Evaluation of sustained release mineral boluses as a long-term nutrient delivery method for beef cattle

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2021-09, Vol.279, p.115028, Article 115028
• Main Authors: Carlisle, Tanner J., Wyffels, Samuel A., Stafford, Steve D., Taylor, Anna R., Van Emon, Megan L., DelCurto, Timothy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beef cattle; Digesta kinetics; Forage quality; Sustained release mineral bolus
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2021.115028

•Mineral nutrient delivery systems are important for optimizing livestock production.•Cow age did not influence bolus degradation rates.•Bolus degradation rates were influenced by quality of basal diets.•Bolus degradation rates were variable across prototypes.•Bolus degradation best fit models varied depending on prototype. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of sustained release mineral boluses as an alternative nutrient delivery method for beef cattle. For both studies 16 ruminally-cannulated cows were used in a completely randomized design. In study 1, we evaluated degradation rates of two bolus prototypes and cow age (2-yr-old versus 3-yr-old cows) over an 87-d study period. In study 2, we evaluated two bolus types (90-d degradation target versus 180-d degradation target), as well as two diet qualities contrasting a low-quality high-fiber forage (> 600 g/kg neutral detergent fiber and < 80 g/kg crude protein, dry matter basis) and high-quality low-fiber forage (< 500 g/kg neutral detergent fiber and> 150 g/kg crude protein, dry matter basis). For both Study 1 & 2, intake and digestion periods were conducted to evaluate cow age (study 1) or diet quality (study 2) effects on intake and rumen/reticulum function. In study 1, models containing an asymptotic effect of day and an interaction between day and bolus type were the best supported of the candidate models for bolus degradation rate. Cow age did not affect (P= 0.48) bolus degradation rates (β^ = -0.81 ± 1.13) and degradation rates were greater (P < 0.01) for bolus prototype B compared to bolus A (β^prototype B = -20.39 ± 1.13; β^prototype A = -9.64 ± 0.81). Bolus degradation rate displayed an asymptotic relationship (P < 0.01) to bolus surface area for prototype A (β^ = 5.83 ± 0.57) and a linear relationship (P < 0.01) for prototype B (β^ = 0.001 ± 0.0001). In study 2, models containing a linear effect of day and an interaction between day and diet were the best supported of the candidate models for the degradation rate of the 90-d and 180-d prototype. In addition, both bolus protoypes displayed a diet quality × time interaction (P < 0.01) for bolus degradation rate. Cattle treated with the 90-d bolus and fed a high-quality diet had a greater (P < 0.01) degradation rate (β^High-quality = -2.64 ± 0.08; β^Low-quality = -1.97 ± 0.10) than the cows that were fed a low-quality diet. In contrast, cattle treated with the 180-d bolus had an inverse effect (P < 0.01), with bolus degradation ra