Topic
Backgrounding
About: Backgrounding is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 262 publications have been published within this topic receiving 3740 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: The results indicate the need to implement dietary strategies to decrease methane emissions of cattle fed high-forage backgrounding diets and barley-based finishing diets and indicate that mitigating methane losses from cattle will have long-term environmental benefits by decreasing agriculture's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
Abstract: Methane emitted from the livestock sector contributes to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide Understanding the variability in enteric methane production related to diet is essential to decreasing uncertainty in greenhouse gas emission inventories and to identifying viable greenhouse gas reduction strategies Our study focused on measuring methane in growing beef cattle fed corn- or barley-based diets typical of those fed to cattle in North American feedlots The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block (group) design with two treatments, barley and corn Angus heifer calves (initial BW = 328 kg) were allocated to two groups (eight per group), with four cattle in each group fed a corn or barley diet The experiment was conducted over a 42-d backgrounding phase, a 35-d transition phase and a 32-d finishing phase Backgrounding diets consisted of 70% barley silage or corn silage and 30% concentrate containing steam-rolled barley or dry-rolled corn (DM basis) Finishing diets consisted of 9% barley silage and 91% concentrate containing barley or corn (DM basis) All diets contained monensin (33 mg/kg of DM) Cattle were placed into four large environmental chambers (two heifers per chamber) during each phase to measure enteric methane production for 3 d During the backgrounding phase, DMI was greater by cattle fed corn than for those fed barley (102 vs 76 kg/d, P < 001), but during the finishing phase, DMI was similar for both diets (83 kg/d) The DMI was decreased to 63 kg/d with no effect of diet or phase while the cattle were in the chambers; thus, methane emissions (g/d) reported may underestimate those of the feedlot industry Methane emissions per kilogram of DMI and as a percentage of GE intake were not affected by grain source during the backgrounding phase (246 g/kg of DMI; 742% of GE), but were less (P < 005) for corn than for barley during the finishing phase (92 vs 131 g/kg of DMI; 281 vs 403% of GE) The results indicate the need to implement dietary strategies to decrease methane emissions of cattle fed high-forage backgrounding diets and barley-based finishing diets Mitigating methane losses from cattle will have long-term environmental benefits by decreasing agriculture's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions
359 citations
TL;DR: Average values of FS or CS for each experiment and location (NSW or WA × backgrounding or finishing) were more highly correlated than individual measurements, indicating that the average values were a more reliable assessment of cattle temperament than any single measure.
Abstract: Relationships between temperament and a range of performance, carcass, and meat quality traits in young cattle were studied in 2 experiments conducted in New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA), Australia. In both experiments, growth rates of cattle were assessed during backgrounding on pasture and grain finishing in a feedlot. Carcass and objective meat quality characteristics were measured after slaughter. Feed intake and efficiency during grain finishing were also determined in NSW. Brahman (n = 82 steers and 82 heifers) and Angus (n = 25 steers and 24 heifers) cattle were used in the NSW experiment. In NSW, temperament was assessed by measuring flight speed [FS, m/s on exit from the chute (crush)] on 14 occasions, and by assessing agitation score during confinement in the crush (CS; 1 = calm to 5 = highly agitated) on 17 occasions over the course of the experiment. Brahman (n = 173) and Angus (n = 20) steers were used in the WA experiment. In WA, temperament was assessed by measuring FS on 2 occasions during backgrounding and on 2 occasions during grain feeding. At both sites, a hormonal growth promotant (Revalor-H, Virbac, Milperra, New South Wales, Australia) was applied to one-half of the cattle at feedlot entry, and the Brahman cattle were polymorphic for 2 calpain-system markers for beef tenderness. Temperament was not related (most P > 0.05) to tenderness gene marker status in Brahman cattle and was not (all P > 0.26) modified by the growth promotant treatment in either breed. The Brahman cattle had greater individual variation in, and greater correlations within and between, repeated assessments of FS and CS than did the Angus cattle. Correlations for repeated measures of FS were greater than for repeated assessments of CS, and the strength of correlations for both declined over time. Average FS or CS for each experiment and location (NSW or WA × backgrounding or finishing) were more highly correlated than individual measurements, indicating that the average values were a more reliable assessment of cattle temperament than any single measure. In Brahman cattle, increased average FS and CS were associated with significant (P < 0.05) reductions in backgrounding and feedlot growth rates, feed intake and time spent eating, carcass weight, and objective measures of meat quality. In Angus cattle, the associations between temperament and growth rates, feed intake, and carcass traits were weaker than in Brahmans, although the strength of relationships with meat quality were similar.
213 citations
TL;DR: Maize production in the U.S. was about 316 million metric tons in 2010 and is expected to increase in the future due to greater yields/hectare and more hectares planted, especially in cattle production—distillers grains and maize gluten feed.
162 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that beef quality, palatability, and production characteristics are influenced by lifetime implant protocols.
Abstract: Effects of repetitive use of anabolic implants on beef carcass quality, tenderness, and consumer ratings for palatability were investigated using crossbred steer calves (n = 550). Steers from five ranches were randomly allocated to one of 10 different lifetime implant strategies or to a nonimplanted control group. Cattle were implanted at some or all of five phases of production (branding, weaning, backgrounding, feedlot entry, or reimplant time). Carcasses from the control group had higher (P 0.05) marbling scores. Steers implanted twice during their lifetime produced carcasses with higher (P 0.05) steak shear force values, consumer ratings for like/dislike of steak tenderness, or percentage of consumers rating overall eating quality of steaks as satisfactory. Implanting steers at backgrounding vs. not implanting steers at this production stage increased (P 0.05) consumer ratings for like/dislike of steak tenderness or percentage of consumers rating overall eating quality of steaks as satisfactory. Steaks from nonimplanted steers were rated as more desirable (P 0.05) dressing percentage or adjusted fat thickness. Our findings suggest that beef quality, palatability, and production characteristics are influenced by lifetime implant protocols.
138 citations
TL;DR: In a 55-d backgrounding period, 120 British cross heifers (312 ± 20 kg) received diets containing 55% barley silage, 5% supplement and 0, 20, 40, or 60% of diet dry matter (DM) or at 60% plus additional calcium, provided as 1% limestone (n = 24), indicating the energy content of DDGS is similar to that of barley when included in backgrounding diets.
Abstract: In a 55-d backgrounding period, 120 (n = 22) British cross heifers (312 ± 20 kg) received diets containing 55% barley silage, 5% supplement and 0 (n = 24), 20 (n = 24), or 40% (n = 22) wheat distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The remainder of the diet was steam-rolled barley. Replacing half (20%) or all (40%) of the barley with DDGS did not affect dry matter intake (DMI) (P = 0.61), average daily gain (ADG) (P = 0.86), or gain:feed (P = 0.94), indicating the energy content of DDGS is similar to that of barley when included in backgrounding diets. During a 133-d finishing period, DDGS were included at 0, 20, 40, or 60% of diet dry matter (DM) or at 60% plus additional calcium, provided as 1% limestone (n = 24). Additional calcium did not (P > 0.1) affect DMI, ADG, or gain:feed. Increasing levels of DDGS linearly increased (P = 0.001) DMI and reduced (P = 0.04) gain:feed and diet NEg content (P = 0.001), but had no effect on ADG (P = 0.20). Feeding 60% DDGS reduced (P < 0.01) DM digestibility as...
109 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2016 | 14 |