Department of Animal Science
Date of this Version
2015
Citation
J. Anim. Sci. 2015.93:5791–5800
Abstract
English × Continental heifers (n = 180) were sourced in 2 loads (219.3 ± 16.0 and 221.4 ± 16.4 kg, respectively) from commercial auction barns to study the effects of feeding dehydrated citrus pulp (DCP) on feedlot performance of newly received heifers. A completely randomized block design was used with BW nested within arrival load and blocked by BW into 3 dietary treatments (36 pens, 5 heifers/ pen, 12 blocks, 3 pens/block, and 12 pens/treatment). Treatment diets contained 1) 0% DCP (control diet [CON]), 2) 10% DCP, or 3) 20% DCP on a DM basis. Diets containing DCP were exchanged with steamflaked corn on a 1:1 basis. Cattle were fed a 63, 73, and 83% concentrate diet from d 0 to 28, d 28 to 42, and d 42 to 56, respectively. Over the 56-d trial period, as the amount of dietary DCP increased, DMI decreased (P = 0.01), ADG decreased (P < 0.01), and G:F decreased (P = 0.02). From d 0 to 28, there was no difference in the observed minus the predicted NEg of the diet (P = 0.73); from d 28 to 42, there was a linear increase in NEg favoring DCP treatments (P < 0.01); and from d 42 to 56, there was a linear decrease in NEg against the DCP treatments (P < 0.01). At the conclusion of the trial, a subset of heifers (n = 22; 307.89 ± 3.32 kg on d 63) were used to evaluate blood metabolite concentrations before and after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. On d 63, heifers were fitted with jugular catheters and moved into individual stalls. On d 64, heifers were intravenously challenged with LPS (0.5 μg/kg BW), and blood samples were collected every 0.5 h from –2 to 8 h and at 24 h relative to the LPS challenge (0 h). Serum glucose, serum urea nitrogen (SUN), and NEFA concentrations were determined. Cattle lost less weight at both 24 and 72 h after the LPS challenge with increasing DCP percentage (P < 0.01). Glucose (P = 0.12) and NEFA (P = 0.13) concentrations did not differ before the LPS challenge; however, there was a treatment effect for SUN, with elevated concentrations of SUN in CON cattle (P < 0.01). After the LPS challenge, DCP-fed cattle had reduced glucose, elevated NEFA, and reduced SUN concentrations (P ≤ 0.01). Results indicate that dietary DCP modulated metabolite concentrations in heifers following an endotoxin challenge and affected feedlot performance when incorporated in receiving diets in replacement of corn. Future studies will need to address strategies to increase DMI or explore levels of DCP less than 10% in the diet of newly received heifer calves.
Comments
© 2015 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved.