Cattle Fattening Research Articles

Dietary Fatty Acid Increases Body Weight Gain without a Change in Rumen Fermentation in Fattening Cattle

Dietary fatty acid including mainly palmitic acid and stearic acid was fed to fattening cattle and its effect on body weight gain, plasma lipid contents and rumen liquid fermentation in vitro was examined. In expt. 1, the effect of dietary fatty acid on body weight gain and plasma lipid concentrations was examined. In the control diet group, cattle were fed 1 kg/day of rice straw and concentrate which satisfied the requirement. In the fatty acid group, cattle were given 250 g/d of fatty acid with the same diet of the control diet group. In the excess concentrate group, cattle were given the same diet of the control diet group plus 735 g/d of concentrate corresponding to the same TDN of 250 g/d of fatty acid. Diets were given for 7 days. Body weight gain of cattle given dietary fatty acid was significantly greater than that of cattle fed only rice straw and concentrate. When dietary fatty acid was added to cattle feed, plasma NEFA and HDL-cholesterol concentrations increased. In expt. 2, the influence of dietary fatty acid on gas production and VFA profile in the rumen liquid was investigated in vitro. In the control group, 10 mg of rice straw and 90 mg of concentrate were incubated in the rumen fluid. In the excess concentrate group, 10 mg of rice straw and 97.5 mg of concentrate were incubated. In the fatty acid group, 10 mg of rice straw, 90 mg of concentrate and 2.5 mg of fatty acids were incubated. The rumen liquid mixed with feed materials was incubated for 24 h and the cumulative gas volume was measured. The VFA profile was also measured. Cumulative gas volume in the rumen liquid with fatty acid was equal to the control. Excess concentrate increased cumulative gas volume compared to the fatty acid group. There was no significant difference in total VFA concentration between experimental diet groups. It is suggested that dietary fatty acid has the potency to improve growth performance in fattening cattle without failure in rumen fermentation. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim.

Effects of Vitamin A on Carcass Composition Concerning Younger Steer Fattening of Wagyu Cattle

Regarding the fattening of younger cattle that the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) recommends in Japan, this study looked at vitamin A control in feed and blood and its effect on performance of production and carcass composition of Wagyu steers. Five sets from 10 Wagyu artificial identical twins were divided to into 2 groups, a restricted group (Test) and a supplied group (Control). The body weight at the finishing time of the Test was significantly lower than that of the Control (p<0.05). The daily gain from 13 to 21 months old, as the animals in the Test were fed the concentrated feed without Vitamin A, was significantly different (p<0.05) between the Test and the Control. The total daily gains for the Test and the Control for the fattening period were 0.82 kg/day and 0.93 kg/day, respectively, which showed a significant difference (p<0.01). Regarding the rib thickness, the Test was thinner than the Control. The Beef Marbling Scores of the Test and Control were 3.60 and 2.80, respectively. The muscle weight of the Test was significantly smaller than that of the Control (p<0.01). However, regarding the ratio to the carcass, the Test was significantly higher than the Control (p<0.05). For the fat weight, the Test was smaller by about 15 kg than the Control (p<0.01). Furthermore, for the fat ratio to the carcass, the Test was significantly lower than the Control (p<0.05). The bone weights of the two groups were approximately the same. Regarding the ratio of bone to carcass, the Test was higher than the Control (p<0.01). For the younger fattening method, the low level vitamin A in the serum had the effect that the muscle ratio to the carcass weight was greater and the fat was less, but the carcass and muscle weight were less. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 3 : 353-358)

