Evaluation of a phytogenic blend with essential oils and plant extracts on initial receiving period growth performance of auction-derived beef steers

Abstract

The receiving period is a critical point in a calf’s life as they are introduced to new stressors which can increase their susceptibility to disease. The use of essential oil and phyto-molecule compounds may help improve immune function decreasing the incidence of disease and improving the performance of newly received calves. Ten replicate pens per treatment were used in a randomized complete block design. Each pen contained 8 steers (?nitial BW = 305±30.4 kg; n = 80 steers/treatment). The objective was to determine if a phytogenic feed additive (PFA) with essential oils and plant extracts (PHYTOsolvan 200; DOSTOFARM, Westerstede, Germany) influences measures of growth or growth efficiency during the feedlot receiving phase in auction-derived beef steers. No steers were removed from the study; one steer from the control treatment was treated for respiratory disease (0.63%), and no mortality was noted. No appreciable differences were noted for BW, ADG, DMI, or feed conversion efficiency from d 1 to 29, 29 to 53, or during the cumulative receiving period (p? 0.12). Performance-based NEm and NEg were not influenced by dietary treatment (p? 0.79). The ratio of observed-to-expected dietary net energy was not impacted by dietary treatment (p? 0.71). Steers performed met growth performance expectations based upon dietary net energy and dry matter intake (the ratio of observed-to-expected NEm = 1.00), hence, it is not surprising that the phytogenic compound did not influence growth or health outcomes under the conditions of this experiment.