Effect of an Accelerated Adaptation Protocol on Performance and Health of Feedlot Steers Drenched with Lactipro

Summary with Implications A finishing study evaluated the effects of an accelerated adaptation protocol in conjunction with Lactipro on performance and health of steers. Five adaptation programs were evaluated with steers adapted to a finishing diet in 21, 14, 7, or 0 days. An additional accelerated adaptation program provided intensive feed delivery with 0-d adaptation. Cattle assigned to the 21-d and 0-d adaptations gained faster and consequently had greater HCW compared to the 7-d and 14-d adaptation, resulting in a quadratic response for ADG and HCW. The 0-d adaptation with intensive feed delivery had similar ADG and HCW compared to the 21-d and 0-d adaptation suggesting more frequent feed delivery during the initial days of adaptation does not prove to be beneficial. No differences were observed for any health outcomes. These data suggest that when cattle are drenched with Lactipro NXT, an accelerated adaptation approach with 100% finisher is suitable as it yields similar results to a traditional 21-d adaptation program.