Beef Cattle Production in Bangladesh - A Review

A large number of farmers involved in bull fattening just before 3 or 4 months of Eid-ul-Azha (Muslim festival), when they sell the animals with profitable prices. Cattle fattening for beef production have become an important business of the small farmers in Bangladesh. In few areas of Bangladesh a small scale commercial beef fattening program has already been started. Straw is the important crop residue; contribute the major portion of the fibrous part of the diet of the beef cattle. Rice straw is the basal feed for ruminants with low nutritive value and low digestibility. Farmers use rice straw of traditional varieties, green grass, sugarcane tops, wheat and rice bran, molasses, pulse bran and locally available resources such as pumpkin, carrot, banana, vegetable by products, rice gruel, boiled rice bran, oil cakes etc for beef fattening. The chemical treatment of straw is the most effective and economic method to improving the quality. Straw is mainly treated with urea and molasses and in some cases chemical treatment also done by the farmers. Urea molasses straw treatment in beef cattle resulted higher body weight, dressing percentage and also in better carcass quality than untreated straw. The acute shortage of feeds and fodder has long been identified as a serious constraint to optimum livestock production in Bangladesh. The nutritional factor is considered a major constraint to livestock productivity. Traditional grazing field is scarce except in some pockets in Pabna and Sylhet districts. Farmers used three years old cattle for beef fattening and maximum growth rate between 1.1 to 1.4 years of age. Cattle fattening period is 4.5 months in rural areas of Bangladesh.

Technical and allocative efficiency analysis for cattle fattening on Argentina Pampas

Management systems for cattle fattening in winter (‘wintering’) on Pampas region are studied. After analyzing 136 management records throughout 3 years, simulation models using linear programming were developed to optimize beef production according to the following decision criteria: minimum cost under energy and time constraints; and maximum yield under energy and time constraints. These simulation models, which represent the production frontiers that these enterprises may achieve, are later compared to the management results obtained; this allows us to analyze the technical and allocative efficiency of farms, simulate management proposals and establish production possibilities for different scenarios. The results obtained in the actual scenarios indicate that production may be fourfolded by modifying feeding strategy, increasing profits of around 140% if a criterion of maximum yield is adopted and the allocative efficiency is improved.

Structural changes in intramuscular connective tissue during the fattening of Japanese black cattle: effect of marbling on beef tenderization.

We investigated changes in structures and mechanical properties of the intramuscular connective tissue during the fattening of Japanese Black steers, using the cell maceration method for scanning electron microscopy. During the early fattening period, from 9 to 20 mo of age, collagen fibrils of the endomysium in longissimus muscle associated more closely with each other, and collagen fibers in the perimysium increased in thickness and their wavy pattern became more regular. These changes were closely related to the increase in mechanical strength of the intramuscular connective tissue and resulted in a toughening of the beef during the period. The shear force value of longissimus muscle decreased after 20 mo of age, concomitantly with the rapid increase in the crude fat content. Scanning electron micrographs of the longissimus muscle dissected from 32-mo-old steers clearly showed that the adipose tissues were formed between muscle fiber bundles, that the honeycomb structure of endomysia was partially broken, and that the perimysium separated into thinner collagen fibers. In semitendinosus muscle, in which the crude fat content was lower (P<.05) than that in longissimus muscle, the structure of the intramuscular connective tissue remained rigid at 32 mo of age. The shear force value of the muscle increased even in the late fattening period, from 20 to 32 mo of age. Thus, the development of adipose tissues in longissimus muscle appears to disorganize the structure of the intramuscular connective tissue and contributes to tenderization of highly marbled beef from Japanese Black cattle during the late fattening period.

4-Chlorotestosterone acetate metabolites in cattle after intramuscular and oral administrations

The use of 4-chlorotestosterone acetate by farmers for cattle fattening was recently demonstrated although the use of this anabolic steroid is strictly forbidden in the European Union. We investigated the metabolism of 4-chlorotestosterone acetate in the bovine species after intramuscular and oral administration. Nineteen metabolites were detected in urine after intramuscular injection, and eight metabolites were identified. For this purpose, preparative HPLC, mass spectrometry with different ionization modes (electronic impact and chemical ionization), and different acquisition techniques were used (high resolution, selected ion monitoring, and scan measurement). Metabolite stereoisomerism was determined on the basis of retention time and organic synthesis. 4-Chloroepitestosterone (M2), 4-chloroandrost-4-en-3alpha-ol-17-one (M3), and 4-chloroandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (M4) were identified as the main urinary markers of intramuscular administration. On the other hand, 4-chloroandrost-4-ene-3alpha,17beta-diol (M7), 4-chloroandrostan-3beta-ol-17-one (M5), and M2 were the primary indicators of an oral administration. In addition, we have shown that 95% of the metabolites were sulfo-conjugated, except for M3, which was partially conjugated to glucuronic acid. Finally, the main metabolites (M2, M3, and M4) were easily identified for 1.5 months after intramuscular administration.

