Associative effect of monensin sodium to virginiamycin on the performance of beef steers in the initial feedlot phase

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the associative effect of monensin sodium to virginiamycin on the performance, dry matter intake, apparent digestibility and ingestive behavior of steers in the initial feedlot phase. The experiment lasted for 30 days, divided into two experimental periods. Thirty-six Angus Nellore steers, non-castrated, with a mean age of 10 months and an average weight of 300 kg, were divided into 18 pens. Animals were assigned to three treatments with six replications each, with the inclusion of the following additives: T1-monensin sodium, dose of 200 mg day-1; T2-monensin sodium, dose of 125 mg day-1 + virginiamycin, dose of 125 mg day-1; and T3-monensin sodium, dose of 200 mg day-1 + virginiamycin, dose of 125 mg day-1. All experimental procedures were previously submitted to the UNICENTRO Committee for Ethics in Animal Experimentation (CEUA), and were approved for execution (Official Letter 021/2019). The combination of monensin sodium with virginiamycin at a dose of 200 mg + 125 mg animal day-1 showed greater (P < 0.05) average daily weight gain (1.919 kg day-1) and better feed conversion (4.27 kg DM kg of weight gain-1) compared to diets with monensin alone (200 mg animal day-1) or monensin combined with virginiamycin (125 mg + 125 mg animal day-1), even with no significant (P> 0.05) difference in DM intake, with a mean value of 7.88 kg animal day-1. Regardless of the isolated or combined supplementation of the additives, no significant differences were detected in the analysis of the feeder and feces scores, ingestive behavior, and rectal temperature or infrared thermography during the evaluation period. The combination of monensin sodium with virginiamycin at 200 mg + 125 mg animal day-1 proved to be efficient in the initial feedlot period, determined by the greater weight gain and better feed conversion observed in this study.

Comparing Blend of Essential Oils Plus 25-Hydroxy-Vit-D3 Versus Monensin Plus Virginiamycin Combination in Finishing Feedlot Cattle: Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics, and Carcass Traits

“…The average increase in energetic efficiency due to supplemental VM alone averaged 4.1% [1,3,45,51,52]. Therefore, the increase in efficiency above the expected values when both additives are supplemented separately could confirm the complementary effect of the combination observed both in this experiment and in previous reports [6,27,53]. On the other hand, using performance data from several reports in feedlot cattle [12,14,40,41,54,55], the average increase of estimated dietary net energy due to supplemental EO alone was 3.6%.…”

Nutrient Requirements of Zebu and Crossbred Cattle - BR-CORTE

“…Because of their similar selective effects on rumen microorganisms and complementary mechanism of action, several studies have hypothesized an additive feeding effect of ionophores and non-ionophores antibiotics for beef cattle. Recent studies performed under different conditions have shown improved productive performance (increase in ADG and FE) when virginiamycin and monensin were used in combination compared to monensin alone in high concentrate diets Heker et al, 2018;Neumann et al, 2020). Similarly, Nunez et al (2013) suggested that the combination of virginiamycin and salinomycin in high concentrate diets at doses of 15 and 13 mg/kg DM, respectively, improved the efficiency of dietary energy utilization efficiency when compared to cattle fed only salinomycin.…”

Aditivos para bovinos de corte

“…Devido aos seus efeitos seletivos semelhantes sobre os microrganismos do rúmen e mecanismo de ação complementar, várias pesquisas levantaram a hipótese de um efeito aditivo do uso de combinações de antibióticos ionóforos e não ionóforos para bovinos de corte. Estudos recentes realizados em diferentes condições mostraram melhora no desempenho produtivo (aumento do GMD e EA) quando a virginiamicina e a monensina foram utilizadas em combinação em comparação com o uso isolado de monensina em dietas com alto teor de concentrado Heker et al, 2018;Neumann et al, 2020). Semelhantemente, Nunez et al (2013) sugeriram que a combinação de virginiamicina e salinomicina em dietas de alto concentrado nas doses de 15 e 13 mg/kg MS, respectivamente, melhorou a eficiência de utilização de energia da dieta quando comparado a bovinos recebendo apenas salinomicina.…”