NutraFacts Focus On: Beef

Special Topics in Beef Nutrition

Stress occurs early in the lives of dairy and beef calves and can have a negative effect on health, growth and general well-being. Because of the high economic value of improving calf health and performance, researchers are focusing more attention on vitamin status and supplementation strategies to better understand the impact of stress and how vitamin supplementation can help compensate for it. Recent research has examined specific effects of stressors on animal health and performance, as well as the impact of supplementing rations with antioxidants such as vitamin C.

A study at Texas A & M University examined the impact of transportation and feedlot acclimatization stress on feeder steer calves. It showed that multiple stressors significantly reduced the serum levels of vitamins A and E, reduced weight gains and increased the incidence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

In this study, 120 feeder steer calves were purchased in Tennessee and shipped to Bushland, Texas. To simulate feedlot stress, one calf group was subjected to simulated dust storms inside a tent. Another group was housed and fed in a tent, but was not subjected to dust. A control group was in an open feedlot. Half the steer calves from each treatment group were given Micotil® (Bayer) at 1 ml/30 kg of body weight prior to shipping.

> Texas A&M study details <

A recent Purdue University/USDA Agricultural Research Service study showed that feeding supplemental vitamin C and beta glucan significantly impacts dairy calf weight gain, health status and well-being. Vitamin C has been shown to have antioxidant properties and to play a role in white blood cell (neutrophil) function. Beta glucan, a cell-wall component of yeast, is a possible immunostimulant.

> Purdue study details <

Two recent studies show that feeding supplemental vitamin E to late-gestation dairy and beef cows can improve herd health and productivity and produce a positive return on investment. The studies examined a high-stress period when cow vitamin status can plummet without additional supplementation. This can have important implications for udder health, calf performance and other health, performance and reproductive parameters, as shown in the new studies.

In addition to the specific findings of these studies, they point out the broader implications of the need to recognize the wide differences in vitamin requirements during different times of any animal's life cycle or change in environmental situation.

Learn more:    Dairy Study    |    Beef Study

Mastitis is a well-recognized problem in dairy cows but receives far less attention in beef cattle. However the presence of mastitis infection can reduce calf growth and is certainly a drain on the general health and condition of the brood cow. In dairy cattle mastitis has been shown to reduce reproductive performance and delay conception. Given the similarities it is certainly reasonable to expect that mastitis could reduce fertility and delay conception in beef cows as well.  > More <

Reproduced from the Proceedings of the 2002 Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference; presented by John Paterson, Extension Beef Specialist, Montana State University, Bozeman.

In 1985 the average rancher spent $267 a year to maintain each cow in his herd. By 1995 cash costs increased to $322 per cow and could reach $357 by 2002. Cow expense places today's cash costs fully $90/cow higher than 15 years ago. In 1985 the breakeven cost for a 450 lb weaned calf was estimated to be $.67/lb compared with $.90/lb for that same 450 lb weaned calf in 2001. Duane Griffith from Montana State University has tracked 60 Montana ranches for the past decade to determine costs of production and profitability. Table 1, shows the differences in production costs between the top and bottom 25% of producers in this database.

The top 25% of ranches in this survey could produce a calf for approximately $.50/lb while the bottom 25% of the ranches required $1.13/lb to produce a calf. Expressed another way, the top 25% of ranches were making a profit with their calves ($135/cow) compared to a significant loss for the bottom 25% of ranches (-$223/cow).

During 1996 it was estimated that 4.3% of newborn calves died and that 37% of the calf losses were related to either weather (21%) or respiratory (16%) causes. These losses could suggest that the newborn calf did not have the immune system to fight off the effects of inclement weather or subsequent effects of respiratory infections.

The primary focus of many nutritionists in meeting the dietary requirements of the beef cow is to first concentrate on supplying adequate amounts of energy and protein. While a majority of ranches feed salt, most operations make some attempt to supply vitamin A. Feeding phosphorus varies by operation. While there are numerous studies evaluating the effects of vitamin E on dairy cow productivity, limited emphasis has been placed on the vitamin E requirements of the beef cow. The aim of this paper is to review available data showing the impact of Vitamin E on beef cattle productivity.     > view paper as PDF <

Reproduced from the Proceedings of the 2002 Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference; presented by By G.C. Smith et al., Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Quality deterioration in meat occurs because of oxidation of lipids and muscle pigments. Lipid oxidation causes development of off-odors and off-flavors; muscle-pigment oxidation negatively affects color, appearance and acceptability.

Consumers have learned, through experience, that the desirable color of fresh meat is bright-pink to bright-red and that any deviation from this creates a degree of unacceptability. Consumers judge meat quality via visual appearance, and surface discoloration may be interpreted as a condition of unwholesomeness.

'Case-life' of fresh beef is the amount of time a retail cut can maintain a bright-pink to bright-red appearance before discoloration. If the muscle color is brown, the cut of meat is not considered acceptable in freshness and usually will not be purchased at full price by US consumers.

Preventing this loss by increasing case-life by 1-2 days would save the US industry $175 million to $1 billion (US) annually. Maintaining or extending case-life of retail cuts by assuring that they have bright-pink to bright-red color can be accomplished by delaying the breakdown of lipid and thus delaying meat discoloration. Procedures which enhance lipid stability stabilize the color of beef prolong its shelf-life and favorably impact its economic value and image in marketplace.

Research studies and field trials have demonstrated that feeding of supplemental vitamin E has positive and desirable effects on beef quality and shelf-life. The feeding of supplemental vitamin E to steers and heifers while they are being 'finished' in the feedyard and the effect of such practice on retail case-life of beef is the most exciting application of science and technology in the US red-meat industry in the past 20 years. The US beef industry simply cannot ignore the $20.29-60.07 improvement in value of the retail cuts from a single steer/heifer carcass that results from a expenditure of $1.43-3.00 per animal to add vitamin E to the diet.     > view paper as PDF <

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