Ultrasonic measurement of longissimus dorsi muscle and backfat, associated with metabolic and endocrine traits, during fattening of intact and castrated male cattle

Ultrasonic measurements of longissimus dorsi muscle diameter, backfat thickness and skin thickness were validated and related to metabolic and endocrine traits in growing intact and castrated male cattle. Prediction of carcass components based on ultrasonic measures of longissimus dorsi muscle diameter and backfat thickness before slaughter was feasible. The ultrasonic technique was found to be a sensitive method to detect changes of longissimus dorsi muscle diameter, backfat thickness and skin thickness during fattening of bulls and steers. Changes seen during fattening were associated with metabolic and endocrine traits. The ultrasonic technique can basically be used to evaluate the nutritional status in growing bulls and steers.

Multi-laboratory study of the analysis and kinetics of stanozolol and its metabolites in treated calves.

The European Union banned the use of anabolic steroids for cattle fattening in 1988. Analytical techniques able to detect trace amounts of the parent drugs and their metabolites are mandatory for the control of abuse. Stanozolol (Stan) is an anabolic steroid that is often found in injection sites and cocktails. However, it has never been detected in tissues (kidney fat, meat) or excreta (urine, faeces) taken during regulatory inspection. The difference between the structure of Stan and the other steroids (a pyrazole ring fused to the androstane ring system) is probably the cause of this phenomenon. In the multi-laboratory study described here, veal calves were treated with intramuscular doses of Stan. In the excreta of these calves the presence, absence and/or concentration of Stan and of its major metabolites 16 beta-hydroxystanozolol and 3'-hydroxystanozolol were determined. For the determination of these analytes the different laboratories used different extraction and clean-up procedures and also evaluated different analytical techniques such as GC-MS (negative chemical ionization) and LC-MS-MS. The aim of this investigation was to explore which analyte should be validated for veterinary inspection purposes.

Serum vitamin A and vitamin E in Japanese black fattening cattle in Miyazaki prefecture as determined by automatic column-switching high performance liquid chromatography.

Japanese Black fattening cattle in Miyazaki prefecture, Japan were examined for serum vitamin A (V. A) and vitamin E (V. E) by automatic column-switching high performance liquid chromatography with automated deproteinization. Results indicated that most Japanese Black fattening cattle in Miyazaki prefecture may be provided with V. A supplement and diets including little V. E, moderate beta-carotene and V. A during the early fattening stage, and diets including little beta-carotene, V. A and V. E during the middle and later fattening stages. Therefore, monitoring serum V. A and V. E in Japanese Black fattening cattle throughout the fattening period seems necessary for farmers in Miyazaki prefecture to avoid economic loss attributable to these deficiencies.

Utilization of a leather industry waste

In the production of leather the main waste that remains after splitting of limed hides before tanning is the lowest layer of the skin together with the underlying fatty tissue (subcutis). It is characterized by a very high water content (up to 870 g kg −1) and a balanced content of protein (40–60 g kg −1 of the dry mass), fat (10–20 g kg −1) of the dry mass) and carbohydrates. The object of this work was to elaborate a method to process this waste into useful products. The treatment proposed involves washing to remove the inorganic salts, separation of fat and extraction of collagen in hot water solution and additional extraction of protein from the insoluble residue after hydrolysis with alkaline proteinase. This results in the isolation of three fractions: fat—cattle tallow (4–12% of the total mass of the initial material), collagen hydrolysate—glue (5–10%) and protein concentrate for fodder (1–3% yield). Up to 95% of the protein in the initial material was extracted. Further purification of the collagen hydrolysate fraction into edible gelatin was achieved. The proposed method is applicable to every leather factory.

