Dataset Information

Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot.

ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate whether different lines of a composite breed (5/8 Charolais × 3/8 Zebu), formed at different times, and genetically improved, would result in differences in animal performance, enteric methane emissions, and carcass traits. Forty-six Canchim steers (15 months, 280 ± 33 kg liveweight) from three different lines were used: old, new, and their cross. These three breed lines were considered the treatments (arranged in four randomized blocks based on initial liveweight) and were evaluated under grazing and feedlot conditions in relation to the performance and emission of enteric methane. During the grazing period, the new line was found to be superior to the old only in relation to the average daily liveweight gain (0.692 vs. 0.547 kg/day), and with no differences in relation to the cross line (0.692 vs. 0.620). In the feedlot finishing phase, only the average daily liveweight gain was significantly higher in the new line compared to the cross and old line (1.44 vs. 1.32 and 1.23 kg/day). The new and cross lines demonstrated higher dry matter intake when compared to the old line (10.25 and 10.42 vs. 9.11 kg/day), with the crossline animals demonstrating the best feed conversion. The new line showed higher enteric methane emissions compared to the old line (178 vs. 156 g/day). The line had an effect on the carcass dressing of the animals, with greater fat thickness in carcasses from the new and cross lines than the old line (4.4 and 3.8 vs. 3.2 mm). Canchim cattle selected for improved productive performance characteristics does not guarantee animals with lower methane emissions under grazing conditions; while in feedlots, can lead to increased daily feed consumption, and hence, to higher emissions of methane.

SUBMITTER: Meo-Filho P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7070928 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot.

Méo-Filho Paulo P Berndt Alexandre A Marcondes Cintia R CR Pedroso André F AF Sakamoto Leandro S LS Boas Daniella F V DFV Rodrigues Paulo H M PHM Rivero M Jordana MJ Bueno Ives C S ICS

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 20200213 2

The present study aimed to investigate whether different lines of a composite breed (5/8 Charolais × 3/8 Zebu), formed at different times, and genetically improved, would result in differences in animal performance, enteric methane emissions, and carcass traits. Forty-six Canchim steers (15 months, 280 ± 33 kg liveweight) from three different lines were used: old, new, and their cross. These three breed lines were considered the treatments (arranged in four randomized blocks based on initial liv ...[more]

PMID: 32070066

Similar Datasets

Project description:A 2-yr study was conducted to evaluate the effects of beef genotypes and feeding systems on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and sensory attributes. A 2×2 factorial experiment was used to randomly allocate 60 steers in year 1 (YR1) and 44 steers in year 2 (YR2). The two beef genotypes evaluated were Red Angus (RA), and RA x Akaushi (AK) crossbreed. The steers were allotted to two finishing feeding systems: grazing, a multi-species forage mixture (GRASS) and feedlot finishing, conventional total mixed ration (GRAIN). All steers were slaughtered on the same day, at 26 and 18 mo of age (GRASS and GRAIN, respectively), and carcass data were collected 48 h postmortem. Growth and slaughter characteristics were significantly impacted by the finishing system (P < 0.01), with the best results presented by GRAIN. Beef genotype affected dressing percent (P < 0.01), ribeye area (P = 0.04), and marbling score (P = 0.01). The AK steers had a tendency (P = 0.09) for lower total gain; however, carcass quality scores were greater compared to RA. There was a genotype by system interaction for USDA yield grade (P < 0.01), where it was lower in GRASS compared to GRAIN in both genotypes, and no difference was observed between the two genotypes for any GRASS or GRAIN systems. There was no difference in meat quality or sensory attributes (P > 0.10) between the two genotypes, except that steaks from AK tended to be juicier than RA (P = 0.06). Thawing loss and color variables were impacted by the finishing system (P < 0.01). L* (lightness) and hue angle presented greater values while a* (redness), b* (yellowness), and chroma presented lower values in GRAIN compared to GRASS. Sensory attributes were scored better in GRAIN than GRASS beef (P < 0.01). There was a genotype by system interaction for flavor (P = 0.02), where beef from RA had a lower flavor rating in GRASS than in GRAIN, and no difference was observed for AK. Within each system, no difference was observed for flavor between RA and AK. Beef from steers in GRASS had greater (P < 0.01) WBSF than those from GRAIN. These results indicate that steers from GRAIN had superior performance and carcass merit and that AK enhanced these traits to a greater degree compared to RA. Furthermore, the beef finishing system had a marked impact on the steaks' sensory attributes and consumer acceptability. The favorable results for texture and juiciness in GRAIN, which likely impacted overall acceptability, may be related to high marbling.

