Effects of different feeding frequencies on feedlot performance, carcass traits, feeding behavior, rumen health, and digestibility of feedlot Nellore cattle

• Grant number: 12/02069-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2012 - April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Danilo Domingues Millen
• Grantee: Danilo Domingues Millen
• Host Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental de Dracena. Dracena , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cyntia Ludovico Martins ; Daniel de Jesus Cardoso de Oliveira ; Flávia Thomaz Verechia Pereira ; Mário de Beni Arrigoni

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of different feeding frequencies on feedlot performance, feeding behavior, carcass traits, starch and NDF digestibility, and rumen health of feedlot Nellore cattle. Forty-eight 22-mo-old yearling Nellore bulls with 370 kg of initial body weight, back-grounded on pasture, will be used in this experiment. Animals will be allocated in individual pens and randomly assigned to one of four treatments (12 animals/treatment) according to the feeding frequency adopted: 1) feeding 1x daily (08:00), 2) feeding 2x daily (08:00 and 14:00), 3) feeding 3x daily (08:00, 11:00 and 14:00), and 4) feeding 4x daily (08:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00). At the beginning of experimental period and every 21 days, yearling bulls will be weighed. Dry matter intake will be measured every day, and average daily gain and feed efficiency will be calculated. Likewise, the deposition of muscle and fat will be evaluated by ultrasound at the beginning and at the end of the study. Yearling bulls will be slaughtered in a commercial abattoir when an average body weight of 490 kg is reached after 84 days on feed. Some others response variables also will be evaluated in this project: 1) feeding behavior and ration selection, 2) dry matter intake fluctuation, 3) macro- and microscopy morphology of rumen epithelium such as number and area of papillae per cm2 and absorptive surface area; 4) histology of rumen epithelium such as height and thickness of papillae, thickness of keratinized layer, and mitotic index, 5) cell proliferation and apoptosis of rumen epithelium by immunohistochemistry assays, 6) starch and NDF digestibility on total gastrointestinal tract, 7) incidence of rumenitis and liver abscesses, 8) carcass traits. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, JULIANA; BARBOSA CARRARA, TASSIA VELUMA; STEFANO PEREIRA, MURILLO CEOLA; DE OLIVEIRA, CASSIELE APARECIDA; BATISTA, JR., IVAN CARLOS; MARIANO WATANABE, DANIEL HIDEKI; NAGATANI RIGUEIRO, ANDRE LUIZ; ARRIGONI, MARIO DE BENI; MILLEN, DANILO DOMINGUES. Feedlot performance, feeding behavior and rumen morphometrics of Nellore cattle submitted to different feeding frequencies. Scientia Agricola, v. 75, n. 2, p. 121-128, MAR-APR 2018. (12/02069-5)

DA SILVA, JULIANA; BARBOSA CARRARA, TASSIA VELUMA; STEFANO PEREIRA, MURILLO CEOLA; DE OLIVEIRA, CASSIELE APARECIDA; BATISTA, IVAN CARLOS, JR.; MARIANO WATANABE, DANIEL HIDEKI; NAGATANI RIGUEIRO, ANDRE LUIZ; ARRIGONI, MARIO DE BENI; MILLEN, DANILO DOMINGUES. Feedlot performance, feeding behavior and rumen morphometrics of Nellore cattle submitted to different feeding frequencies. CIENTIA AGRICOL, v. 75, n. 2, p. 8-pg., 2018-03-01. (12/02069-5)