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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #245112
Title: Cow nutrition during late gestation impacts calf feedlot morbidity

Author
item MULLINIKS, J - New Mexico State University
item MATHIS, C - New Mexico State University
item SAWYER, J - Texas A&M University
item COX, S - New Mexico State University
item Petersen, Mark

Submitted to: Animal Feed Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2013
Publication Date: 8/20/2013
Citation: Mulliniks, J.T., Mathis, C., Sawyer, J.E., Cox, S.E., Petersen, M.K. 2013. Cow nutrition during late gestation impacts calf feedlot morbidity. Animal Feed Science And Technology. 185:126-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.07.006.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.07.006

Interpretive Summary: Pregnant cows grazing winter range usually experience nutritional stress due to the additive influences of climatic conditions, consumption of a nutrient light diet and physiological demands of gestation. Typically cows receive nutrient supplements to reduce the impact of the combined stressors. It is generally assumed that cows and their unborn calves respond more positively to greater amounts of supplement fed. This study demonstrated that cows supplemented with a more protein dense feed, that is characterized by a higher proportion of protein bypassing the rumen and fed at low quantities had a positive influence on the post natal welling being of calves. Steers from dams fed the lesser amount of the protein dense supplement had a smaller percentage treated for sickness, in the feedlot, and therefore, feedlot medicinal costs were lower. This study suggests that calf well being may possibly be improved by the source of protein fed to pregnant range cows.

Technical Abstract: Nutritional stress in gestating cows grazing winter range has been implicated as a cause of subsequent feedlot morbidity of offspring and reduced profitability. A 4-yr study was conducted at Corona Range and Livestock Research Center, NM to evaluate prenatal cow nutrition on calf (n = 121) performance after weaning. Cows were supplemented with 1) 36% CP cottonseed meal base supplement (CON; positive control) fed 3x/week supplying 236 g/d of undegradable intake protein (UIP), 2) NMSU small self-fed supplement (SMP) comprised of 50% animal and plant protein sources, and 50% mineral package supplying approximately 118 g/d of UIP, or 3) cows fed CON according to perceived environmental stress (VAR; negative control) by manager. Supplementation was strategically initiated and ended 2 wks prior to calving. Across all 4 yrs average supplement consumption was 0.63, 0.23, and 0.04 kg/d for CON, SMP, and VAR, respectively. Cow nutrition did not effect calf BW at weaning (P = 0.29; 253, 246, 253 ± 4 kg), the end of preconditioning (P = 0.85; 277, 277, and 278 ± 2 kg), or at harvest (P = 0.43; 526, 532, 542 ± 10 kg) for CON, SMP, and VAR, respectively. In the finishing phase, no differences were detected in ADG, hot carcass weight, or carcass characteristics (P > 0.42). However, steers from dams fed CON and VAR had a greater percentage treated for sickness than SMP steers (P = 0.03). Therefore, feedlot medicinal costs were higher for the CON and VAR steers than SMP steers (P = 0.07). These results imply that although nutrition treatment of cows during the prenatal period had no affect on calf growth performance, calves from cows fed SMP had improved feedlot health.