Project description:Dairy herds are mating a portion of cows to beef cattle semen to create a value-added calf. Objectives of this study were to compare the feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of beef × Holstein steers by breed when sires represented bulls with commercially available semen. Three groups of single-born, male calves (n = 262) born to Holstein dams on 10 Pennsylvania dairies were sourced during 3 yr. Steers were sired by seven beef breeds: Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Hereford, Red Angus, Simmental, and Wagyu. Steers were picked up within a week of age and raised at two preweaned calf facilities until weaning (8 ± 1 wk of age) under similar health and management protocols. Steers were then transported to a commercial calf growing facility where they were managed as a single group until 10 ± 2 mo of age when they were moved to be finished at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Livestock Evaluation Center feedlot. Groups of steers were selected for slaughter based on body weight. Carcass characteristics were evaluated by trained personnel and a three-rib section of the longissimus muscle (LM) was collected from each carcass for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) evaluation and intramuscular fat determination. Steers sired by all sire breeds except for Limousin had greater average daily gain (ADG; 1.62 to 1.76 kg/d) than Wagyu × Holstein steers (1.39 kg/d; P < 0.05). Angus-sired steers had an 8.6% greater ADG than Red Angus-sired steers (P < 0.05). Angus, Charolais (1.73 kg/d), and Simmental-sired steers (1.68 kg/d) also had greater ADG than Limousin-sired steers (1.55 kg/d; P < 0.05). Wagyu × Holstein steers spent 5 to 26 more days on feed (P < 0.05) than Limousin × Holstein, Simmental × Holstein, Angus × Holstein, and Charolais × Holstein steers. Angus and Charolais-sired steers were also on feed for 19 and 21 d fewer, respectively, than Limousin-sired steers (P < 0.05). Red Angus-sired steers had greater marbling scores than Simmental and Limousin-sired steers and Angus and Charolais-sired steers had greater marbling scores than Limousin-sired steers (P < 0.05). Angus, Limousin, and Hereford-sired steers produced the most tender LM as evaluated by WBSF; Angus-sired carcasses (3.82 kg) were more tender than Charolais (4.30 kg) and Simmental-sired carcasses (4.51 kg; P < 0.05). Limousin and Hereford-sired steers (3.70 and 3.83 kg, respectively) also had more tender steaks than Simmental-sired steers.

Project description:Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of encapsulated methionine on live performance, carcass characteristics, and skeletal muscle development in feedlot steers. In Experiment 1, 128 crossbred steers (body weight [BW] = 341 ± 36.7 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design and supplemented with 0, 4, 8, or 12 g/(head day [d]) of ruminally protected methionine (0MET, 4MET, 8MET, and 12MET, respectively) for 111 d or 139 d. In Exp. 2, 20 steers (BW = 457 ± 58 kg) were stratified by BW and randomly assigned to either the 0MET or 8MET treatment; longissimus muscle (LM) biopsies were collected on d 0, 14, 28, 42, and 56, and analyzed for mRNA and protein expression. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to measure fiber type area and distribution as well as the density of muscle nuclei and satellite cells (Myf5, Pax7, and Myf5/Pax7). In Experiment 1, no significant differences were observed for live performance (p ≥ 0.09). There was, however, a linear relationship between LM area and methionine supplementation (p = 0.04), with a 9% increase in the area when steers were supplemented with 12MET compared to 0MET. In Exp. 2, There were no treatment × day interactions (p ≥ 0.10) for expression of mRNA or protein abundance. Although mRNA expression and protein abundance of all genes were influenced by day (p ≤ 0.04), methionine supplementation did not have a significant effect (p ≥ 0.08). There was a significant treatment × day interaction for distribution of MHC-I fibers (p = 0.03), where 8MET supplemented cattle had a greater proportion of MHC-I fibers after 56 d of supplementation than did 0MET steers. Cross-sectional area was increased over time regardless of fiber type (p < 0.01) but was unaffected by treatment (p ≥ 0.36). While nuclei density was not impacted by treatment (p = 0.55), the density of myonuclei increased nearly 55% in 8MET supplemented cattle (p = 0.05). The density of Myf5 positive satellite cells tended to decrease with methionine supplementation (p = 0.10), while the density of Pax7 expressing cells tended to increase (p = 0.09). These results indicate that encapsulated methionine supplementation may influence markers of skeletal muscle growth, and potential improvements in the LM area may exist.

