222 Partitioning of retained energy between protein and fat gain, and heat of product formation and support metabolism in growing beef cattle

Abstract

Abstract Multiple linear regression inaccurately computes the efficiency of energy use for protein and fat gain. The objective was to quantify efficiency of metabolizable energy use for protein and fat gain along with heats of product formation and support metabolism. A literature search was performed to compile data (31 studies, 214 treatment means) on metabolizable energy intake (MEI) and composition of empty body gain in growing steers and heifers. Data analyses were performed using R statistical package for mixed models with study as random variable. Linear regression of MEI on energy gain (EG; P < 0.001; R2 = 0.627) resulted in an estimate of metabolizable energy for maintenance (MEm) of 156 kcal/kg.75 and efficiency of ME use for gain of 0.518. Linear regression of MEI on EG as protein and fat (P < 0.001; R2 = 0.623) resulted in an estimate of MEm of 149 kcal/kg.75, and efficiency of protein (kp) and fat (kf) gain of 0.274 and 0.585, respectively, resulting in an overall efficiency of EG of 0.520. Nonlinear regression model (EG = kg*(MEI-MEm)) resulted in an estimate of MEm of 103 kcal/kg.75 and efficiency of EG of 0.342. The heat of product formation was assumed to be 0.48 (1 – 0.52) and the heat of support metabolism (HiEv) 0.18 (0.52 – 0.34). Multivariate regression was used to fit simultaneous models for EG as protein (EGp = (kp+HiEvp)*k*MEA) and fat (EGf = (kf+(0.18-HiEvp))*(1-k)*MEA). Estimates (P < 0.001) of kp and kf were 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.63 ± 0.02, and HiEvp and proportion of ME available for protein gain (k) were 0.11 ± 0.01 and 0.75 ± 0.01, respectively. The heat of product formation and support metabolism for protein were 0.77 and 0.11, and fat were 0.30 and 0.07, respectively. In conclusion, efficiency of ME use for protein was lesser than for fat gain, and heat of support metabolism was greater for protein than fat gain.