Effects of previous nutrition on the response to protein by weaner steers

摘要

Supplementation reduces liveweight loss in cattle grazing tropical pastures during the dry winter-spring period in northern Australia, but compensatory growth during the subsequent wet summer period often erodes much of this response. Using intra-gastric infused animals, Novell ef al (1978, Br J Nutr, 57, 77-88) showed enhanced nitrogen retention and higher protein requirements in lambs exhibiting compensatory growth. It may be possible, therefore, to exploit this compensatory growth by increasing protein intake during the summer.