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Effects of Frequency of Feeding upon Rumen Volatile Acids, Protozoal Population, and Weight Gains in Angus Heifer Calves

Beef Cattle Research Branch Animal Husbandry Research Division ARS, Agricultural Research Center Beltsville, Md.

ABSTRACT

Feeding more frequently than twice daily has improved weight gains in sheep (1, 11) and in cattle (6, 7, 10). There have also been reports where no response in weight gains were observed (3, 5). Increased feed consumption may explain the improved gains in some instances (7), but not when the animals are pair-fed (1, 6, 10). The proportions of volatile fatty acids were not affected by frequent feeding according to Leffel and Komarek (5), but Mochrie (6) reported less diurnal variation in volatile fatty acid concentrations when animals were frequently fed. Knox and Ward (4) observed higher volatile fatty acid concentrations and a lower acetic/propionic ratio when animals were fed frequently. Moir and Somers (8) observed increases in the rumen population of oligotrich protozoa when sheep were fed four times versus one time daily. Rakes et al. (11) have observed less heat production by sheep which were frequently fed.