1181 WS Effects of dry and wet conditions during the pre-weaning phase on subsequent feedlot performance and carcass composition of beef cattle

Gatson, G. A.; Ley, B. L. Vander; Busby, W. D.; Gunn, Patrick J.; Meyer, A. M.

doi:10.2527/jam2016-1181

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“…In addition, calves had greater ( P = 0.04) weaning BW and adjusted 205-d weaning BW ( P = 0.03) if precipitation levels were high during the early gestation period when compared to the low-treatment group. Previous research conducted by Gatson et al (2016) investigated dry and wet conditions on beef cattle performance and revealed similar BW differences from cool season dry and wet classes of calves entering the feedlot with normal and wet classes being heavier. The effect precipitation has on forage yield would indicate that cool and wet conditions offer a greater plane of nutrition for grazing cattle resulting in increased BW entering the feedlot.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%

The effect of precipitation received during gestation on progeny performance in Bos indicus influenced beef cattle

Beard

Silver

Scholljegerdes

et al. 2019

Translational Animal Science

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The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the effect of precipitation level during key fetal development periods on beef progeny performance. The hypothesis that was precipitation level during different periods of gestation would program subsequent calves for an environment similar to that experienced in utero resulting in altered growth and reproductive performance. Data were collected on Brangus cows (n = 2,429) over a 46-yr span at the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center. Recorded precipitation values were used to calculate average precipitation associated with total gestation (April–March), early gestation, (July–September), and late gestation (December–February). These values were used to classify treatments: low (z value ≤ –1.00), average (z value –0.99 to +0.99), and high (z value ≥ +1.00) for each time period. Calves experiencing high precipitation throughout gestation had heavier body weight (BW) at birth (P = 0.02), weaning (P = 0.05), and adjusted 205-d BW (P = 0.04) than those experiencing low precipitation . Female progeny gestated during low precipitation throughout gestation were more likely to remain (P < 0.0001) in the herd and calve after the age of 8 yr when compared to heifers experiencing high precipitation levels in utero (38% vs. 16% ± 5%, respectively). In addition, a greater percentage (P < 0.0001) of heifers experiencing low precipitation levels during the early gestation period produced a calf within the herd after 8 yr of age. Similarly, calves experiencing low precipitation during those same time points also had a greater number of calves while in production (P < 0.0001) when compared to the average and high precipitation groups. These results indicate that selection of heifers exposed to lower than average precipitation levels in utero may result in increased herd retention and productivity.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 83%