Effects of rice bran and glycerin supplementation on metabolic and productive responses of beef cows

Abstract

Fifty-seven primiparous Angus, Hereford, and crossbred cows were used to study the effect of strategic supplementation on metabolic, productive, and reproductive responses. The experiment had two periods including four phases: prepartum supplementation (phase I; 52 days), early postpartum (phase II; 43 days), pre-mating supplementation (phase III; 21 days), and the last phase including mating, gestation, and lactation until weaning (phase IV; 103 days). Phases I and II were considered as period 1, and phases III and IV were considered as period 2. During phase I (−52±2 days before calving to birth), half of the cows received a supplement (S-), and the rest only grazed native swards (C-). For phase III (59±2 days postpartum [DPP] until mating), cows from the previous treatments (C- or S-) were sorted in two levels of pre-mating supplementation, supplemented (-S) or not supplemented (-C), resulting in four treatment combinations (CC, CS, SC, and SS). The supplement was 1 kg dry matter/cow per day of whole rice bran and 550 mL/cow per day of crude glycerin. In period 1, cows receiving prepartum supplementation increased concentration of cholesterol, glucose, and albumin and decreased concentration of non-esterified fatty acids, betahydroxybutyrate, and urea. This improvement in energy balance was reflected in a higher body condition score at calving. Alternatively, in period 2, pre-mating supplementation only increased cholesterol concentration. None of the supplementation periods affected the weaning weight of calves. Prepartum, but not pre-mating, supplementation increased total pregnancy rate. A short prepartum supplementation improves pregnancy rate of primiparous cows managed under extensive production systems. However, there is no additional benefit of supplementation during the pre-mating period