Academic literature on the topic 'Wagyu calves'

Abstract Wheat straw based diets are commonly fed to pregnant cows in Pacific Northwest, which may not meet protein requirements, but its impact on growth performance of offspring is unclear. Angus is the most common breed in this region while Wagyu is gaining popularity due to enhanced meat quality. The interaction between maternal nutrition and breed on growth performance of calves was examined. Angus cross cows (621 ± 73kg) were selected and randomly allotted to two groups and inseminated with either Angus or Wagyu semen. At 185 days of pregnancy, cows in each group were further separated into two-subgroups: control diet (CON, n = 21) received 85 % of the NRC metabolizable protein requirement, and protein supplemented group (SUPP, n = 21) received 108 % of requirement until calving. Then, cows and calves were moved to pastures and the cow calf pairs grazed rangeland. After weaning, calves were backgrounded, finished, and harvested at a body weight of 576.5 ± 16.6 kg. There were no differences between CON and SUPP in birth weight. However, SUPP increased 205 days adjusted weaning weight of Wagyu progeny (P < 0.01) and average daily gain (ADG) during the period of birth to weaning (P < 0.05) compared to calves from cows fed the CON diet. Moreover, Angus progeny had higher 205 days adjusted weaning weight (P < 0.01) and ADG during birth to weaning than Wagyu fed SUPP diet (P = 0.056). In both treatments, Angus gained weight faster and showed higher weight before finishing than Wagyu (P < 0.05). Angus had higher harvest weight (P < 0.01) and maternal protein supplementation tended to increase the dressing percent (P = 0.06). In conclusion, maternal protein supplementation enhanced growth performance of Wagyu but not Angus cattle, and Angus grew faster than Wagyu sired cattle. (Supported by USDA-NIFA grants 2015-67015-23219/2016-68006-24634 to MD)

Backfat depths, marbling scores, and concentrations of plasma insulin, cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) were determined in 394 calves with and without Wagyu genetics. Hormone concentrations were determined three to five times for hormones between weaning and slaughter. Calves were weighed and backfat was ultrasonically determined at 28-d intervals, and assigned for slaughter when ultrasonic backfat depths approached 12 mm. Heifers weighed less (P < 0.001) and had more backfat (P < 0.05) and more marbling (P < 0.05) than steers at slaughter. Breed influenced slaughter weight (P < 0.001) and average backfat depth (P < 0. 001), with Wagyu/Angus and Wagyu/Hereford crosses and Angus purebreds generally having greater backfat depths and lower slaughter weights than other crosses and purebreds. Marbling scores were not affected by breed (P > 0.1), although Wagyu crosses had more marbling (P < 0.05) compared with purebreds when variability in marbling due to differences in backfat depth was removed. Plasma cortisol, T3 and T4 were affected by calf breed, although there were no clear patterns for groups of breeds or breed crosses. There was a slight trend (P < 0.2) towards higher insulin levels and lower cortisol, T3 and T4 levels in some groups of calves with more backfat. Higher mean levels (P < 0.05) of T3 and T4 were found in all but one group of animals with more marbling. Thus, thyroid hormones may have a role to play in enhancing marbling in cattle. Key words: Wagyu cattle, marbling, backfat, insulin, cortisol, thyroid hormones

Context Early life nutrition of calves influences their performance later in life. There is limited literature demonstrating the effects of rearing dairy calves in early life on milk with either exclusively forage or concentrate starter diets on metabolic and immune function and post-weaning growth and body composition on a pasture only diet. Aim This study evaluated the effects of feeding Wagyu × Holstein Friesian calves a forage starter (FS) or a concentrate starter (CS) for the first 14 weeks of rearing on rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, immune function, growth and body composition to Week 41. Methods Group-housed calves (Wagyu × Friesian, 10 calves per group, three groups per treatment) were fed milk (2 L per calf twice daily) until Week 7, then transitioned to once a day milk feeding until weaning by Week 9, with ad libitum access to either FS or CS. All calves were transferred to graze ryegrass pastures a week after transitioning to once daily milk feeding, with starter feeds removed gradually by Week 14. Thereafter, calves were reared together on pasture until Week 41. Results Solid feed intake was lower in FS than CS calves during the first 7 weeks. Total short chain fatty acids were lower, but acetate to propionate ratio and rumen pH were higher in FS than CS calves at Week 7, with no differences observed at Week 12 or 30. Plasma β-hydroxybutyrate an indicator of ketogenic ability of the rumen in developing calves was higher in FS vs CS calves at weaning. Further, FS calves had lower concentrations of circulating non-esterified fatty acids compared with CS calves at weaning. Compared with CS calves, FS calves grew slower for the first 14 weeks which was associated with lower plasma IGF-1 levels. However, FS calves had greater average daily gain after 14 weeks when on pasture and had similar plasma IGF-1 at 30 weeks and similar body weight and body composition (muscle and subcutaneous fat deposition) by Week 41 compared to CS calves. Conclusions These results indicate that offering a FS starter has better prepared calves for weaning onto pasture and potentially improved utilisation of forage post-weaning to achieve similar muscle and fat deposition and overall liveweight in both groups by 41 weeks. Implications Dairy beef calves can be successfully reared using forage as the only solid feed source without affecting their growth performance on pasture until 10 months of age. Rearing calves using forage will contribute to reducing the usage of concentrate feeds in pastoral dairy-beef production systems and provide an opportunity to fulfil the market requirements and standards for grain-free beef production.

