Short-Term Eating Preference of Beef Cattle Fed High Forage or High Grain Diets Supplemented with 3-Nitrooxypropanol

摘要

3-Nitrooxypropanol is an effective methane-mitigating feed additive. However, a decrease in feed intake is frequently observed in beef cattle fed a diet supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol. Thus, a study was conducted to determine the short-term preference of beef cattle offered diets supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol. When given a choice, the cattle initially showed less preference for a diet supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol, suggesting potential changes in organoleptic properties of the diet. However, the animals acclimatized to the supplemented diet rapidly such that there was no preference between a diet with and without 3-nitrooxypropanol within a week. Therefore, the change in the organoleptic properties of a diet supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol does not appear to be the main reason for reduced feed intake of beef cattle.