportion of GE intake decreased quadratically as the degree of feed restriction increased (P = 0.04). Metabolizable energy (ME) and ME as a proportion of GE intake did not differ among treatments (P = 0.38); however, ME as a proportion of DE increased quadratically as degree of restriction increased (P = 0.02). Heat production decreased quadratically as degree of restriction increased (P = 0.05) and tended to decrease quadratically as a proportion of GE intake (P = 0.08). Recovered energy (RE) and RE as a proportion of GE intake increased quadratically as degree of restriction increased (P = 0.08). Nitrogen intake and apparent nitrogen digestibility did not differ among treatments (P = 0.67). Fecal and urinary N excretion and fecal and urinary N excretion as a proportion of total N intake did not differ among treatments (P = 0.30). Therefore, retained N and retained N as a proportion of N intake did not differ among treatments (P = 0.47). Overall, restricted DM intake is a management strategy to decrease methane production and increase energy utilization in growing steers.