Effect of Feeding Frequency on Feedlot Steer Performance

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Effect of Feeding Frequency on Feedlot Steer
Performance

• Jennifer S. Schutz
• Graduate Research Assistant
• Department of Animal Science
• Colorado State University

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Overall Objective

• The objectives of this study were to determine
  the effects of feeding once, twice, or three
  times per day on overall performance and carcass
  characteristics of feedlot steers at the
  Southeastern Colorado Research Center.

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What inspired this project?

• In May of 2005 CSU was gifted SECRC by Five
  Rivers Ranch Cattle Feeding LLC. The research
  feedlot can hold 1,512 head of cattle in 168 nine
  head pens.
• By determining what effects feeding methods have
  on intake, maximum profitability can be reached
  by keeping labor and machine costs to a minimum
  as these feeding methods relate to research at
  SECRC.

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Project Outline

• 270 Crossbred yearling steers (318.37 7.05 kg
  initial BW)
• Steers were stratified by BW within breed type on
  day -1 and randomly sorted on day 0 to one of
  three treatments
• Feeding once per day
• Feeding twice per day
• Feeding three times per day
• 10 replicates of 9 steers for each treatment

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Project Outline (cont).

• Ration
• All steers were fed a finishing diet containing a
  roughage source, steam flaked corn, and a urea
  and limestone based vitamin and mineral
  supplement.

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Table 1. Basal Diet Composition

• a Condensed Corn Distillers Solubles.
• b Supplement consisted of Calcium, Salt, Urea,
  Min Ad, ATM 398, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Rumensin
  80, Tylan 100, and Mineral Oil
• c Supplement contained Potassium Chloride as well
  as above ingredients

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Project Outline (cont).

• Bunk Management
• Feed calls were determined daily prior to the
  morning feeding
• Orts were collected, weighed and recorded
  throughout trial
• Excess feed ( 18.18 kg) for 3 days
• Weigh days
• Rain/wet feed

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Project Outline (cont)Feeding Times

• Treatment 1
• Fed 100 of ration starting at 730 am
• Treatment 2
• Fed 60 of ration starting at 800 am and the
  remaining 40 of their ration starting at 100 pm
• Treatment 3
• Fed 34 of ration at 700 am, 33 of their ration
  at 1000 am, and the remaining 33 of their
  ration at 200 pm.

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Data Collection

• Steers were individually weighed on d. -1,
  0, 47 (re-implant), 169, and 170
• Steers were pen weighed on d. 83 and 126
• Steers were harvested after 170 DOF

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Performance Weights
a 1fed once daily, 2 fed twice daily, 3 fed
three times daily b Abbreviations used HCWHot
Carcass Weight.
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Performance Gain/Intake

• a 1fed once daily, 2 fed twice daily, 3 fed
  three times daily
• b Abbreviations used ADG average daily gain
  (kg/hd/d), ADFI average daily feed intake
  (kg/hd/d), FE feed efficiency (kgs
  gained/intake).

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Quality Grade Marketing Category

• No treatment effect
• 34 of all steers graded USDA Choice
• Averaged USDA Select

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Calculated USDA Yield Grade

• No treatment effect
• Average Yield Grade 3.29

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Liver Scores by Treatment
Treatment 3 steers had a numerically higher
percentage of liver abscesses than treatments 1
or 2.
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Conclusion

• There was an effect on feeding frequency at SECRC
  in terms of steer performance
• 3 times a day had
• Greater ADG, ADFI, HCW
• Treatment one and two were similar in overall
  performance
• Therefore
• INCREASED FEEDING FREQUENCIES MIGHT RESULT IN
  HIGER INTAKES AND GAINS

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Conclusion

• Once daily feedingdoes it have a place???
• End Profits
• Labor and machine costs (gas, employee s etc)
• There is a place for once a day feedingproper
  management can allow a feedlot to implement this
  type of feeding strategy

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QUESTIONS?