Monensin supplementation increases weight gain in stocker steers, but higher doses reduce essential mineral intake

Autor: Gabriele Maier, Tanapon Sukkankah, Josh Davy, Larry Forero, Berit Bangoura, Matthew Torcal, Sharif Aly
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: California Agriculture (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2160-8091
0008-0845
DOI: 10.3733/001c.122394
Popis: Monensin is known to improve feed efficiency in cattle. At higher doses, however, monensin reduces the palatability of mineral supplements, which may reduce consumption of essential minerals such as selenium. The main objective of this study was to compare weight gain, while evaluating the impact on blood selenium concentrations, among treatment and control groups of stocker calves supplemented with a self-fed mineral supplement designed to deliver different amounts of monensin, while the control group received the same mineral without monensin. A secondary objective was to compare the presence of pathogenic and total coccidia oocysts. At study end, all monensin treatment groups weighed more than the control group but were not different from each other. No effect was detected on coccidia oocysts. In sum, there is a production gain from providing monensin in a mineral supplement to weaned calves on pasture. However, too high a dose may lead to insufficient trace mineral consumption. This is a concern in areas where forage is deficient in these nutrients.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals