Work

Seasonal diet quality and metabolic profiles of steers grazing on Chihuahuan desert rangeland

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Four Angus steers (BW=350±3 kg) with esophageal cannulae and four fitted with ruminal cannulas (BW=351±5 kg) as well as fifteen steers of the same racial characteristics (BW=320±2 kg), were used to evaluate seasonally across four years (2005–2009, excluding 2007) the nutritive quality of diet and the blood metabolites and insulin levels in grazing beef cattle a Chihuahuan desert rangeland. The diet consumed by grazing cattle during spring and winter was low quality because of crude protein (CP) was less than 70 g/kg DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) higher than 720 g/kg DM. Initial washing loss at time zero “A”, digestion rate “c”, effective degradability of NDF (EDNDF) and CP (EDCP), potential gas production (PGP), ruminal ammonia–nitrogen (NH3N), total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) propionate, butyrate, glucose (G), urea nitrogen (UN) and insulin were highest in summer compared to spring (P<0.05). In contrast, ruminal acetate concentrations and blood non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) level were highest in spring as compared to summer (P<0.05). It was concluded that season of grazing had a marked influence on diet quality as well as in the blood metabolites and insulin levels in grazing beef cattle a desert rangeland.

Source: Livestock Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2014.03.023

Authors: M. Murillo-Ortiz, M. Mellado-Bosque, E. Herrera-Torres, O. Reyes-Estrada, F.O. Carrete-Carreón

Institutions: Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro

Language: English

Topic: Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology

Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,970