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Ration Effects on Drylot Steer Feeding Patterns

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Abstract

Photoelectric relays and operation recorders were used to record feeding patterns of eight steers fed individually and ad libitum. The experimental design was a balanced 4 x 4 latin square with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of ration treatments. Rations varied in physical state (pellet vs. ground) and roughage content (25 vs. 89% hay). Adjustment and observation periods were of 1 week duration in the first study and 2 weeks in the second. Time spent at the feeders was analyzed statistically by 3-hour intervals. Average daily time at the feeder, body weight and daily feed consumption for the first and second studies were 324 and 228 min., 596 and 824 lb., and 20.7 and 22.6 lb., respectively. Approximately of the total time spent at the feeder occurred during the hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, the steers went to the feeder for short periods all through the night. When the rations were pelleted, 30–31% less time was spent at the feeder than when they were coarsely ground. When the low hay rations were fed, 21–26% less time was spent at the feeder than when the hay rations were fed. Pelleting decreased feeding time more with the high hay ration than with the low hay ration. There were significant variations among animals and periods. The average number of feeding periods per day ranged from 9 to 14. There were no differences in the results when the first 7 days of observations were compared to the second 7 days during the second study, suggesting that a single 7-day observation is adequate.

¹ Beef Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, ARS, Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Md.

² The authors gratefully acknowledge the advice of W. R. Harvey, Biometrical Services.

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