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Effects of Receiving and Growing Diets on Compensatory Gains of Stressed Calves¹

Clayton Livestock Research Center, New Mexico State University^,3, Clayton 88415

Abstract

Three hundred seventy-seven male stocker calves were used to study the effects of three receiving diets, two growing-finishing diets and two levels of shipping shrink on compensatory gains during the post-receiving feeding period. Calves received on a 75% concentrate diet gained 19 kg more during the first 42 d than those received on hay plus .91 kg daily of protein supplement (P<.01). Calves received on hay plus protein supplement gained 11 kg more than the calves received on hay alone during the same period (P<.01). When calves were fed an 85% concentrate diet throughout finishing, there was no difference in the rate of compensatory gain made by calves fed hay alone or hay plus protein supplement. Neither of the latter two groups completely compensated for the slow rates of gain made during receiving. When calves were fed a 50% concentrate growing diet from the end of the receiving period to a body weight of 272 kg then finished on an 85% concentrate diet, those received on hay alone lacked only 1 kg of compensating fully for the low gains of the receiving period. However, this procedure had no effect on the compensatory gains of those received on hay plus protein supplement. High-shrink calves received on hay alone or hay plus protein never compensated fully for the low gains made in the receiving period. However, with low-shrink calves, those recieved on hay alone fully compensated for the low gains of the receiving period and those received on hay plus protein lacked only 2 kg of making full compensation. Providing a high-energy receiving diet appears important for high shrink calves, while low shrink calves may be received on hay alone because they appear to compensate fully for low gains in the receiving period by the time of slaughter.

¹ Journal Article 1074, Agr. Exp. Sta., New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces 88003.

² Appreciation is expressed to Dr. T. E. Montgomery, West Texas State Univ., Canyon and to Iowa Beef Processors, Inc. Amarillo for collection of the carcass data.

³ Dept. of Anim. and Range Sci.