32 Effect of Exercise on Calf Productivity, Health and Behavior. (1st March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van Raay, E E; Sawyer, J E; Wickersham, T A; Gill, R; Daigle, C L
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal science. Volume 96(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 17
• Page End: 18
• Publication Date: 2018-03-01
• Subjects: beef cattle -- productivity -- exercise; Livestock -- Periodicals; Livestock; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 636.005
• DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky027.033
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8812

Abstract

Abstract: Brahman-crossbred calves (n = 688) were exercised during the receiving period to examine effect of exercise on cattle productivity, health, and behavior. Cattle were shipped in the fall to a commercial feedyard in southern Texas, sorted into 6 single-gender pens, and pens were randomly assigned to an exercise treatment within gender blocks. Cattle were allocated into one of 3 treatment groups: 1) programmatic exercise (PRO; cattle moved to drive alley and encouraged to maintain a movement for 20 min), 2) free exercise (FREE; cattle moved to drive alley, then allowed free movement without access to the pen for 60 min) or 3) no exercise (CON). Treatments were applied (n = 12 sessions; 3 sessions/wk) across a 30 d period, between 0700 and 1000 at least 1 h post feed delivery. Behavioral observations were conducted weekly, prior to treatment implementation and on days that calves were not exercised, using 10-min instantaneous scan sampling. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with pen as the experimental unit. Gain to feed ratio (P = 0.59; 0.155, 0.142, and 0.146 for CON, PRO, and FREE, respectively) and mortality rate (P = 0.85; 1.47 %, 1.39 % and 2.1 % for CON, PRO, and FREE, respectively) did not differ among treatments. Cattle assigned to CON had greater ADG (1.52 kg/d) than FREE or PRO (1.43 and 1.39 kg/d respectively; P = 0.03), and FREE exercised cattle tended (P = 0.07) to have greater ADG than PRO. Percentage of calves treated for respiratory disease did not differ among treatments (P = 0.38; 19.1 %, 34.2 % and 32.6 % for CON, PRO, and FREE, respectively). Behavioral data was evaluated as a repeated measure using a Linear Mixed Model. Irrespective of treatment, as the receiving period progressed, calves spent more time lying (P = 0.04) and resting (P < 0.01), and less time feeding (P = 0.03), drinking (P = 0.01), ruminating (P < 0. 01) and walking (P < 0. 01). Exercise treatments did not compromise feed efficiency or cattle behavior; however, exercised cattle had lower ADG. These results suggest that exercise can affect production but not animal health or behavior.