Abstract Angus and Wagyu sired calves were used in an incomplete block design experiment to investigate breed differences for growth at a similar body weight. Cattle were individually fed a common corn silage based growing diet for 4 months and transitioned to a common finishing diet for the remainder of the study. Treatments were as follows: T1) Angus sired steers (n = 13) harvested at 612 kg, T2) Wagyu (LMR Fukutsuru 729T) sired steers (n = 4) and heifers (n = 5) harvested at 612 kg, T3) Wagyu (OW Yasufuku 229Y) sired steers (n = 5) and heifers (n = 8) harvested at 612 kg. Data were analyzed in SAS using the mixed model: Yij = μ + Ti + sj + eij, where Ti was the fixed effect of treatment, sj was the random effect of sex, and eij was the random error. Contrasts were made to compare T1 vs. T2 and T3, and T2 vs. T3. Receiving weight was greater (P ≤ 0.02) for Angus sired cattle compared to Wagyu sired cattle, and Fukutsuru sired cattle had greater (P ≤ 0.05) receiving weights compared to Yasufuku sired cattle. Off-test weights were similar across treatments (P = 0.49). Wagyu sired cattle required more days on feed (P ≤ 0.01), resulting in a greater age at harvest (P ≤ 0.01) compared to Angus sired cattle. Fukutsuru sired cattle tended to require fewer days on feed (P = 0.07) and be younger at harvest (P = 0.10) compared to Yasufuku sired cattle. Angus sired cattle had greater ADG (P ≤ 0.01), DMI (P ≤ 0.01), and G:F (P ≤ 0.02) compared to Wagyu sired cattle. Angus sired cattle had a lesser percentage of KPH fat (P ≤ 0.01) and tended to have more desirable YG scores (P = 0.06) compared to Wagyu sired cattle. Wagyu sired cattle had greater marbling scores (P ≤ 0.01) compared to Angus sired cattle, while Yasufuku sired cattle had greater marbling scores compared to Fukutsuru sired cattle.

The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on birth weight and growth to weaning of Piedmontese and Wagyu sired calves. This research was also conducted to provide animals for long-term studies on the consequences of growth early in life. During 2 breeding cycles, Hereford cows were managed within low or high pasture-based nutritional systems from about 80 days of pregnancy to parturition. During lactation, the calves and their dams remained on the low or high nutritional system or crossed over to the alternative system. From commencement of the nutritional treatment during pregnancy until parturition, and then during lactation, cows on low nutrition lost an average of 45 and 23 kg liveweight, respectively, and those on high nutrition gained 55 and 40 kg, respectively. Calves of Wagyu sires weighed less at birth (31.0 v 35.9 kg, s.e. = 0.31 kg) and weaning (182 v. 189 kg, s.e. = 2.26 kg) than those of Piedmontese sires. Calves of cows on low nutrition during pregnancy weighed less at birth than those of cows on high nutrition (32.5 v. 35.2 kg, s.e. = 0.32 kg). Low nutrition during pregnancy adversely influenced birth to weaning ADG (676 v. 759 g, s.e. = 9.2 g), weight gain (145 v. 160 kg, s.e. = 2.1 kg) and liveweight (177 v. 195 kg, s.e. = 2.3 kg) of calves at weaning. The nutritional system during lactation had greater effects on ADG (618 v. 816 g, s.e. = 9.2 g), weight gain (131 v. 174 kg, s.e. = 2.1 kg) and liveweight (164 v. 207 kg, s.e. = 2.3 kg) of calves at weaning than the nutritional system during pregnancy. Overall, the responses to the nutritional treatments were consistent for the progeny of both sire-genotypes.

