The use of monensin in European pasture cattle

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Monensin increases propionic acid production in the rumen and improves the efficiency of feed conversion in fattening cattle. Trials carried out in the USA showed that 200 mg monensin/head per day was the optimum dose for increasing the rate of live-weight gain in beef cattle at pasture.Twelve pasture trials, involving a total of 434 beef cattle, were carried out during 1976 and 1977 to assess the efficacy of monensin for grazing cattle under European conditions. Each trial compared a group given 200 mg monensin/head per day in 0·5 to 10 kg of carrier supplement with a negative control group, fed blank supplement. The average initial live-weight was 260 kg and the average trial duration was 119 days. Daily live-weight gains of the control and monensin-treated cattle averaged 0·786 and 0·893 kg/head per day respectively, an advantage of 107g/head per day or 13·7 % in favour of the monensin treatment (P<0·001). The growth-promoting effect of monensin showed no tendency to diminish with time.