AUTHOR=Gleason Claire B. , Wilson T. Bain , Mercadante Vitor R. G. , White Robin R. TITLE=Evaluation of a rumen modifier to limit pellet intake in beef brood cows JOURNAL=Frontiers in Animal Science VOLUME=3 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/animal-science/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.1080115 DOI=10.3389/fanim.2022.1080115 ISSN=2673-6225 ABSTRACT=

Winter supplementation of gestating beef cows is often necessary to ensure energy and protein requirements remain satisfied. However, it is difficult to prevent over- or under-consumption by individual animals fed in a group. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake limiting effects of 3 levels of tea saponin (TS) on pelleted feed consumption when compared with a TS-free control treatment. Commercial beef cows in late gestation (n = 24) were allocated to 1 of 4 treatments delivered via a pelleted feed supplement: 0% (A), 0.16% (B), 0.32% (C), or 0.64% (D) TS on a dry matter basis. Cows were assigned so that initial mean body weights and body condition scores were similar among treatment groups. Supplement was delivered once daily via Calan gates at a rate of 2.5% of BW for 42 days. Refusals were collected daily to calculate intake. Treatment differences were observed for pellet DMI, cow BW, and cow BCS (P < 0.0001). Cow hay intake, calf birth weight, and calf weaning weight were unaffected by treatment (P > 0.05). Dry matter intake of pellets as a percent of BW (DMIBW) was significantly different for all treatments (P < 0.0001) with intake declining as TS content increased. Considerable variability in DMIBW of all treatments was observed from day 0 to 15 but intakes plateaued between 1.75 and 2.5% DMIBW for the remainder of the trial with Treatment D intake remaining noticeably lower than the other treatments. Treatment D was found to be successful at limiting pellet intake to an average DMIBW of 1.51%. This study concluded that short-term pellet intake can be limited by inclusion of TS, highlighting it as a potential intake limiter product for beef cattle producers.