Feedlot performance, feeding behavior and rumen morphometrics of Nellore cattle submitted to different feeding frequencies

Abstract

Owing to the lack of information in the literature about the ideal feeding frequency adopted by feedlot systems, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of different feeding frequencies on performance, carcass traits, feeding behavior and rumen morphometrics of Nellore cattle. Forty-eight yearling bulls were housed in individual pens with an average initial body weight of 358.2 kg. The experiment was designed as a completely randomized block and the treatments were the feeding of cattle one, two, three, or four times daily (n = 12 per treatment). Orthogonal contrasts were used to assess linear, quadratic and cubic relationship between feeding frequency and the dependent variable. As feeding frequency increased, final body weight (p = 0.03) and average daily gain (p = 0.01; one: 0.98 kg d-1 ; two: 0.96 kg d-1 ; three: 1.18 kg d-1 ; four: 1.14 kg d-1) increased linearly and the feed:gain ratio decreased (p = 0.02). Also, as feeding frequency increased, hot carcass weight was affected cubically (p = 0.01; one: 246.9 kg; two: 243.0 kg; three: 263.1 kg; four: 258.1 kg). During the adaptation period dry matter intake variation was affected cubically (p ≤ 0.05; one: 16 %; two: 23 %; three: 14 %; four: 16 %). Increases in feeding frequency affected papillae height (p < 0.01) and papillae surface area (p < 0.01) cubically, as well as producing increases in the mitotic index (p = 0.05; one: 9 %; two: 11 %; three: 13 %; four: 13 %) and cells in proliferation (p = 0.05) linearly. Thus, Nellore yearling bulls should be fed three times daily in feedlot operations.

Effect of Feeding Frequency on Intake, Digestibility, Ingestive Behavior, Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Male Feedlot Lambs

“…Results similar to those of the present study were observed in studies with sheep [62] and cattle [7,9,63]. However, the need to better understand the biological phenomena related to the variations resulting from different feeding frequencies, nutritional composition and proportion of diet ingredients, and the physiological status of the animal are necessary to be able to determine the best feeding strategies to obtain better productive performances and better quality products.…”

The 2019 Brazilian survey on nutritional practices provided by feedlot cattle consulting nutritionists

“…Ten years ago, Millen et al (2009) reported that 36.8% of the nutritionists interviewed declared that their clients used to feed cattle five times a day or more. It has been reported in the literature that feedlot performance improved when Nellore cattle, the predominant breed at Brazilian feedlot, were fed from three to four times a day compared with one to two times daily (Silva et al, 2018). Furthermore, the correlation between feeding frequency and feedlot size was not significant (r = 0.07, P = 0.68), showing that feedlot size is not the main factor affecting feeding frequency planning.…”

Performance, Feeding Behavior and Immune Response in Nellore and Angus × Nellore Steers Fed Whole Shelled Corn Diets with or without Fiber

“…The observed behavior (feeding and ruminating) was recorded every 5 min. Time spent eating and time spent ruminating were used to calculate the time spent chewing, time spent eating/DMI and NDF intake, time spent ruminating/DMI and NDF intake, and time spent chewing/DMI and NDF intake [ 30 ]. All data were expressed in min kg −1 of DM and min kg −1 of NDF.…”