Management of Transit-Stress Syndrome in Cattle: Nutritional and Environmental Effects

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Feeder calves encounter numerous stressors during movement through the marketing system. Nutritional regimens before and after movement can affect cattle performance and health. Feeding a 50% concentrate diet before shipment improved health and performance. Potassium levels, roughage levels and sources, protein level and sources and Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures all should be considered in formulating receiving diets. Proper nutrition can improve rumen function, increase feed intake and reduce the metabolic effects of stress. In 18 experiments, the effects of meterology on performance and health of cattle were evaluated. Although correlations were low, the data suggest that environment may affect the performance of morbid calves more than the performance of healthy calves.