PS-9 Behavioral patterns at the feed bunk as indicators of feed efficiency in yearling Angus bulls

IF 2.9 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Journal of animal science Pub Date : 2025-06-27 DOI:10.1093/jas/skaf170.187

Amelia R G Katz, Jason P Dubowsky, Julie M Huzzey, Zachary D McFarlane

{"title":"PS-9 Behavioral patterns at the feed bunk as indicators of feed efficiency in yearling Angus bulls","authors":"Amelia R G Katz, Jason P Dubowsky, Julie M Huzzey, Zachary D McFarlane","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf170.187","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between feed efficiency and feeding behavior in yearling Angus bulls. Bulls (n=214) were housed at Cal Poly Bull Test across 4 similar pens with 24-28 bulls/pen and a stocking rate of 6-7 bulls/feeder. Pens were balanced based on bull body weight at the start of the trial. This trial was repeated over two years with different sets of bulls. Feeders were filled twice daily at approximately 0630 h and 1700 h. Feed intake was monitored using an automated system (SmartFeed, C-Lock, Inc.) that recorded entry and exit times, as well as feed start and end weights. Data were processed to calculate for each bull: visit frequency, visit duration, total feeding time, and hourly feed intake during the 85-day trial. Bulls were retrospectively classified into high feed efficiency (HIFE) and low feed efficiency (LOFE) treatment groups based on their combined residual feed intake and feed:gain ratio ranks. Five bulls from each treatment group were selected per pen per year, resulting in 40 bulls per treatment for analyses. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4. The model included fixed effects of feed efficiency group, hour (0 to 24), and their interaction, with bull within pen as a random effect and hour treated as a repeated measure. LOFE bulls visited the feeder more frequently throughout the day (P = 0.0001) and consumed more feed overall (P &lt; 0.0001), particularly around feed delivery times (P &lt; 0.04). LOFE bulls spent more time feeding across the entire day (P = 0.002) but did not differ from HIFE bulls in visit duration per feeding event (P = 0.35). Differences in feeding patterns were most evident around feed delivery times, with LOFE bulls displaying longer feeding durations and higher feed intake during the hours surrounding both morning and evening feed deliveries (P &lt; 0.03). These findings demonstrate distinct behavioral differences between feed efficiency groups, particularly around feeding times. Bulls with higher feed efficiency exhibited more restrained feeding behavior, characterized by fewer visits and reduced feed intake. This suggests that behavioral patterns at the feed bunk could serve as an important criterion in bull selection for feed efficiency improvement.","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of animal science","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf170.187","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between feed efficiency and feeding behavior in yearling Angus bulls. Bulls (n=214) were housed at Cal Poly Bull Test across 4 similar pens with 24-28 bulls/pen and a stocking rate of 6-7 bulls/feeder. Pens were balanced based on bull body weight at the start of the trial. This trial was repeated over two years with different sets of bulls. Feeders were filled twice daily at approximately 0630 h and 1700 h. Feed intake was monitored using an automated system (SmartFeed, C-Lock, Inc.) that recorded entry and exit times, as well as feed start and end weights. Data were processed to calculate for each bull: visit frequency, visit duration, total feeding time, and hourly feed intake during the 85-day trial. Bulls were retrospectively classified into high feed efficiency (HIFE) and low feed efficiency (LOFE) treatment groups based on their combined residual feed intake and feed:gain ratio ranks. Five bulls from each treatment group were selected per pen per year, resulting in 40 bulls per treatment for analyses. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4. The model included fixed effects of feed efficiency group, hour (0 to 24), and their interaction, with bull within pen as a random effect and hour treated as a repeated measure. LOFE bulls visited the feeder more frequently throughout the day (P = 0.0001) and consumed more feed overall (P < 0.0001), particularly around feed delivery times (P < 0.04). LOFE bulls spent more time feeding across the entire day (P = 0.002) but did not differ from HIFE bulls in visit duration per feeding event (P = 0.35). Differences in feeding patterns were most evident around feed delivery times, with LOFE bulls displaying longer feeding durations and higher feed intake during the hours surrounding both morning and evening feed deliveries (P < 0.03). These findings demonstrate distinct behavioral differences between feed efficiency groups, particularly around feeding times. Bulls with higher feed efficiency exhibited more restrained feeding behavior, characterized by fewer visits and reduced feed intake. This suggests that behavioral patterns at the feed bunk could serve as an important criterion in bull selection for feed efficiency improvement.

查看原文本刊更多论文

PS-9安格斯公牛饲料工位行为模式作为饲料效率的指标

本研究旨在探讨安格斯公牛饲料效率与摄食行为的关系。公牛（n=214）被安置在4个类似的围栏中，每个围栏24-28头公牛，放养率为6-7头公牛/喂食器。试验开始时，按公牛体重对栏进行平衡。这项试验在两年多的时间里用不同的公牛重复进行。喂食器每天分别在06:30 h和1700 h填充两次。使用自动化系统（SmartFeed, C-Lock, Inc.）监测进食量，记录进食量和出食量，以及开始和结束喂食的重量。对数据进行处理，计算每头公牛在85 d试验期间的来访次数、来访时间、总摄食时间和每小时采食量。根据公牛的综合残采食量和料重比，回顾性地将公牛分为高饲料效率（HIFE）和低饲料效率（LOFE）处理组。每年从每个处理组中选择5头公牛，每个处理40头公牛进行分析。使用SAS 9.4中的MIXED程序分析数据。模型包括饲料效率组、小时（0 ~ 24）及其相互作用的固定效应，栏内公牛为随机效应，小时为重复效应。LOFE公牛全天访问喂食器的频率更高（P = 0.0001），总体上消耗的饲料更多(P <；0.0001)，特别是在饲料交付时间(P <；0.04)。LOFE公牛在整个一天中花费更多的时间喂食（P = 0.002），但在每次喂食事件的访问时间上与hfe公牛没有差异（P = 0.35）。饲喂模式的差异在饲喂时间上最为明显，在早晚饲喂前后的几个小时内，LOFE公牛的饲喂时间更长，采食量更高(P <；0.03)。这些发现表明了饲料效率组之间明显的行为差异，特别是在饲喂时间前后。饲料效率高的公牛表现出更克制的摄食行为，其特征是较少的访问和较少的采食量。由此可见，饲料铺位的行为模式可作为提高饲料效率的公牛选择的重要依据。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of animal science 农林科学-奶制品与动物科学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

12.10%

发文量

1589

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Animal Science (JAS) is the premier journal for animal science and serves as the leading source of new knowledge and perspective in this area. JAS publishes more than 500 fully reviewed research articles, invited reviews, technical notes, and letters to the editor each year. Articles published in JAS encompass a broad range of research topics in animal production and fundamental aspects of genetics, nutrition, physiology, and preparation and utilization of animal products. Articles typically report research with beef cattle, companion animals, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep; however, studies involving other farm animals, aquatic and wildlife species, and laboratory animal species that address fundamental questions related to livestock and companion animal biology will be considered for publication.