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Item Corn versus barley in beef cattle finishing diets: effect on steer performance, feeding behavior, and ruminal environment(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) DelCurto-Wyffels, Hannah Margaret; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Megan Van Emon; Julia M. Dafoe, Cory T. Parsons, Darrin L. Boss, Timothy DelCurto, Samuel A. Wyffels, Megan L. Van Emon and Janice G. P. Bowman were co-authors of the article, 'Corn versus barley in finishing diets: effect on steer performance and feeding behavior' in the journal 'Animals' which is contained within this dissertation.; Julia M. Dafoe, Cory T. Parsons, Darrin L. Boss, Timothy DelCurto, Samuel A. Wyffels, Megan L. Van Emon and Janice G. P. Bowman were co-authors of the article, 'The influence of environmental conditions on intake behavior and activity by feedlot steers fed corn or barley-based diets' in the journal 'Animals' which is contained within this dissertation.; Hannah M. DelCurto-Wyffels, Julia M. Dafoe, Cory T. Parsons, Darrin L. Boss, Timothy DelCurto, Samuel A. Wyffels, Megan L. Van Emon and Janice G. P. Bowman were co-authors of the article, 'Diurnal ruminal pH and temperature patterns of steers fed corn or barley-based finishing diets' in the journal 'Animals' which is contained within this dissertation.While corn is the most common feed ingredient in the United States, barley, which is more suitable for the growing and climatic conditions at northern latitudes, can be a common feed alternative to corn. The different digestive utilization of unique feedstuffs coupled with extreme environmental conditions can pose challenges to efficiently feeding cattle in different climates. Thus, to further our understanding of the use of barley in feedlot diets at northern latitudes this study evaluated the effects of barley and corn finishing rations on feedlot performance, feeding behavior, and ruminal environment. For two consecutive years, Angus-based yearling steer calves were fed in a feedlot trial (427.3 + or - 3.7 kg; n = 48 in year 1, and 406.8 + or - 3.4 kg; n = 47 in year 2). Steers were randomly assigned to one of two primary basal grain dietary treatments: 1) Number 2 feed corn or 2) Hockett barley. Steers were fed in a GrowSafe system to measure individual animal intake and behavior throughout the duration of the study. Twelve steers per treatment group for each year of the study were also fitted with a HOBO pendent G accelerometer to measure activity and a SmaXtec ruminal bolus for continuous rumen monitoring of temperature and pH. Limited differences were observed in regard to performance and eating behavior of steers fed corn or barley-based diets. The steer's diet interacted with short term environmental changes to influence animal feeding behavior, but diet had limited impact on cattle lying activity. Continuous ruminal monitoring revealed average daily ruminal pH and temperature were not impacted by diet; however, diet did affect daily variation in ruminal pH and temperature. Intake patterns were also different between corn and barley-fed steers in which corn-fed steers consumed more feed the first 6 hours directly after feeding while barley-fed steers consumed more feed later in the day. Presumably, these intake patterns could be influenced by differences in diurnal patterns of ruminal pH between corn and barley. Depending on cost and production year, both barley and corn can be high quality feedstuffs to use in beef cattle finishing rations.Item The use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and measures of cattle temperament to predict feedlot perfromance of commercial beef cattle(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Bouffiou, Jesse James; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jennifer ThomsonThe objective of this study was to identify small molecule metabolites in a serum sample taken at entry into the feedlot that can predict performance, and animal health. One-hundred and thirty-one Angus x Simmental steers from a single ranch were sampled at a commercial feedlot. Blood samples for metabolite analysis, chute score, exit velocity, and blood lactate concentration for temperament classification were collected in addition to feedlot performance data and carcass quality measurements. The GLM and LSM procedures of SAS were used to evaluate differences between temperament classifications. Steers were divided into three exit velocity classifications with fast animals having exit velocity greater than one standard deviation from the mean and slow animals having exit velocities lower than one standard deviation from the mean. Forty metabolites were quantified using 1H NMR Spectroscopy from serum. Metaboanalyst was used to analyze serum metabolites and phenotypic values using one way- ANOVA, PCA, PLS-DA, and a permutation test to cross validate. Data was normalized and scaled. No metabolites were predictive of any of the animal health metrics collected. Five metabolites were different in exit velocity class at p < 0.01 (methanol, isopropanol, lactate, isobutyrate, and pyruvate). Similarly, 7 metabolites were different between chute score classes at p < 0.01 (methanol, isobutyrate, creatinine, dimethyl sulfone, hippurate, isopropanol, and succinate). Furthermore, several metabolites in serum at entry in the feedlot were related to carcass quality metrics: back fat (urea and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate at p < 0.01), a trend for prediction of quality grade at p = 0.068, carcass value p = 0.085. The relationship between serum metabolites, feedlot performance traits, and eventual carcass quality warrants further research to elucidate the roles these metabolites play during the feedlot period and in predicting carcass merit.Item Some factors affecting performance in three closed lines of Hereford cattle(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1966) Anderson, Donald Charles