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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169712
Title: SUPPLEMENTAL VITAMIN D3 CONCENTRATION AND BIOLOGICAL TYPE OF BEEF STEERS: I. FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS TRAITS

Author
item MONTGOMERY, J - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item GALYEAN, M - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item Horst, Ronald
item MORROW, JR, K - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item BLANTON, JR, J - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item WESTER, D - TEXAS TECH UNIV
item MILLER, M - TEXAS TECH UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2004
Publication Date: 7/20/2004
Citation: Montgomery, J.L., Galyean, M.L., Horst, R.L., Morrow, Jr, K.J., Blanton, Jr, J.R., Wester, D.B., Miller, M.F. 2004. Supplemental vitamin D3 concentration and biological type of beef steers: I. Feedlot performance and carcass traits. Journal of Animal Science. 82(7):2050-2058.

Interpretive Summary: We have shown that creating 20-30% elevation in blood calcium by feeding excess vitamin D several days prior to slaughter results in a tenderizing effect on meat. We used this approach to study the effects of excess vitamin D supplementation on the feedlot performance of three biological types (Bos indicus, Bos taurus-Continental, and Bos taurus-English) of feedlot cattle. Our results showed that feeding of vitamin D3 for an 8-day period before slaughter at a dose level of 0.5 x 10**6 IU/(animal/d) did not negatively affect carcass traits, dry matter intake, average daily gain, or grain:feed ratio. However, supplementing vitamin D3 8 days before slaughter with levels of 5 x 10**6 IU/d negatively affected these variables. Biological type (breed) effects of vitamin D supplementation were not evident, as feedlot performance and carcass traits did not differ among Bos indicus, Bos taurus-Continental, and Bos taurus-English type steers. This research will benefit beef producers and beef nutritionists worldwide.

Technical Abstract: Because of the Ca dependency of the calpains, oral supplementation of vitamin D3 (VITD) can increase the Ca content of muscle to activate the calpains and improve tenderness. Feedlot steers (n=142) were arranged in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement consisting of four levels of vitamin D3 (0, 0.5, 1, and 5 million IU/(steer/d) for 8 consecutive days antemortem using three biological types (Bos indicus, Bos taurus-Continental, and Bos taurus-English). Feedlot performance and carcass data were collected. Plasma samples for P and Ca determinations were collected during supplementation and at exsanguinations. Vitamin D3 treatment at 5 million IU/(steer/d) decreased ADG over the last 24 d of feeding and feed intake for the last 2 d of feeding (P less than 0.05) compared with non-treated control steers. Feed-to-grain ratio tended (P less than 0.10) to be increased in steers supplemented with 1 million IU/d compared with controls. Plasma concentrations of P and Ca were increased (P less than 0.05) by VITD concentrations of 1 and 5 million IU/(steer/d). Carcass pH and temperature were measured in the longissimus muscle at 3 h and 24 h postmortem. All VITD treatments increased (P less than 0.05) carcass temperature at 3 h postmortem and carcass pH at 24 h postmortem. Vitamin D3 treatments did not affect (P more than 0.05) any other carcass measurements, including USDA yield and quality grade; thus, any improvements in meat tenderness as a result of VITD supplementation can be made without adversely affecting economically important carcass factors. Biological type of cattle did not interact with vitamin D treatment for any carcass or feedlot performance trait, suggesting that feeding VITD for 8 d before slaughter affected all three biological types of cattle in a similar fashion. Although feeding 5 million IU/(steer/d) of VITD for 8 consecutive days negatively impacted feedlot performance, supplementing VITD at 0.5 million IU/(steer/d) did not significantly affect feedlot performance.