Effect of increasing monensin sodium levels in diets with virginiamycin on the finishing of Nellore cattle

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of increasing levels of monensin sodium (MON) in diets with virginiamycin (VM) on the finishing of feedlot cattle. Two hundred and eighty intact male Nellore cattle (348 ± 32 kg body weight, 22 months) received one of the following five diets: control diet (without additives); diet containing VM (25 mg per kg dry matter) combined with 0 (MON0), 10 (MON10), 20 (MON20) or 30 (MON30) mg MON per kg dry matter. During adaptation (28 days), the MON0 diet increased dietary net energy for maintenance and gain compared to the control diet (P = 0.04). The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake, body weight and average daily gain (P < 0.01). Considering the total study period (110 days), there was a trend of greater net energy intake for maintenance (P = 0.09) and hot carcass weight (P = 0.06) for animals fed MON0 compared to the control diet. The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake (P = 0.04) and linearly increased gain : feed and dietary net energy for maintenance and gain (P < 0.01). The combination of VM with MON at a dose of 30 mg/kg dry matter is recommended for Nellore feedlot cattle because it improves the efficiency of energy utilization.

Does virginiamycin supplementation affect the metabolism and performance of Nellore bulls grazing under low and high gain rates?

“…Virginiamycin (VM) is an additive that has been used in livestock production, although its use as feed additives is currently prohibited in some countries. In feedlot systems, VM is used for reducing acidosis risk, as a growth promoter, and for disease prevention (Benatti, Alves Neto, Oliveira, Resende, & Siqueira, ; Cocito, ; Salinas‐Chavira et al., ). Most studies evaluating VM were performed in feedlot animals fed with high‐grain diets (Benatti et al., ; Salinas‐Chavira et al., ) or by using supplementation with nonstructural carbohydrate sources (Fiems, Boucque, Cottyn, Moermans, & Brabander, ).…”

The Bacterial and Fungal Microbiota of Nelore Steers Is Dynamic Across the Gastrointestinal Tract and Its Fecal-Associated Microbiota Is Correlated to Feed Efficiency

“…In order to make this production system more profitable and sustainable, farmers often seek strategies to decrease feeding costs through manipulation of rumen fermentation (e.g., ionophores) (Benatti et al, 2017; Crossland et al, 2017); altering management practices (e.g., supplements) (Jose Neto et al, 2016; Carvalho et al, 2017) and selection of cattle that have better feed conversion efficiencies (Nkrumah et al, 2006; Fidelis et al, 2017). Most of these practices target the ruminant gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiome and its function, as it is known to play a key role in the physiology of the mammalian host.…”

Effect of adding crude glycerine to diets with feed additives on the feed intake, ruminal degradability, volatile fatty acid concentrations and in vitro gas production of feedlot Nellore cattle

“…This fact reflected consequently in lower DM intake by the animals possibly indicating that there was an increase in the efficiency of energy utilization with reducing in dietary requirements, reflecting consequently in lower DM intake by the animals. Supporting these results, Benatti et al () evaluating the effects of increasing additions of monensin sodium in diets for Nellore cattle observed reductions in DM intake with improvements in the efficiency of energy utilization by the animals with a positive impact on the gain: feed ratio.…”

“…However, according to Deswysen, Ellis, Pond, Jenkins, and Connelly (), sodium monensin can decrease the ruminal turnover of solids and liquids, affecting rumen filling, rumination and motility, thus reducing the consumption, in addition to being able to increase the dietary energy content without increasing net energy intake (Benatti, Alves Neto, Oliveira, Resende, & Siqueira, ; Montano, Manriquez, Salinas‐Chavira, Torrentera, & Zinn, ). In this study, calculated dietary net energy for gain was similar between treatment diets (~1.1 Mcal/kg DM, Table ), possibly indicating that there was an increase in the efficiency of energy utilization with reducing in dietary requirements.…”