The effect of dolomite, limestone and zinc oxide as feed additives on utilization of organic matter and minerals by young fattening cattle

1. The effect of MgSO4 addition and the increasing doses of calcium and phosphorus during ending drying period on the occurrence of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia in dairy cows R. Bodarski, S. Kinal, J. Preś, M. Słupczyńska, J. Twardoń Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences CrossRef

Application of high-performance thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to the detection of new anabolic steroids used as growth promoters in cattle fattening

The misuse of natural and synthetic hormones as growth promotors in cattle fattening, although forbidden within the European Community, is well known. Frequently these hormones are injected into the animal as highly concentrated mixtures (the so-called “hormone cocktails”), which usually stay locally at the site of injection from where they are distributed by a slow diffusion process. The analysis of these injection sites by an HPTLC method following a simple and unselective extraction yields a good picture of the compounds which are misused. Although almost 40 hormone reference standards are run with the sample, unknown spots regularly appear on the HPTLC plates, demonstrating that attempts are continuously made to bypass the laboratory controls by introducing new products on the black market. By continuously gathering HPTLC data for a broad range of hormones which were not yet known to be used in cattle fattening, it was possible to elucidate quickly the identities of two new spots that appeared on the chromatogram in the period between the end of 1992 and early 1993. These new compounds that were found in injection sites were the gestagens delmadinone acetate and algestone acetophenide. Their identities were confirmed by GC-MS analysis.

Survey of the hormones used in cattle fattening based on the analysis of Belgian injection sites.

Although the illegal use of orally administered compounds in cattle fattening has gained popularity, injection sites are still frequently found during control experiments on the carcasses in the slaughterhouses. The high concentrations of hormones in injection sites enable screening for the presence of 39 different hormones by a simple extraction followed by a fast and simple high-performance thin-layer chromatography analysis. Analysis of injection-site tissue is particularly successful for determining the hormones that are illegally injected. This data can not be obtained by analysis of other biological matrices like faeces, kidney fat or urine, owing to metabolization and selective excretion and/or deposition of these compounds. Since 1989, over 2000 injection sites have been analysed in our laboratory, which yielded a good survey of the hormones that were illegally injected. Over this period, the natural hormones estradiol and testosterone (mostly present as their esters) have obviously been used extensively. It is clear that since 1990 clostebol acetate has remained the most abused exogenous hormone. Additionally, some distinct trends were noticed, e.g., a tendency towards a highly decreased use of nandrolone, an increased use of progesterone and an increased occurrence of certain androgens like stanozolol and fluoxymesterone.

Ion chromatographic determination of perchlorate in cattle urine

Much research has been done over the years on the subject of thyreostatic drugs of the thiouracil type in cattle fattening. These substances increase body weight by enlarged filling of the gastro-intestinal tract and by augmented water retention. On the other hand, little work has been done on the elimination and the presence of residues of inorganic thyreostatics such as perchlorate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the elimination of ammonium perchlorate in cattle urine according to the concentration given and the duration of administration. Perchlorate concentrations were measured by mobile phase ion chromatography. The detection limit was 0.1 mg kg −1 for tenfold diluted urine.

Economic, clinical and functional consequences of a treatment using metrenperone during an outbreak of shipping fever in cattle.

Eighteen of 91 seven- to nine-month-old Belgian white and blue double-muscled male fattening cattle developed typical signs of shipping fever. They were all injected intramuscularly once a day for three days with 5 mg/kg of enrofloxacin, and in addition nine selected at random were injected intramuscularly five times at 12 hour intervals with 0.1 mg/kg of metrenperone, a 5-hydroxytryptamine blocker, the other nine receiving a placebo. During the outbreak of shipping fever metrenperone showed effective antipyretic properties, and all the calves treated with it made a complete recovery. Moreover, during the 360 day fattening period following the outbreak, the cattle treated with metrenperone gained on average 45.4 kg more weight than the control cattle.

