Correlation between production performance and feeding behavior of steers on pasture during the rainy-dry transition period

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between production performance and feeding behavior of steers reared on pasture during the rainy-dry transition period. Twenty-two ½ Holstein-Zebu crossbred steers at an average age of 10 months and with an average initial body weight of 234.5 ± 16.0 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with two types of supplementation and eleven replications. Pearson's linear correlation analysis was performed between behavioral variables and weight gain and feed conversion. Correlation coefficients were tested by the t test. The time expended feeding at the trough was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with average daily gain (ADG) and with the number of periods of permanence at the trough. Bite rate and the number of bites per day were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with ADG and negatively (P < 0.05) with feed conversion, unlike the number of bites per swallow, which was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with ADG. There was a positive correlation (P < 0.05) between feed efficiency in dry matter and neutral detergent fiber and ADG. Feeding behavior characteristics have little association with the production performance of cattle on pasture receiving mineral or energy-protein supplementation.

Growth Performance and Plasma Metabolites of Grazing Beef Cattle Backgrounded on Buffel or Buffel-Desmanthus Mixed Pastures

“…A similar trend was reported for Chamaecrista rotundifolia [ 105 ]. However, low nutritive value and palatability of pasture in the seasonally dry subtropics of northern Australia are endemic in the dry season [ 70 , 106 ], hence more controlled pen studies are required to determine the effect of varying levels of Desmanthus on the rumen fermentation and growth performance of grazing cattle during the dry season. In addition, previous grazing nutrition is reported to influence the growth performance of cattle during the feedlot finishing phase and carcass traits [ 107 ].…”

Effect of incremental proportions of Desmanthus spp. in isonitrogenous forage diets on growth performance, rumen fermentation and plasma metabolites of pen-fed growing Brahman, Charbray and Droughtmaster crossbred beef steers

“…Northern Australian tropical beef cattle rely mainly on native grass with few sown grass and legume pastures. In these summer rainfall-dominant dry tropics and sub-tropics, cattle are able to selectively graze in the early wet season, but often lose body condition, experience slow growth and struggle to attain maintenance weight in the other seasons due to low diet crude protein (CP) and digestible energy, pasture senescence, frost and overall poor pasture quality [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Energy supplementation as strategy of pasture management

“…For better supplement use efficiency, it is necessary to know the plant and animal interface, which involves studies of how grazing conditions interfere with the ingestive behavior, intake, and performance, to identify the appropriate management conditions for the animal production system. According to previous studies, the responses related to animals raised in pastures are directly related to the nutritional levels of the diet (Mendes et al, 2015;Brandão et al, 2017).…”