The effect of AM versus PM feeding on feed yard cattle performance after terminal sort.

Commodities

• Animals: bovine
• Animal Products: meat

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health, feed management
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research

This project aims to investigate the effects of PM feeding versus traditional AM feeding on feed yard cattle performance and heat stress mitigation. Heat stress in feedlot cattle is a significant challenge in the Western region, impacting animal welfare, productivity, and profitability. By shifting feeding times to cooler parts of the day, we hypothesize that pens of cattle fed in PM will have decreased panting scores, increased feed intake, decreased water intake, and improved carcass characteristics (higher carcass weight, better marbling score) compared to AM-fed cattle.
Our research will compare pens of cattle fed in the PM versus AM, measuring panting scores, feed intake, water consumption, and carcass characteristics. We expect PM-fed cattle to show decreased panting scores, increased feed intake, decreased water intake, and improved carcass characteristics compared to AM-fed cattle.
This project addresses a critical need in sustainable agriculture by exploring an innovative, low-cost approach to managing heat stress without requiring significant infrastructure investments. The potential benefits include improved animal welfare, enhanced feed efficiency, and increased profitability for feedlots.
Our comprehensive education plan will disseminate findings through an on-site field day, a peer-reviewed scientific publication, presentations at major industry conferences, and features on the BCI Cattle Chat podcast. This multi-faceted approach will reach a diverse audience of producers, nutritionists, veterinarians, and researchers.
By investigating PM feeding as a heat stress mitigation strategy, this project has the potential to influence industry guidelines, improve cattle welfare, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of beef production in regions facing increasing climate challenges.

Research Objective: Compare daily performance outcomes and carcass characteristics from cattle fed in AM versus PM.

Educational Objective: Our education plan aims to disseminate findings to a diverse audience of stakeholders, including producers, nutritionists, veterinarians, and researchers. We will use multiple communication channels to maximize reach and impact.