135 Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Methane Emissions of Feedlot Young Bulls

Abstract The growth performance, carcass characteristics, and methane emissions from feedlot beef cattle fed a high-lipid finishing diet (7.3% of ether extract) were evaluated. Fifty long-yearling young bulls were divided into two groups following their breed composition: Nellore (n = 25) and Angus...

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Published in:Journal of animal science 2023-05, Vol.101 (Supplement_1), p.80-81
Main Authors: Rodrigues, Barbara, Sarturi, Jhones, Samia, Leandro, Alvarenga, Ramon C, Berndt, Alexandre, Souza, Fernando, Reis, Beatriz Q, Silva, Kaliu G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Beef
Beef cattle
Body weight
Breeding seasons
Capillary tubes
Carcasses
Cattle
Diameters
Diet
Dry matter
Emission measurements
Emissions
Feedlots
Lipids
Methane
Methane emissions
Pasture
Polyvinyl chloride
Sorghum silage
Soybeans
Statistical analysis
Statistical methods
Sulfur
Sulfur hexafluoride
Sulphur
Titanium dioxide
Tracer gas
Tracers
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Summary:Abstract The growth performance, carcass characteristics, and methane emissions from feedlot beef cattle fed a high-lipid finishing diet (7.3% of ether extract) were evaluated. Fifty long-yearling young bulls were divided into two groups following their breed composition: Nellore (n = 25) and Angus × Nellore crossbred (n = 25), and randomly assigned into 4 pens (12 or 13 animals/pen) following a completely randomized design. Animals were sourced from the same breeding season and endured a grazing growing phase in Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça pasture, with protein and energy supplement offered at 0.2% of body weight (BW). The feedlot phase comprehended 105 days of feed, and the diet (80% concentrate) was formulated to meet or safely exceed the beef cattle requirements to target an average daily gain (ADG) of 1.6 kg/day, in which major ingredients were represented by (% DM basis): sorghum silage (20%), ground corn (57.6%), ground soybean seed as the lipid source (20.4%), and a mineral/vitamin premix (2%). Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used as an external marker to estimate dry matter intake (DMI), while 10 g was administered to 12 animals of each group, once daily, for 10 d. Animals were weighed every 30 d after a 16-h fasting period, and the day before slaughter to obtain the final body weight (FBW). Enteric methane emissions were measured using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer gas technique in the same animals used for intake measurements. The animals were equipped with gas collection halters attached to pre-evacuated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sampling canisters with a capillary tube (0.127 mm diameter), made to permit 50% filling in 24 h, for five consecutive days. Data were analyzed using the statistical analysis software R (R CORE TEAM, 2021), and the effect of breed on carcass traits and methane emissions was evaluated using the completely randomized design one-way, in which treatment means were compared by the F test (P < 0.05). The crossbred animals had a greater DMI (12.6 vs.0.6 kg/d), gain efficiency (0.16 vs. 0.14), initial BW upon feedlot phase (509.8 vs. 444.7 kg), FBW (720.8 vs. 595.6, kg), ADG (2.01 vs..44 kg), and hot carcass weight (404.7 vs. 345.0 kg; P < 0.01) compared with Nellore cattle. No difference was observed in dressing percentage between genetic groups (P = 0.28). Nellore animals produced more methane expressed as CH4 g/kg ADG (266.0 vs.73.4; P < 0.01), and tended to produce more methane expressed as CH4 kg/DMI (35.4 vs. 27.7;
ISSN:0021-8812
1525-3163
DOI:10.1093/jas/skad068.095