| Title |
Investigators | Department | Objectives | Approach Keywords | Progress Reports | Impact Statements | Publications | |
Project * COL00294A(See Project History for COL00294) | |
| Title | Stress Factors of Farm Animals and Their Effects on Performance |
| Investigator(s) | Engle, TE; Ames, DR; Enns, RM; |
| Department | Animal Science |
| Objectives | 3. Develop alternative management practices to reduce stress and improve animal well-being and performance. |
| Approach | Feeder cattle that have been shipped are subjected to varying degrees of stress. Stress associated with shipping can result in increased susceptibility to respiratory tract and other infectious diseases (Hutcheson and Cole, 1986). Morbidity and mortality rates are often high in these animals, despite vaccination against respiratory diseases. Costs associated with morbidity are one of the most important determinants of profitability of feedlot cattle (Gardner et al., 1996). It has been reported that approximately 8% of all production costs can be attributed to treatment costs (medication and labor) of morbid feedlot cattle and the associated costs of mortality without consideration of losses resulting from decreased performance (Griffin et al., 1995). Several researchers monitoring ranch-to-rail programs have reported net return differences among cattle that have remained healthy throughout the feeding period vs. morbid cattle (McNeill, 1992-1998; McNeill et al. , 1996; Griffin et al., 1995; Gardner et al., 1996; Gardner et al., 1999; Roeber et al., 2001). However, the majority of reports have only monitored morbidity during the feedlot phase of cattle production. Little information is available relative to how cow/calf morbidity and nutrition affects feedlot performance and profitability. Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and to some extent manganese (Mn), and cobalt (Co), have been shown to play a role in the immune response of cattle (Underwood, 1971; McDowell, 1992; Galyean et al., 1999; Spears, 2000). Typically these minerals are fed in excess to compensate for the decrease in feed intake observed in weaned calves arriving to the feedlot (Hutcheson and Cole, 1986; NRC, 1996). However, trace mineral deficiencies can exist at the cow/calf level of production. As a result, supplementing trace minerals to cow/calf herds as well as to weaned calves prior to shipping may allow for an enhanced immune response when the calves are exposed to stressors such as transport and the new feedlot environment. Therefore, supplementing trace minerals prior to transport and increasing the trace mineral concentrations in the receiving ration of stressed calves may reduce the number of incidences of morbidity and mortality in newly received cattle (Hutcheson and Cole, 1986). |
| Keywords | trace minerals, cattle, copper, zinc, health |
| Progress Reports | |
| Impact | |
| Publications | |
|
| |