A study on changes in the blood vitamin A and cortisol levels and behavioral pattern of fattening Japanese black steers
1999
Sekine, J. (Tottori Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | Izawa, S. | Matsumoto, T. | Hai, J. | Takatori, H. | Yamasaki, Y. | Oura, R. | Hishinuma, M.
To investigate changes in blood levels of vitamin A and cortisol in the course of fattening Japanese Black steers, four fattening treatments were studied by the use of 18 Japanese Black steers in Livestock Experiment Station of Tottori Prefecture. Results of the performance of steers were fairly satisfactory with the mean daily gain of 0.75 kg and the mean shipping weight of 710 kg. Carcass grade was not so good as expected with the higher disposal rate of the liver of 60% on average. Observation of behavior of steers in the course of fattening showed that animals appeared to have no stress on the social behavior under the condition of the present study. Results of serum concentration of vitamin A, however, revealed that steers may have received physiological stress from the diet specific to the fattening of Japanese Black steers
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