Performance and Physiology of Steers Following Grazing of Toxic Tall Fescue as Influenced by Feeding Soybean Hulls on Pasture and Postgraze Steroid Implantation1

Autor: F. N. Schrick, Glen E. Aiken, L.K. McClanahan, B. H. Kirch
Rok vydání: 2008
Předmět:
Zdroj: The Professional Animal Scientist. 24:392-398
ISSN: 1080-7446
DOI: 10.15232/s1080-7446(15)30894-9
Popis: Carryover effects of feeding soybean hulls (SBH) on toxic tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.)] pasture and effects of postgraze steroid implantation on performance and physiology of steers were evaluated in a 2-yr experiment. Following grazing, 36 steers were assigned to 9 pens, and pens were randomly assigned 3 to the following pasture-pen combinations: 1) feeding SBH on pasture and postgraze steroid implantation (WF/WI), 2) without feeding SBH on pasture and with postgraze steroid implantation (WOF/WI), and 3) without feeding SBH on pasture and without postgraze steroid implantation (WOF/WOI). Responses to the pasture-pen combinations were regressed over days on the nontoxic diet and regression slopes were compared. Steers fed SBH on pasture tended (P 0.10) between WF/WI and WOF/WI, and WOF/WI had greater (P 0.10) among treatments and increased nonlinearly over days on the nontoxic diet and stabilized in 25 to 30 d. Rectal temperatures declined nonlinearly (P < 0.001) from above 40.2°C to less than 39.5°C in 4 d, and serum prolactin increased (P < 0.001) and stabilized in 28 to 30 d. Results indicate that feeding SBH to steers on toxic fescue and postgraze steroid implantation can improve postgraze performance, but without improving rates of recovery from toxicosis.
Databáze: OpenAIRE