This is a draft schedule. Presentation dates, times and locations may be subject to change.
17
Effect of Standardized Capsicum Oleoresin on Behavior of Feedlot Cattle during Summer
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Exhibit Hall (Baltimore Convention Center)
Clémentine Oguey, Pancosma, Geneva, Switzerland
Thomas H. McCullough, Gladwin A. Read Co., Waterloo, NE
Garrett Parsons, Kansas State University, Saint George, KS
Emma H. Wall, Pancosma, Geneva, Switzerland
Terry L Mader, Mader Consulting, LLC, Gretna, NE
Previous research has shown that low dosages of capsicum oleoresin positively affected individual behavior of cattle housed in small pens. The objective of this trial was to assess the effect of a product standardized with 20% capsicum oleoresin (XT, XTRACT® Caps XL, Pancosma) on behavior of feedlot cattle farmed under typical US commercial conditions during the summer time. A total of 28 pens regrouping 3874 cattle (average BW at start of 426 kg) were paired according to pen type and density for 30 days. Within each pair, pens were assigned to either a control TMR diet with Monensin (CT) or the same diet supplemented with 250 mg/hd/d XT (XT). Dry matter intake was recorded daily for each pen. Behavior was recorded per pen, once pre-trial then 3 times during the study by 2 examiners. Panting score, percentage of standing versus laying animals, number of head at waterers and feedbunk were collected. DMI was analyzed using the mixed models procedure of SAS, with day, treatment and their interaction considered as fixed effects. Equality of variances for DMI was assessed using a Fisher F-test. Behavior data were analyzed by a χ2 test. Results showed that the treatments did not affect DMI (mean 10.7 kg/hd/d, P = 0.57). However, daily variation of intake tended to be lower in XT treatment than in CT group (P < 0.06), suggesting that capsicum induced a more homogeneous DMI. The proportion of animals standing versus lying was not affected by the treatments (P > 0.70), as well as at the waterer and at the feeder (means of respectively 5.81% and 7.82%, P > 0.20). The proportion of cattle with a panting score greater than 2 was lower in XT than in CT (7.90% vs. 8.10%, P = 0.15); however, the biological relevance of this small difference is difficult to interpret. These findings suggest that capsicum supplementation has the potential to modulate intake variation and this may limit negative effect of hot season in feedlot cattle raised under commercial conditions.