Bunk attendance of feedlot cattle monitored with radio frequency technology

Self Cite

. 2008. Effects of feeding time on behaviour, thermoregulation and growth of steers in winter. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 88: 369Á379. Two trials were conducted to determine whether the effects of morning (1000) vs. evening (2000) feed delivery on the frequency and duration of feedbunk visits, thermoregulatory physiology and growth performance of feedlot steers were modified by ambient winter temperatures. Night-time feeding behaviours were more pronounced for evening-fed than for morning-fed cattle during both the forage-based backgrounding and concentrate-based finishing periods. Evening feeding also led to increased core body temperatures during the coldest part of the day during the backgrounding period but had little effect during the finishing period. Although ambient temperatures were similar in both trials, evening feeding improved growth rate and efficiency during the coldest part of the backgrounding period in Trial 1 but not in Trial 2. Feeding time did not affect feedlot performance during the finishing period of either trial. Evening feeding successfully altered feeding behaviours and appeared to improve thermoregulatory status during the coldest part of the backgrounding period, but did not improve growth performance or efficiency.Key words: Beef cattle, thermoregulation, evening feeding, feeding behaviour Bergen, R. D., Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K. S., McAllister, T. A. et Kennedy, A. D. 2008. Incidence du moment de l'alimentation sur le comportement, la thermore´gulation et la croissance des bouvillons en hiver. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 88: 369Á379. Les auteurs ont effectue´deux essais pour savoir la tempe´rature ambiante en hiver modifie l'incidence de l'alimentation matinale (10 h) ou vespe´rale (20 h) sur la fre´quence et la dure´e des visites a`la mangeoire, sur la physiologie de la thermore´gulation et sur la croissance des bouvillons garde´s en enclos. Les bovins mangent davantage la nuit quand on leur sert la nourriture le soir plutoˆt que le matin, tant pendant la pe´riode de semi-finition, ou`on leur sert des fourrages, que pendant celle de finition, ou`ils rec¸oivent des concentre´s. L'alimentation en soire´e augmente aussi la tempe´rature corporelle de base pendant la partie la plus froide de la journe´e lors de la semi-finition, mais elle a peu d'effet pendant la finition. Malgre´une tempe´rature ambiante similaire dans les deux essais, l'alimentation en soire´e a releve´le taux de croissance et le rendement pendant la partie la plus froide de la semi-finition lors de la premie`re expe´rience mais pas lors de la deuxie`me. Le moment de l'alimentation n'a eu aucune incidence sur le rendement en parc d'engraissement pendant la finition, dans aucun des deux essais. L'alimentation en soire´e modifie les habitudes alimentaires et semble ame´liorer la thermore´gulation pendant la partie la plus froide de la semi-finition, sans pour autant rehausser la croissance et le rendement.

Section: Animals and Housingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of feeding time on behaviour, thermoregulation and growth of steers in winter

Bergen¹,

Schwartzkopf-Genswein²,

McAllister³

et al. 2008

Self Cite

“…Modern transmitters are small and versatile, which has allowed the tracking of many small animals like mice, birds and ghost crabs (Mech 1983). Gibb et al (1998) have monitored bunk attendance of feedlot cattle. Location fixes and accuracy depend on mobile researcher (ground or air), terrain, visibility, discomfort, and fatigue.…”

Section: Vhf Radio Signal Trackingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring cattle behavior and pasture use with GPS and GIS

Turner¹,

Udal²,

Larson³

et al. 2000

204

145

. 2000. Monitoring cattle behavior and pasture use with GPS and GIS. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 80: 405-413. Precision agriculture is already being used commercially to improve variability management in row crop agriculture. In the same way, understanding how spatial and temporal variability of animal, forage, soil and landscape features affect grazing behavior and forage utilization provides potential to modify pasture management, improve efficiency of utilization, and maximize profits. Recent advances in global positioning system (GPS) technology have allowed the development of lightweight GPS collar receivers suitable for monitoring animal position at 5-min intervals. The GPS data can be imported into a geographic information system (GIS) to assess animal behavior characteristics and pasture utilization. This paper describes application and use of GPS technology on intensively managed beef cattle, and implications for livestock behavior and management research on pasture. Global positioning system monitoring can provide researchers with efficient and accurate information on grazing behavior. Previous research focused on tracking animals using data gathered by observation. Recent advances in GPS technology have allowed the development of lightweight collar receivers suitable for monitoring animal position at 5-min intervals. Data can be imported into a GIS to assess animal behavior characteristics and pasture utilization. Precision animal location recording allows researchers to evaluate pasture utilization, animal performance, and behavior. Researchers may assess the merits of pasture or paddock shapes and sizes, fence designs, grazing systems, forage composition and availability, location of shade, water, and supplements, and other variables that affect beef cattle operations. The objectives of this article are: 1) to review previous tracking technology; 2) to explain GPS animal monitoring; 3) to describe GPS tracking collar application for beef cattle; and 4) to discuss pasture livestock behavior and management research implications.

