Effect of increasing zinc supplementation on post-transit performance, behavior, blood and muscle metabolites, and gene expression in growing beef feedlot steers

Abstract

Fifty-four Angus-cross steers (297 kg ± 12) were stratified by body weight (BW) to pens (6 steers per pen) to determine effects of supplemental Zn on post-transit growth performance and blood and muscle metabolites. Dietary treatments started 25 d before trucking: control (CON; analyzed 54 mg Zn/kg DM), industry (IND; CON + 70 mg supplemental Zn/kg DM), and supranutritional Zn (SUPZN; CON + 120 mg supplemental Zn/kg DM). Supplemental Zn was bis-glycinate bound Zn (Plexomin Zn; Phytobiotics North America, Cary, NC). On d 0, steers were loaded onto a commercial trailer and transported 18 h (1,822 km). Individual BW were recorded on d -26, -25, -1, 0 (pre-transit), 1 (post-transit), 6, 27, and 28. Blood was collected on d -1, 1, 6, and 27. Longissimus thoracis biopsies were collected on d -1, 1, and 28. Daily individual feed disappearance was recorded via GrowSafe bunks. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effect of diet and steer as the experimental unit (growth performance, blood: n = 18 steers per treatment; muscle: n = 12 steers per treatment). Individual initial BW was used as a covariate in BW analysis. Contrast statements to test linear, quadratic, and Zn effects were used to analyze performance and blood parameters. Repeated measures analysis was used for post-transit DMI recovery and weekly post-transit DMI and Zn intake with the repeated effect of time. MetaboAnalyst 5.0 was utilized for statistical analysis of d 1 (off truck) muscle metabolites. Plasma Zn linearly increased due to Zn on d 1, 6, and 27 (P = 0.01), and off-truck (d 1) serum lactate increased over d -1 by 20, 0, and 20% in CON, IND, and SUPZN, respectively (Quadratic: P = 0.01). Muscle lactate tended to increase post-transit in CON and IND (P ≤ 0.07) but not SUPZN. Muscle metabolites relating to amino acid and nitrogen metabolism were increased in all treatments post-transit (P ≤ 0.02), and alanine-glucose cycle metabolites tended to increase in CON and IND (P ≤ 0.07). Steers supplemented with Zn recovered pre-transit DMI quicker than CON (by d 2: P = 0.01), while IND had greater overall post-transit DMI than CON with SUPZN intermediate (P = 0.04), and Zn-fed steers had greater ADG post-transit (P = 0.04). Zinc supplementation mitigated muscle or serum lactate increases due to transit and increased post-transit ADG.

Effects of supplemental Zn concentration and trace mineral source on immune function and associated biomarkers of immune status in weaned beef calves received into a feedlot

“…Our objective was to evaluate the effect of TM source (organic vs. inorganic) on biomarkers of immune status and growth performance in weaned beef calves as well as the effect of additional organic Zn offered in the form of AvailaZn for the first 14 d of the study, thus targeting the period of the receiving phase when disease challenge is most likely and dietary TM fortification may be most effective. Organic TM supplementation appears beneficial when cattle are stressed such as in cases of shipping ( Kegley et al, 2012 ; Heiderscheit and Hansen, 2022 ); or disease ( Chirase et al, 1991 ), whereas in other work ( Gunter et al, 2001 ) organic TM supplementation did not improve cattle performance. In the present study, the value of supplementing TM from an organic source (ORG and ORG+Z) to beef steers received into the feedlot was evidenced by improvements in overall efficiency and performance.…”

“…Perhaps the most valuable TM biomarker reported herein is the observed improvement in growth performance for cattle-supplemented organic TM. Heiderscheit and Hansen (2022) supplemented increasing concentrations of Zn bisglycinate (0, 70, and 120 mg supplemental Zn/kg DM) prior to and after a transit event. Prior to transit, supplemental Zn minimally affected plasma Zn concentration; however, following transit, plasma Zn reflected dietary Zn more closely, suggesting stress (transit) increases Zn requirements.…”

Stressors Inherent to Beef Cattle Management in the United States of America and the Resulting Impacts on Production Sustainability: A Review

“…The close management of nutrition before and after transportation can play a vital role in how animals will respond to transportation stress [108]. In fact, the supplementation of zinc has been shown to improve animal welfare in response to transportation by increasing dry matter intake and reducing muscle fatigue post-transit [110]. Along with age and nutritional considerations, there are additional factors a producer should consider when transporting cattle to minimize stress such as driver training, routes of travel, truck design, and cattle behavior [107,111].…”