Context Nutrition in early life can affect the long-term performance of livestock. Aims The present study evaluated the effects of rearing Wagyu × Holstein Friesian heifer calves either on a concentrate pelleted starter (CS; 90% DM, 19.3% crude protein (CP), and 13.8 MJ metabolisable energy (ME) per kilogram DM) or a forage starter (FS, ensiled alfalfa, Medicago sativa; 45% DM, 18.5% CP and 9.7 MJ metabolisable energy per kilogram DM) on lifetime growth, blood metabolites, carcass traits and meat quality. Methods Calves (n = 60) were allocated either to CS or FS diets. All calves received their solid feeds ad libitum from Week 1 and were fed milk in group pens (n = 10/pen) at 4 L/calf.day until Week 7, then 2 L/calf.day for 2 weeks. Calves were transferred to pasture 1 week after milk removal, with starter feeds removed by Week 15. All heifers were then managed as one group on a pasture-based diet until slaughter at 26–30 months of age (average of 483 kg liveweight). Key results Calves offered the CS diet were 14 kg heavier than were calves on the FS diet at 15 weeks (P &lt; 0.001). However, liveweight was similar between the groups by the time of slaughter (P &gt; 0.1). All blood parameters studied were similar (P &gt; 0.05) between the treatments at 12 months and at slaughter. Depth of eye muscle and subcutaneous fat, measured using ultrasonography before slaughter, carcass weight and meat pH, marbling, shear force, moisture loss during cooking, total fat and fat and meat colour were also similar between the treatments (P &gt; 0.05). Some potential was found for using blood markers to predict carcass traits and meat quality. Conclusions Solid feed type during rearing had little effect on liveweight or meat characteristics from 12 months of age to slaughter of Wagyu × Friesian heifers. Implications Calves can be reared on FS diets with similar long-term production performance as on CS diets.

Growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of European and British crossbred (EBC; no Wagyu genetics; 28 heifers and 30 steers) cattle were compared with crossbred cattle with 75% Wagyu genetics (WC; seven heifers and 14 steers) to determine the influence of Wagyu genetics on marbling grade of beef cattle fed barley-based diets in a factorial design experiment. Weaned calves (250 d average age) were fed, one of two diets (diet 1, 35% barley grain; diet 2, 40% hay cubes on DM basis, with barley silage, protein and vitamin/mineral premix) for 84 d and then fed diet 1 until they weighed 394 to 432 kg. All cattle were finished on an 80% (DM basis) rolled barley diet and slaughtered. Carcasses were graded and samples procured for meat quality and Warner–Bratzler shear force determination. Number of days on backgrounding diets to arrive at target weight (380 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) for the WC cattle, owing to relatively lower ADG, but days on the finishing diet were fewer for these cattle, compared with EBC cattle. Warm carcass yield (dressing percent) was greater (P < 0.05), but backfat depth was lower (P < 0.05) for WC cattle relative to that of EBC cattle, yet proportion of lean meat yield was similar. Eighty three percent of WC cattle carcasses had Canada AAA (small or more) marbling grade compared with 13% for EBC cattle carcasses. Mean shear force of meat samples from EBC and WC cattle was 4.2 and 3.8 kg, respectively. Results indicated that the extent of carcass marbling can be increased by incorporating Wagyu genetics but age at slaughter of WC cattle was 19 d greater than that of EBC cattle and carcass size was reduced. Key words: Average daily gain, carcass characteristics, European and British crossbred, feed to gain ratio, meat quality, Wagyu crossbred cattle

Cattle sired by Piedmontese or Wagyu bulls were bred and grown within pasture-based nutritional systems followed by feedlot finishing. Effects of low (mean 28.6 kg, n = 120) and high (38.8 kg, n = 120) birth weight followed by slow (mean 554 g/day, n = 119) or rapid (875 g/day, n = 121) growth to weaning on carcass, yield and beef quality characteristics at about 30 months of age were examined. Low birth weight calves weighed 56 kg less at 30 months of age, had 32 kg lighter carcasses, and yielded 18 kg less retail beef compared with high birth weight calves. Composition of carcasses differed little due to birth weight when adjusted to an equivalent carcass weight (380 kg). Calves grown slowly to weaning were 40 kg lighter at 30 months of age compared with those grown rapidly to weaning. They had 25 kg smaller carcasses which yielded 12 kg less retail beef than their counterparts at 30 months of age, although at an equivalent carcass weight yielded 5 kg more retail beef and had 5 kg less fat trim. Neither low birth weight nor slow growth to weaning had adverse effects on beef quality measurements. No interactions between sire-genotype and birth weight, or growth to weaning, were evident for carcass, yield and beef quality traits. Although restricted growth during fetal life or from birth to weaning resulted in smaller animals that yield less meat at about 30 months of age, adverse effects on composition due to increased fatness, or on indices of beef quality, were not evident at this age or when data were adjusted to an equivalent carcass weight.

