Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of late gestation bodyweight change and condition score on progeny feedlot performance

J. T. Mulliniks A , J. E. Sawyer B , F. W. Harrelson C F , C. P. Mathis D G , S. H. Cox C , C. A. Löest C and M. K. Petersen E H
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, 320 Experiment Station Road, Crossville, TN 38571, USA.

B Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA.

C Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, 2980 South Espina, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.

D Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources Department, New Mexico State University, 2980 South Espina, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.

E USDA-ARS* Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, 243 Fort Keogh Road, Miles City, MT 59301, USA.

F Present address: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Morehead State University, 325 Reed Hall, Morehead, KY 40351, USA.

G Present address: King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.

H Corresponding author. Email: mark.petersen@ars.usda.gov

Animal Production Science 56(12) 1998-2003 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15025
Submitted: 16 January 2015  Accepted: 11 June 2015   Published: 14 October 2015

Abstract

Inadequate nutrient intake during late gestation can cause cow bodyweight (BW) loss and influence cow reproductive performance and subsequent productivity of steer progeny. Therefore, a 7-year study with a 3 × 3 arrangement of treatments was conducted at Corona Range and Livestock Research Centre, Corona, New Mexico to evaluate the effects of cow BW change and body condition score (BCS) during late gestation on subsequent cow pregnancy rates, progeny steer feedlot performance, and health. Cows were retrospectively classified to 1 of 3 BW change groups: (1) cows that lost BW during late gestation (LOSS; mean –26 ± 2 kg); (2) cows that maintained BW during late gestation (MAIN; mean –1 ± 1 kg); or (3) cows that gained BW during late gestation (GAIN; mean 25 ± 2 kg). Cows were also classified to 1 of 3 BCS groups: BCS of 4 (mean BCS = 4.0 ± 0.02; range 4.0–4.5), 5 (mean BCS = 5.0 ± 0.02; range 5.0–5.5), or 6 (mean BCS = 6.0 ± 0.02; range 6.0–6.5). After weaning each year, steers were preconditioned for 45 days and were received and treated as custom-fed commercial cattle at a feedlot in mid-November. Calf weaning BW, initial feedlot BW, final BW, and hot carcass weight were unaffected (P ≥ 0.22) by dam’s prepartum BW change or BCS. However, steers from GAIN and MAIN tended (P = 0.06) to have increased ADG in the feedlot. Twelfth-rib fat thickness, longissimus muscle area, and days on feed were not influenced (P ≥ 0.18) by late gestation BW change or BCS. Calves from BCS 6 cows tended (P = 0.10) to have greater yield grades at harvest in the feedlot. Percentage of steers grading Choice or greater was increased (P < 0.01) in steers from LOSS cows and cows in BCS 4 during late gestation compared with other groups. These data suggest that modest nutrient restriction during late gestation can have a minimal effect on growth and performance of steer progeny from birth through the finishing phase.

Additional keywords: beef cattle, fetal programming, reproduction.


References

Anonymous (2005) Value added calf (VAC) – Vaccination Program. Texas Coop. Ext. Service. Available at http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/publications/rrpubs/vac_vaccine.pdf [Verified 20 March 2008]

Blecha F, Bull RC, Olson DP, Ross RH, Curtis S (1981) Effects of prepartum protein restriction in the beef cows on immunoglobin content in blood and colostral whey and subsequent immunoglobin absorption by the neonatal calf. Journal of Animal Science 53, 1174–1180.

Bohnert DW, Mills RR, Stalker LA, Nyman A, Falck SJ (2010) Late gestation supplementation of beef cows: effects on cow and calf performance. Proceedings of the Western Section of American Society of Animal Science 61, 255–258.

Brass E, Hanson E, O’Tierney-Ginn PF (2013) Placental oleic acid uptake is lower in male offspring of obese women. Placenta 34, 503–509.
Placental oleic acid uptake is lower in male offspring of obese women.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXmtleisrk%3D&md5=07e53d7472e554f00c2ba45462e83f7aCAS | 23602336PubMed |

Ciccioli NH, Wettemann RP, Spicer LJ, Lents CA, White FJ, Keisler DH (2003) Influence of body condition at calving and postpartum nutrition on endocrine function and reproductive performance of primiparous beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 81, 3107–3120.

Corah LR, Dunn TG, Kaltenbach CC (1975) Influence of prepartum nutrition on the reproductive performance of beef females and the performance of their progeny. Journal of Animal Science 41, 819–824.

Du M, Tong J, Zhao J, Underwood KR, Zhu M, Ford SP, Nathanielsz PW (2010) Fetal programming of skeletal muscle development in ruminant animals. Journal of Animal Science 88, E51–E60.
Fetal programming of skeletal muscle development in ruminant animals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3c3pslOisw%3D%3D&md5=ac08ce5a2b749243c31f4752c490a423CAS | 19717774PubMed |

Faber R, Hartwig N, Busby D, BreDahl R (1999) The costs and predictive factors of bovine respiratory disease in standardized steer tests. Iowa State University Beef Research Report Animal Science Leaflet R1648, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

Funston RN, Larson DM, Vonnahme KA (2010) Effects of maternal nutrition on conceptus growth and offspring performance: implications for beef cattle production. Journal of Animal Science 88, E205–E215.

Haggarty P (2002) Placental regulation of fatty acid delivery and its effect on fetal growth – a review. Placenta 23, S28–S38.
Placental regulation of fatty acid delivery and its effect on fetal growth – a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 11978057PubMed |

Hough RL, McCarthy FD, Kent HD, Eversole DE, Wahlberg ML (1990) Influence of nutritional restriction during late gestation on production measures and passive immunity in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 68, 2622–2627.

