Nutritional recommendations and management practices adopted by feedlot cattle nutritionists: the 2016 Brazilian survey

Abstract

The feedlot industry in Brazil is still evolving, and some nutritional management recommendations adopted by nutritionists changes from year to year. The main objective of this survey was to provide a snapshot of current nutritional management practices adopted in Brazilian feedlots. The 33 nutritionists surveyed were responsible for approximately 4 228 254 animals. Corn remained as the primary source of grain used in feedlot diets by the participants, whereas fine grinding was the primary grain processing method. Corn silage was the primary roughage source indicated by nutritionists, and for the first time, physically effective neutral detergent fiber was the preferred fiber analysis method. The average dietary fat recommended was 50 g kg−1 of dry matter, which is about 10% higher than values reported in previous surveys. The use of truck-mounted mixers increased, which may have increased the percentage of feedlots using programmed feed delivery per pen, allowing the increase of energy content of finishing diets. Feedlots did not increase their capacity and nutritionists reported an improvement in feeding management. Results reported in the current study provide a baseline that can be used to improve practices and aid in the development of feedlot industry in Brazil and similar tropical climates.

Ruminal Fermentation Pattern, Bacterial Community Composition, and Nutrient Digestibility of Nellore Cattle Submitted to Either Nutritional Restriction or Intake of Concentrate Feedstuffs Prior to Adaptation Period

“…During this period, the bull calf is required to transition from a forage-based diet to a high-concentrate diet. In general, the average adaptation period in Brazilian feedlots is reported to be 16.2 days ( Pinto and Millen, 2018 ). Further work evaluating different adaptation periods ( Perdigão et al, 2017 ; Barducci et al, 2019 ; Parra et al, 2019 ) suggested that Nellore cattle should spend a minimum of 14 days adapting to a high-concentrate diet in a step-up manner, where increasing amounts of concentrate are successively added to the adaptation diet.…”

Reconstituted and ensiled corn or sorghum grain: Impacts on dietary nitrogen fractions, intake, and digestion sites in young Nellore bulls

“…Nowadays, cereal grains represent more than 51% of feedlot diets composition [1,2], with corn and sorghum being the most used grains in those diets [3]. However, grain price volatility and metabolic disorders accompany the use of high grain levels in beef cattle diets.…”

Feedlot diets containing increasing starch levels and different feed additives changes cecal proteome profile involved on energy metabolism and inflammatory response of Nellore cattle

“…Therefore, feedlot diets that usually contain increased amounts of energy due to high levels of concentrate inclusion [18] can cause excessive fermentation in the cecum, thereby contributing to the metabolizable energy of ruminants [19,20], however, it may generate inflammatory reactions in the cecal epithelium. Feed additives that are able to increase the use of starch in the rumen, reducing the escape of starch to the intestines, as well as lower starch levels in the diet of feedlot cattle, can avoid the risk of cecal acidification.…”