Relationship between Social Grooming and Agonistic Behaviour in a Stable Fattening Cattle Herd

Relationship between Social Grooming and Agonistic Behaviour in a Stable Fattening Cattle Herd

Effects of fattening on post-mortem pH of beef muscles

The pH of beef psoas major (PM) and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles at 1·0 h after slaughter were examined among the following four groups: pithed fattening cattle (FP), non-pithed fattening cattle (FN), pithed calves (CP) and non-pithed calves (CN). Differences were observed only in PM muscles. The levels of pH were in the order of FP<FN<CP<CN, and significant differences were observed between CN and FP( P<0·01), and between CP and FP( P<0·05). By two-way cross-classification analysis of variance, significant differences were observed between fattening cattle and calves ( P<0·01) and between pithing and non-pithing ( P<0·05). These differences may be explained by the different death struggle which was caused by different weights between calves and fattening cattle and by whether the pithing procedure was used or not. Hence, by 1·0 h after slaughter, nearly ultimate pH values (5·60 ± 0·08) were observed in all PM muscles of the FP group.

The use of a hydrolysis residue from lysine production in a straw concentrate mixture for fattening lambs

The validity of residues from hydrolysis of soya bean meal for production of lysine was tested in a growth experiment with 2 groups of 25 cross breeding lambs as well as in a N-balance trial with 5 lambs. The animals in the growth experiment started with an average body weight of 25 kg. An industrially produced concentrate for lamb fattening was given to the animals of the control group. To the second group a straw-concentrate mixture was given, containing 30% straw, 52% barley, 5% soya bean meal, 5% dried beet pulp and 5% of hydrolysis residue. The mixture included 10.71 MJ ME resp. 5.51 MJ net-energy fat (cattle) and 166 g digestible crude protein per kg dry matter. The lambs of group 2 showed an 8% lower intake of DM, connected with a 26% intake of energy and 32% lower intake of DCP in comparison to the control group. The average daily body weight gain was 374 g for the control group and 241 g for group 2 respectively, the difference being statistically significant. The feed/gain ratio was in group 2 = 14% higher for energy and 6% higher for DCP than in the control group. The N-balance trial resulted in a N-retention of 25 percent of the N-intake. The results approved the possible use of 5% of the hydrolysis residue product for 2% crude protein in straw-concentrate mixtures for ruminants.

Learning in expectation formation with applications to cattle and beef exports

The paper briefly considers problems associated with rational expectations and formulates a more general model which allows for situations where economic agents do not immediately arrive at a fully rational solution. It incorporates a learning mechanism whereby agents can provisionally adopt hypothetically-derived expectations as a basis for comparison with the actual outturns. Utilizing the resultant past expectational errors as indicators of the likelihood of prospective future outcomes, agents make explicit allowance a rational solution. Thus, in situations where complete information is not freely available, rationality would be approximated over time by means of a dynamic learning process which is founded on a firm empirical approach. This essential empiricism requires that the problem be examined on the basis of direct observation of applied situations. Therefore the method is implemented and analysed with reference to Irish foreign trade in fat cattle, carcase and processed beef. Simultaneous equati...

Economic and Production Consequences of Liver Fluke Disease in Double‐Muscled Fattening Cattle

The frequency of liver fluke disease in fattening units was determined by the analysis of random faeces samples issued from 1,513 Belgian White Blue bulls aged from 5 to 7 months and weighing from 200 to 300 kg. 12.5% of the investigated bulls were positive for liver fluke disease. These bulls were spread over 56.5% of the investigated fattening units. Furthermore the infestation rate varied from 0 to 33.3% inside the fattening units. In order to assess the economic consequences of bovine fascioliasis in double-muscled cattle and the beneficial effects of a treatment against such a disease, a trial including 30 Belgian White Blue bulls, weighing 365 +/- 9 kg and aged from 10 to 12 months, was conducted in a selected fattening unit. On the basis of faecal examinations, the 30 animals were subdivided in negative (group A; n = 10) and positive animals (n = 20) for fascioliasis, the latter being either treated with nitroxinil (group B; n = 10) or not (group C; n = 10) on day 0 of this trial which was conducted during 75 days. The daily body gains in group C (1.661 +/- 0.140 kg) were significantly lower than those in group A (1.975 +/- 0.120 kg). On the other hand there was no significant difference between the daily body gains registered in group B (1.960 +/- 0.085 kg) and A. The estimated financial loss, due to flukes and accounted on a 75 day-period, averaged 2,748 Belgian Francs per bull in group C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)