“…Less-variable TDA during LF1/d than AF1/d supports the theory commonly held by feedlot operators and nutritionists that the consistent feed deliveries carried out during limit feeding and/or clean bunk management protocols equates to increased consistency in intakes by individuals in the pen. Gibb et al (1998) reported that TDA variability with once daily feed delivery was higher during limit feeding than when cattle had ad libitum access to feed. In that study, however, variation was calculated as the average variation from day to day, as opposed to the average daily deviation from the mean duration, which was used to calculate variation in the present report.…”

Section: Trialmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of salinomycin or monensin on performance and feeding behavior of cattle fed wheat- or barley-based diets

Gibb¹,

Moustafa²,

Wiedmeier³

et al. 2001

Self Cite

. 2001. Effect of salinomycin or monensin on performance and feeding behavior of cattle fed wheat-or barley-based diets. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 81: 253-261. Feeding behavior and growth performance of cattle fed diets containing monensin or salinomycin were assessed in two trials. In trial 1, 36 Hereford × Angus steers (267.7 ± 4.3 kg) were individually fed (n = 12) wheat-based transition and finishing diets containing no ionophore (control, C), 26 mg monensin (M) or 13 mg salinomycin (S) per kg of dietary dry matter (DM). Cattle fed M consumed less than those fed C or S, and their intake was more stable during the transition to the finishing diet. Overall, steers fed M exhibited lower dry matter intake (DMI) (8.0 vs. 9.2 and 9.2 kg d -1 ) and rates of gain (1.21 vs. 1.62 and 1.56 kg d -1 ) than those fed C or S. Cattle fed S required fewer days (93.3) to reach the targeted finish (5 mm backfat) than those fed C or M (105.8 d). Monensin reduced slaughter weight and carcass weights, relative to controls (414.3 vs. 480.5 kg, and 231.2 vs. 245.8 kg, respectively). In trial 2, M (25 ppm) or S (13 ppm) were included in barley-based diets for 72 yearling steers placed in four pens equipped with radio frequency identification systems. Individual bunk attendance patterns were monitored during transition to a finishing diet, during 11 d of limit feeding the finishing diet twice daily (LF2/d), 13 d of limit feeding once daily (LF1/d), and 21 d of feeding once daily to ad libitum intake (AL1/d). Ionophore type did not affect (P > 0.10) DMI, rate of gain or efficiency of feed conversion. Bunk visits were more frequent (P < 0.05) with M than with S during transition and limit-feeding. With M, total daily attendance (TDA) at the bunk during LF1/d and AL1/d, was higher (P < 0.05) than with S, and variability in TDA was lower (P < 0.05) during LF1/d. In the present study, there was no performance advantage in providing S or M in wheat-based finishing diets. Monensin moderated feeding intensity, but this effect may have been strong enough to suppress intake and even reduce gain on the wheat-based diet. . Lors du deuxième essai, on a ajouté du monensin (25 ppm) ou de la salinomycine (13 ppm) à la ration à base d'orge de 72 bouvillons d'un an répartis dans quatre enclos dotés d'un système d'identification radio. On a surveillé les habitudes de chaque animal pendant la période où les mangeoires étaient remplies de la ration de transition puis de finition selon trois régimes : quantité restreinte de la ration de finition servie deux fois par jour pendant 11 jours (RF2/j), quantité restreinte de la ration de finition servie une fois par jour pendant 13 jours (RF1/j) et ration servie à satiété une fois par jour pendant 21 jours (AS1/j). Le type d'ionophore n'affecte pas le CMS (P > 0,10), le gain de poids ni la valorisation des aliments. Les animaux se rendent moins souvent à la mangeoire (P < 0,05) quand les aliments renferment du monensin plutôt que de la salinomycine durant la période de transition et quand il y a restriction de la quan...