Effect of Time of Supplementation on Performance, Forage Intake and Grazing Behavior of Yearling Beef Steers Grazing Russian Wild Ryegrass in the Fall

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Abstract
Eighteen yearling steers (x̄ body weight = 291 kg) grazing Russian wild ryegrass in the fall were assigned to three treatments for an 84-d study to determine the effects of morning vs afternoon feeding of supplemental corn on performance, forage intake and grazing behavior. Treatments were forage only (FO) and FO plus .3 kg corn/100 kg body weight fed to steers individually at 0730 (AM) or at 1330 h (PM) Mountain Standard Time (MST) daily. Forage intake was greater (P<.02) for FO than for the average of steers supplemented in the AM and PM. Forage intake was also greater (P<.07) for PM- than AM-supplemented steers. Digestible energy intake was greater (P<.07) for steers receiving the PM supplementation than for those receiving supplementation in the AM. Average daily gain was .2 kg greater (P<.01) for PM- than FO- or AM-supplemented steers. Average daily grazing time was 8.4, 9.0 and 7.3 h for FO-, AM- and PM-supplemented steers, respectively. Though not significant, steers supplemented in the AM tended (P<.2) to graze longer than steers supplemented in the PM. Supplemented steers did not graze for 2 to 4 h after supplementation and grazing patterns were different for steers in each of the three treatments. These data supported the hypothesis that disruption of normal grazing activity from feeding of supplements affects performance and forage intake of grazing beef steers. Copyright © 1985. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1985 by American Society of Animal Science.