Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Veterinary Sciences
Author ORCID Identifier
Sydney M. Bowman-Schnug https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0906-5367
Luke K. Fuerniss https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9086-3322
Muhammad Ahsin https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9990-0863
Stephan van Vliet https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8992-555X
Bradley Johnson https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8445-2578
Volume
12
Issue
2
Publisher
MDPI AG
Publication Date
2-13-2025
Journal Article Version
Version of Record
First Page
1
Last Page
17
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Abstract
A proprietary tannin blend was evaluated as a potential ionophore replacement considering traits of feedlot cattle growth performance, carcass traits, and health. Holstein steers (n = 1450; initial shrunk body weight (SBW) = 141.6 ± 34.2 kg.) were blocked by origin and randomly assigned to receive a finishing diet containing one of two treatments: 1) 14,500 mg per head daily of Silvafeed ByProX (SBPX; ByPro/BX blend, Silvateam S.p.A, San Michele Mondovì, Italy) or 2) 180 mg per head daily of monensin (MON; Rumensin™ 90, Elanco, Greenfield, IN). Steers were on trial for 341 ± 11 days. Pen was the experimental unit (~72 steers/pen), with ten pens per treatment. Data were analyzed in R 4.2.2 and are reported with deads and removals included. Initial SBW tended to be greater (p = 0.06) for SBPX steers and was therefore utilized as a covariate for other weighted measures. Treatments experienced similar ADG even though SBPX-supplemented cattle consumed more DM daily (p < 0.01); MON cattle had more efficient gain (p < 0.01). No difference (p > 0.10) was observed for total morbidity and mortality. However, SBPX cattle were more frequently diagnosed with lameness or other illnesses, while MON cattle experienced greater challenge with respiratory illness and tended to require third pulls more frequently (p ≤ 0.10). Greater (p < 0.05) concentrations of eighteen phytochemical metabolites were recorded in muscle samples from SBPX steers compared to those from MON steers, indicating greater phenolic exposure from tannin-rich supplementation. No difference was observed for carcass traits or liver abscess distributions (p > 0.10). Though performance outcomes were not replicated, Silvafeed ByProX could be an option to maintain cattle health in the absence of monensin.
Recommended Citation
Bowman-Schnug, S.M.; Fuerniss, L.K.; Cameron, J.D.; Beckett, J.L.; Ahsin, M.; van Vliet, S.; Hufstedler, G.D.; Johnson, B.J. Replacement of Monensin with a Proprietary Tannin-Blend Additive in Calf-Fed Holstein Steer Diets. Vet. Sci. 2025, 12, 166. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/vetsci12020166
