Relationship between live weight, age and dry-matter intake for beef cattle after different levels of food restriction

Abstract

SummaryFive groups of 24 Aberdeen Angus steers, initially 8 months old and 185 kg in weight were subjected to varying degrees of restriction of energy intake, by feeding them on diets containing 1·45 to 2·85 Meal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg dry matter (DM) for 16 weeks. During the realimentation period that followed, all animals were fed ad libitum on the diet containing 2·85 Meal ME/kg DM. When realimentation began the feed consumption of all animals, which had been markedly different, rapidly became similar. When compared at equal live weight the restricted animals had higher intakes than the controls; at an equal age, however, feed intakes were practically the same. This led us to discard compensatory feed intake as a possible explanation for compensatory growth. Age explained 65% of the variability in feed intake, live weight explained 43% and both parameters jointly explained 73%. It is concluded that in restricted and realimented animals, age is a better predictor of feed intake than live weight. Compensatory growth is attributed to a lower maintenance requirement in restricted animals because of their lower live weight at the beginning of the realimentation period.

The effect of winter food level on compensatory growth of weaned, suckled calves grazed at two sward heights

“…The phenomenon of animals showing enhanced performance after periods of nutritional restriction has been known for many years and has been comprehensively reviewed (Wilson and Osbourn, 1960;Allden, 1970;O'Donovan, 1984). Several explanations have been proposed as to the cause of this compensation including reduced maintenance requirements (Saubidet and Verde, 1976), alterations of the composition of tissue gains (Thompson, Bickel and Schiirch, 1982;Baker, Young and Laws, 1985) and increased food intake (Meyer, Hull, Weitkamp and Bonilla, 1965). In the present experiments, a reduction in winter food level led to increased herbage intake at pasture and increased live-weight gains.…”

Growth performance and carcass composition in beef heifers undergoing catch-up (compensatory) growth

“…Saubidet and Verde (1976), in an experiment with steers. found that the greater the severity of feed restriction, the higher the realimentation feed intake at equal weight.…”

Performance of Crossbred Heifers During Revival Period after Long Term Scarcity Feeding

“…(1991) in Brahman cattle and beef heifers, respectively. Saubidet and Verde (1976) in an experiment with steers,…”