The Strategic Use of an Immunomodulatory Feed Additive in Supplements for Grazing Young Nellore Bulls Transported after Weaning: Performance, Physiological, and Stress Parameters

Luis Henrique Curcino Batista (), Ivanna Morais Oliveira, Laura Franco Prados, Laylles Costa Araújo, Igor Machado Ferreira, Mateus José Inácio de Abreu, Saulo Teixeira Rodrigues de Almeida, César Aparecido de Araújo Borges, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira and Flávio Dutra de Resende
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Luis Henrique Curcino Batista: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Ivanna Morais Oliveira: Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA), Colina 14770-000, São Paulo, Brazil
Laura Franco Prados: Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA), Colina 14770-000, São Paulo, Brazil
Laylles Costa Araújo: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Igor Machado Ferreira: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Mateus José Inácio de Abreu: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Saulo Teixeira Rodrigues de Almeida: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
César Aparecido de Araújo Borges: Phibro Animal Health, Campinas 13025-170, São Paulo, Brazil
Gustavo Rezende Siqueira: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Flávio Dutra de Resende: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate four different feeding strategies using an immunomodulatory feed additive for newly weaned Nellore cattle, before and after road transport, on their physiological parameters and performances during the growing phase of pastures. In total, eighty-four young Nellore bulls (initial BW = 174 ± 11 kg; 7 ± 1 months of age) were blocked by their initial body weights 42 days before road transport (d −42) and randomly assigned to one of the four supplementation strategies. The treatments were: (1) Control (CON): no immunomodulatory feed additive (NUTRA) supplementation; (2) NUTRA pre: the inclusion of NUTRA only in the pre-transport period (d −42 to d 0); (3) NUTRA post: the inclusion of NUTRA for 42 days, only in the post-transport period (d 0 to d 42); and (4) NUTRA growth: the inclusion of NUTRA during the whole experimental period (d −42 to d 210). On d 0, the calves were transported on dirty roads in a commercial livestock trailer for 200 km (8 h). There was no effect of the treatments on the animal performance or the physiological parameters in their plasma. However, there were effects on the day of the blood sampling for all the parameters. The highest concentration of cortisol was observed on d 3 post-transport (129 ng/mL) and this decreased over time (22.4 ng/mL; d 210). On the other hand, their glucose peaked at unloading, with lower concentrations on d 7 and d 14. Their total protein concentrations increased from d 0 to d 7. The immunomodulatory feed additive supplementation at 10 g/100 kg BW/day did not modulate the physiological responses in their plasma and did not influence the performance of the Nellore bulls during the growing phase of their pastures.

Keywords: Bos indicus; NutraGen; stress; supplementation; weaned calves (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2023:i:5:p:1027-:d:1142064

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