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Title: Cinnagar supplementation of cattle grazing wheat or native pasture in northwest Oklahoma

Author
item Gunter, Stacey
item Combs, Gerald

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2013
Publication Date: 6/6/2013
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/597501
Citation: Gunter, S.A., Combs, G.F. 2013. Cinnagar supplementation of cattle grazing wheat or native pasture in northwest Oklahoma. Western Section,American Society of Animal Science Proceedings. 64:326-329.

Interpretive Summary: In a couple of experiments conducted in Northwest Oklahoma, CinnaGar (Provimi; Trappes, France) and monensin (Ruminsen; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) were evaluated as supplements for grazing stocker cattle. Both native rangeland and wheat pasture were evaluated to explore the possibilities for more efficient production while reducing greenhouse gas release from the production system. Both CinnaGar ingredients and monensin have been shown to not only decrease the greenhouse gas release, but also increase the energetic efficiency of ruminal metabolism in laboratory settings. Because of the improvement of energetic efficiency of ruminal metabolism, these products may result in improved animal performance and decrease greenhouse gas release by grazing cattle. In both experiments, the monensin, CinnaGar, or both were added to a free-choice minerals supplement that the cattle could consume at will. Mineral consumption was measured and the results suggested that intake of the two products was the correct dose. However, average daily gain did differ among treatments; hence, ending body weight or body weight gain/ha did not differ. At these levels of CinnaGar intake and with these types of pasture, these supplements did not significantly affect animal performance.

Technical Abstract: Two experiments were conducted to evaluate CinnaGar (Provimi; Trappes, France) and monensin (Ruminsen; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) as supplements for grazing stocker cattle in northwest Oklahoma. In Experiment 1, twelve 2.2-ha pastures of winter wheat were grazed (1.2 steers/ha) with stocker steers (initial body weight = 250 kg) starting March 3 for 70 day. Pastures were fertilized in early September with 56 kg of nitrogen/ha from urea. Free-choice minerals (Beef Minerals 3V6S, Vigortone Ag Products Co., Brooksville, OH) were provided to 6 pastures in ground-style mineral feeders, while the other pastures received a similar mineral (Beef Minerals 3V6SG, Vigortone Ag Products) except it contained 1,587 g/tonne of CinnaGar. In Experiment 2, 16 native pastures of sand sagebrush rangeland (between 4.1 and 8.2 ha each) were stocked (36 animal-unit-d/ha) with steers (initial body weight = 254 kg) starting April 24 for 84 d. A base free-choice mineral (Beef Mineral 3V6S) was used and monensin and CinnaGar were added in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments; 1) 0 and 0; 2) 1,761 and 0; 3) 0 and 2,351; and 4) 1,761 and 2,351 g/tonne of monensin and CinnaGar, respectively. In Experiment 1, mineral intake was 150 and 107 g/d for no CinnaGar and CinnaGar (P = 0.24), respectively. Also, average daily gain (overall average = 1.4 kg) did differ (P = 0.66) between no CinnGar and CinnaGar; hence, ending body weight (overall average = 339 kg) or body weight gain/ha (overall average = 44 kg) did not differ (P > 0.52). In Experiment 2, mineral intake differed (P < 0.01) by treatment and was 79, 31, 68, and 43 g/d, respectively; the addition of monensin decreased mineral intake (P < 0.01), while CinnaGar did not affect mineral intake (P = 0.80). Further, average daily gain (overall average = 0.65 kg) did not differ (P = 0.47) among treatments; hence, ending body weight (overall average = 305 kg) or body weight gain/ha (overall average = 41 kg) did not differ (P > 0.48). At these levels of CinnaGar intake and with these types of pasture, these supplements did not significantly affect animal performance.