Houghton PL, Lemanager RP, Horstman LA, Hendrix KS, Moss GE (1990) Effects of body composition, pre- and postpartum energy level and early weaning on reproductive performance of beef cows and preweaning calf gain. Journal of Animal Science 68, 1438–1446.

Jobgen WS, Ford SP, Jobgen SC, Feng CP, Hess BW, Nathanielsz PW, Li P, Wu G (2008) Baggs ewes adapt to maternal undernutrition and maintain conceptus growth by maintaining fetal plasma concentrations of amino acids. Journal of Animal Science 86, 820–826.
Baggs ewes adapt to maternal undernutrition and maintain conceptus growth by maintaining fetal plasma concentrations of amino acids.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXjvFertbk%3D&md5=8e0ef29768ae0c2ad8728c76a51fe8daCAS | 18156363PubMed |

Lalman DL, Williams JE, Hess BW, Thomas MG, Keisler DH (2000) Effect of dietary energy intake on milk production and metabolic hormones in thin, primiparous beef heifers. Journal of Animal Science 78, 530–538.

Larson DM, Martin JL, Adams DC, Funston RN (2009) Winter grazing system and supplementation during late gestation influence performance of beef cows and steer progeny. Journal of Animal Science 87, 1147–1155.
Winter grazing system and supplementation during late gestation influence performance of beef cows and steer progeny.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXislaqs74%3D&md5=3a0d5c254298bece1eb401e50a82d0f7CAS | 18997078PubMed |

Looper ML, Lents CA, Wettemann RP (2003) Body condition at parturition and postpartum weight changes do not influence the incidence of short-lived corpora lutea in postpartum beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 81, 2390–2394.

Martin GS, Carstens GE, Taylor TL, Sweatt CR, Eli AG, Lunt DK, Smith SB (1997) Prepartum protein restriction does not alter norepinephrine-induced thermogenesis or brown adipose tissue function in newborn calves. The Journal of Nutrition 127, 1929–1937.

Mulliniks JT, Sawyer JE, Mathis CP, Cox SH, Petersen MK (2012) Winter protein management during late gestation alters range cow and steer performance. Journal of Animal Science 90, 5099–5106.
Winter protein management during late gestation alters range cow and steer performance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXisFSjsLk%3D&md5=65a9a58dead380425570e7fabc5a3a7fCAS | 22851236PubMed |

Roberts VH, Smith J, McLea SA, Heizer AB, Richardson JL, Myatt L (2009) Effect of increasing maternal body mass index on oxidative and nutritive stress in the human placenta. Placenta 30, 169–175.
Effect of increasing maternal body mass index on oxidative and nutritive stress in the human placenta.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhtVCnu70%3D&md5=b020b2578cf3e0a6f3dcb604bd4f9c3eCAS | 19100619PubMed |

Roberts KA, Riley SC, Reynolds RM, Barr S, Evans M, Stratham A (2011) Placental structure and inflammation in pregnancies associated with obesity. Placenta 32, 247–254.
Placental structure and inflammation in pregnancies associated with obesity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXit1WmtLg%3D&md5=8db01135cc8b7c224e6a12b4a35286c7CAS | 21232790PubMed |

Spitzer JC, Morrison DG, Wettemann RP, Faulkner LC (1995) Reproductive responses and calf birth and weaning weights as affected by body condition at parturition and postpartum weight gain in primiparous beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 73, 1251–1257.

Stalker LA, Adams DC, Klopfenstein TJ, Feuz DM, Funston RN (2006) Effects of pre- and postpartum nutrition on reproduction in spring calving cows and calf feedlot performance. Journal of Animal Science 84, 2582–2589.
Effects of pre- and postpartum nutrition on reproduction in spring calving cows and calf feedlot performance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XovFGku7s%3D&md5=1c8db86698f4cb28d7af84b57380bacaCAS | 16908664PubMed |

Underwood KR, Tong JF, Price PL, Roberts AJ, Grings EE, Hess BW, Means WJ, Du M (2010) Nutrition during mid to late gestation affects growth, adipose tissue deposition, and tenderness in cross-bred beef steers. Meat Science 86, 588–593.
Nutrition during mid to late gestation affects growth, adipose tissue deposition, and tenderness in cross-bred beef steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtFCrur%2FP&md5=4dd2fd82dd5868e98206475a05f7aae5CAS | 20659786PubMed |

Vonnahme KA, Hess BW, Nijland MJ, Nathanielsz PW, Ford SP (2006) Placentomal differentiation may compensate for maternal nutrient restriction in ewes adapted to harsh range conditions. Journal of Animal Science 84, 3451–3459.
Placentomal differentiation may compensate for maternal nutrient restriction in ewes adapted to harsh range conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28Xht1CnurfO&md5=55cd7e2712f3ede62982b6320cacc9e1CAS | 17093240PubMed |

Wagner JJ, Lusby KS, Oltjen JW, Rakestraw J, Wettemann RP, Walters LE (1988) Body condition at parturition and postpartum weight gain influences luteal activity and concentrations of glucose, insulin, and nonesterified fatty acids in plasma of primiparous beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 76, 927–936.

Wittum TE, Perino LJ (1995) Passive immune status at postpartum hour 24 and long-term health and performance of calves. American Journal of Veterinary Research 56, 1149–1154.