Project description:Liver abscess etiology in feedlot steers involves the escape of bacteria from the digestive tract to form a polymicrobial abscess within or on the external surface of the liver. However, little is known about the effects of feedlot finishing systems on the microbial composition of the liver abscess purulent material. Liver abscesses were collected at the time of harvest from steers originating from a single feedlot managed in either a traditional program (which included tylosin phosphate supplementation) or a natural program (without tylosin phosphate supplementation). The purulent material of liver abscesses from traditionally managed steers (N = 53 abscesses) and that of naturally managed steers (N = 62 abscesses) was characterized using the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Two phyla and three genera were found in greater than 1% relative abundance across all abscesses. The genus Fusobacterium was identified in all liver abscess samples and accounted for 64% of sequencing reads. Bacteroides and Porphyromonas genera accounted for 33% and 1% of reads, respectively. Trueperella was more likely to be found in the liver abscesses of naturally managed steers than traditionally managed steers (P = 0.022). Over 99% of the genus-level bacterial sequences observed across all liver abscesses belonged to Gram-negative genera. Bacteria known to colonize both the rumen and hindgut were identified within liver abscesses. No differences in alpha diversity or beta diversity were detected between liver abscess communities (between the two management programs or individual pens) when tested as richness, Shannon Diversity Index, or weighted UniFrac distances (P > 0.05). These results were consistent with previous identification of Fusobacterium necrophorum as the primary bacteriologic agent within liver abscesses and emphasized the relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiota and liver abscess formation. Though the microbiota of the liver abscess purulent material was similar between steers fed an antibiotic-free diet and those fed an antibiotic-containing diet from the same feedlot, divergence was detected in liver abscess communities with some being dominated by Fusobacterium and others being dominated by Bacteroides.

Project description:The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of Cr propionate (CrP) on feedlot performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics, and skeletal muscle fiber properties in feedlot steers. Crossbred steers (n = 32; 367 ± 2.5 kg; 16 pens; 2 hd/pen) were blocked by body weight (BW), and treatment was randomly assigned to pen: (1) 0 mg added Cr/kg diet dry matter (DM) (control), (2) 0.15 mg added Cr/kg diet DM (CrP; KemTRACE Chromium 0.04%, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA), (3) 0.30 mg added Cr/kg diet DM, and (4) 0.45 mg added Cr/kg diet DM. Steers were fed ad libitum, and the treatment was top-dressed at the time of feeding. Body weights, blood samples, and longissimus biopsies were collected before feeding on days 0, 28, 56, 91, 119, and 147. Blood sera were harvested for analysis of glucose, insulin, sera urea nitrogen, and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations. Longissimus biopsies were collected for gene expression, protein expression, and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Pen was the experimental unit for live and carcass data, and steer was the experimental unit with day as a repeated measure for sera and IHC analyses. For the entire duration of the trial, a linear increase in average daily gain (ADG) (P = 0.01) and improvement in G:F was observed (P = 0.01) with no change in DMI (P = 0.11) with increasing CrP. A linear increase in hot carcass weight (HCW) (P ≤ 0.01) with no other changes in carcass composition were noted (P ≥ 0.38) as the level of dietary CrP increased. There was no effect of treatment on any sera parameters measured (P ≥ 0.10). No difference was detected for gene or protein expression of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) due to CrP supplementation (P ≥ 0.10). For skeletal muscle fiber distribution and cross-sectional area, there was no effect of treatment (P ≥ 0.10). Density of total GLUT4 did not change due to CrP (P ≥ 0.10). Internalization of GLUT4 was increased in the 0.30 and 0.45 mg/kg treatments (P < 0.01). For total nuclei density and myonuclei density, there were treatment × day interaction tendencies (P ≤ 0.08). Supplementation of CrP did not alter density of satellite cells (P ≥ 0.10). The number of transporters located in the sarcolemma of skeletal muscle fibers did decrease, implying fewer proteins were needed to transport extracellular glucose into the muscle fiber. Therefore, CrP may augment cellular function and growth via increased efficiency of GLUT4 function. These results indicated CrP increases BW, ADG, and HCW, without changes in circulating sera parameters or total GLUT4 expression.

Dataset Information

Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot.

Publications

Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets