Herbage allowances during mid to late gestation affect growth performance and physiological responses of beef cow–calf pairs, and offspring skeletal muscle development

Summary

Abstract Our objectives were to determine the effects of two herbage allowance levels during mid to late gestation on growth performance, physiological responses of cow–calf pairs, and offspring skeletal muscle development through weaning. Fifty-six pregnant Nellore cows [444 ± 42 kg initial shrunk body weight (SBW) and 3.66 ± 0.28 body condition score (BCS)], each carrying a male fetus, grazed Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu pastures under either low HA (LHA; 2.80 kg dry matter (DM)/kg BW) or high HA (HHA; 7.60 kg DM/kg BW) during the final 151 days of gestation (d 140 ± 15 of gestation). As intended, differences in HA ( P < 0.01) were established by manipulating stocking rate ( P < 0.01; 1.70 vs. 3.40 AU/ha for HHA and LHA, respectively). LHA cows had lower body weight (BW; P < 0