Objective: A microencapsulated blend of essential oils (EO) fed to feedlot cattle was evaluated against monensin (MON) or used in association with MON and compared against MON alone or MON + tylosin (TYL). Materials and Methods: We used a randomized complete block design using weaned steers (n = 656; 254.4 ± 7.9 kg of initial BW) assigned to 32 pens (8 replicates per treatment) and fed for 208 d. The treatments were as follows: MON + TYL (33 mg and 11 mg/kg of DM, respectively); MON (33 mg/kg of DM); EO (150 mg/kg of DM); and MON + EO (33 mg and 150 mg/kg of DM, respectively). Results and Discussion: Treatments were similar for final BW (P ≥ 0.24) and overall ADG (P ≥ 0.27). Overall DMI did not differ for MON versus EO (P ≥ 0.93); however, MON + EO had reduced overall DMI compared with MON (P = 0.03; 9.2 vs. 9.6 kg/d, respectively) or MON + TYL (P = 0.04; 9.2 vs. 9.6 kg/d, respectively). There was no effect (P ≥ 0.14) on overall G:F; however, adjusted overall G:F tended to be greater for MON + EO versus MON (P = 0.08; 0.187 vs. 0.182, respectively) and for MON + EO versus MON + TYL (P = 0.07; 0.187 vs. 0.183, respectively). Carcass characteristics were similar (P ≥ 0.11) for all treatments. Implications and Applications: Steers receiving EO had similar performance and carcass characteristics compared with steers fed MON. The MON + EO tended to improve carcass-adjusted performance compared with MON. The replacement of TYL with EO when in combination with MON may result in additional improvement in feed efficiency without changes in liver abscesses.
CITATION STYLE
Araujo, R. C., Daley, D. R., Goodall, S. R., Jalali, S., Guimarães Bisneto, O. A., Budde, A. M., … Engle, T. E. (2019). Effects of a microencapsulated blend of essential oils supplemented alone or in combination with monensin on performance and carcass characteristics of growing and finishing beef steers. Applied Animal Science, 35(2), 177–184. https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2018-01822
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