Some Effects of Fluctuating Low Ambient Temperatures on Beef Cattle

Feed consumption, average daily gain, liver vitamin A, plasma protein, hemoglobin, leucocytes and the development of the chest were measured in an experiment in which 60 yearling Hereford steers were maintained outside or in a loose housing, closed pole barn. During the course of the experiment, temperature varied from −43 to 13 C, with wide diurnal fluctuations. The steers wintered outside had higher hemoglobin values and required 16% more total digestible nutrients for maintenance than those wintered inside. The maintenance requirements of those wintered inside were 42% greater than proposed NRC requirements. No major differences were observed among the other parameters studied except average daily gain, in which case the steers inside gained 15% faster.