Metabolic and Body Temperature Responses to Environmental Conditions across Seasons in Finishing Steers

Authors

Bradley M. Boyd, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Terry L. Mader, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Dirk Burken, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Henry Hilscher, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Gene Wijffels, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
John B. Gaughan, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Megan Sullivan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Judy Cawdell- Smith, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Galen E. Erickson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2016

Citation

2016 Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Comments

© The Board Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

Abstract

Two trials (summer and winter) were conducted with 80 steers each at the UNL ARDC near Mead, Neb. Continuous body temperature was collected throughout both trials and blood samples were taken every other week until four weeks prior to harvest. Th is resulted in a total of 6 collections for the summer and 8 collections for the winter. Blood measures responded differently between seasons with significant quadratic interactions between collection time and season suggesting environmental conditions affect blood metabolites.