Uma das principais causas de prejuízos econômicos da pecuária mundial, é a mortalidade de bezerros nos primeiros meses de vida, devido ao desenvolvimento de afecções, pois a defesa contra estas, depende principalmente da imunidade destes animais. Nesta fase, os animais possuem seu sistema imune ainda não completamente funcional, além disso, o número de bezerros acometidos e a gravidade das doenças, pode variar de acordo com a raça dos bovinos. A literatura relata que os bezerros da raça japonesa Wagyu podem ser mais susceptíveis às afecções durante o período neonatal, quando comparados à bezerros da raça Holandesa. Porém, a maior susceptibilidade destes animais ainda não possui as razões totalmente elucidadas. Devido às consequências da menor competência imunológica dos bezerros japoneses, o desenvolvimento de estratégias para a melhoria da imunidade destes animais, vem sendo alvo de pesquisas e a utilização de antioxidantes, como a Vitamina E, é uma das tentativas para melhorar a imunidade desses neonatos. No presente trabalho, foram selecionados 26 bezerros da raça Wagyu, com média de 7,35 (±2,64) dias de vida, os quais foram distribuídos por dois grupos de 13 animais (Grupo Controle e Grupo Vitamina E). O Grupo Vitamina E recebeu uma aplicação de Vitamina E, por via intramuscular (30 UI/kg). O Grupo Controle recebeu uma aplicação intramuscular de solução de NaCl 0,9% no mesmo volume correspondente ao de Vitamina E, de acordo com o peso do animal. Os animais foram avaliados semanalmente, durante os primeiros 60 dias de vida, por meio de exame físico, hemograma, bioquímica sérica e avaliação da função de neutrófilos com uso da citometria de fluxo. Não houve diferença entre os grupos controle e Vitamina E em nenhum dos parâmetros avaliados. Os resultados de exames físicos, hemograma e bioquímica sérica dos bezerros Wagyu, apresentaram comportamento semelhante ao descrito na literatura, bem como, a maioria dos aspectos avaliados na função dos neutrófilos. A aplicação de Vitamina E na dosagem de 30UI/kg não gerou alteração na função dos neutrófilos, a partir da avaliação da produção de espécies reativas de Oxigênio (EROs) pelos granulócitos, estimulados ou não pela fagocitose de Staphylococcus aureus conjugado com Iodeto de propídeo (SaPI). Existe a necessidade do desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas, a respeito de dosagens de Vitamina E capazes de gerar alterações na função de neutrófilos dos bezerros Wagyu, afim de melhorar o perfil imunológico destes animais.
One of the main causes of economic losses of livestock worldwide, is the mortality of calves in the first months of life, on account of diseases, because the immunity of these animals is a very important for their defense. At this stage, the animals have their immune system not yet fully developed, in addition, the number of calves affected and the severity of the diseases, can vary according to the breed of the cattle. The literature reports that Japanese Wagyu calves may be more susceptible to conditions during the neonatal period, in comparison to Holstein calves. However, the higher susceptibility of these animals doesnt fully elucidated. Due to the consequences of the lower immunological competence of Japanese calves, the development of strategies to improve the immunity of these animals, has been the subject of research and the use of antioxidants, such as Vitamin E, is one of the attempts to improve immunity of calves. In the present study, 26 Wagyu calves were selected, with 7.35 (± 2.64) days of life an average, and were subdivided into two groups of 13 animals (Control Group and Vitamin E Group). The Vitamin E Group received a intramuscularly application of Vitamin E (30 IU / kg). The Control Group received an intramuscular application of 0.9% NaCl solution in the same volume corresponding to that of Vitamin E, according to the weight of the animal. The animals were evaluated weekly during the first 60 days of life, by physical examination, blood count, serum biochemistry and evaluation of neutrophil function using flow cytometry. There was no difference between the Control and Vitamin E groups in any of the evaluated parameters. The results of physical exams, hemogram and serum biochemistry of Wagyu calves, presented a behavior similar to that described in the literature, as well as, most aspects evaluated in neutrophyl function. The application of Vitamin E at 30IU/kg did not change the neutrophil function, based on the evaluation of Reative Oxygen Species (ROS) production by granulocytes, stimulated or not by Staphylococcus aureus conjugated with propidium iodide (SaPI) phagocytosis. There is a need for the development of new research on Vitamin E dosages capable of generating alterations in the neutrophil function of Wagyu calves, for improve the immunological profile of these animals.