Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models
Beef cattle production is largely dependent on rangelands for cattle to convert unusable plant-based fibers into an animal-based protein source for human consumption. Solutions are needed to meet both the growing demand for animal-based proteins and the desire of managers to produce energy-efficient...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1620584/full |
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| author | Logan Riley Vandermark Jameson R. Brennan Krista Ann Ehlert Hector M. Menendez |
| author_facet | Logan Riley Vandermark Jameson R. Brennan Krista Ann Ehlert Hector M. Menendez |
| author_sort | Logan Riley Vandermark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Beef cattle production is largely dependent on rangelands for cattle to convert unusable plant-based fibers into an animal-based protein source for human consumption. Solutions are needed to meet both the growing demand for animal-based proteins and the desire of managers to produce energy-efficient cattle. Animal energetics has largely focused on beef cattle within confined systems such as feedlots. However, beef cattle grazing in extensive rangelands likely have a higher energetic requirement due to the need to forage across heterogeneous landscapes. In this study, we created a precision system model to account for net energy for activity of beef cattle on extensive rangeland systems by integrating in-pasture weighing technology, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and animal nutrition models. The results from the mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) for net energy for maintenance activity (Nemr_act) indicated a significant main effect of treatment (P < 0.0001) and stocking rate (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant interaction (P = 0.705). These results indicate that, although the overall energetic expenditure may be similar, individual pasture effects may impact the proportional cost of physical activity partitioned between Resting, Flat, and Ascending energetic expenditures, as animals utilize diverse landscapes. Cattle grazing on extensive rangelands within the intermountain west with greater variations in both topography and slope will likely impact energetics to a greater extent. As the rates of precision technology and virtual fencing are adopted, the applications of the algorithm developed in this study may be used to quantify these differences at larger landscape scales across western rangelands. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a02f6101ddfa47fea165f14fe491e619 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-a02f6101ddfa47fea165f14fe491e6192025-08-20T02:50:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-07-011210.3389/fvets.2025.16205841620584Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition modelsLogan Riley Vandermark0Jameson R. Brennan1Krista Ann Ehlert2Hector M. Menendez3Department of Animal Science, West River Research and Extension Center, South Dakota State University, Rapid, SD, United StatesDepartment of Animal Science, West River Research and Extension Center, South Dakota State University, Rapid, SD, United StatesDepartment of Natural Resource Management, West River Research and Extension Center, South Dakota State University, Rapid, SD, United StatesDepartment of Animal Science, West River Research and Extension Center, South Dakota State University, Rapid, SD, United StatesBeef cattle production is largely dependent on rangelands for cattle to convert unusable plant-based fibers into an animal-based protein source for human consumption. Solutions are needed to meet both the growing demand for animal-based proteins and the desire of managers to produce energy-efficient cattle. Animal energetics has largely focused on beef cattle within confined systems such as feedlots. However, beef cattle grazing in extensive rangelands likely have a higher energetic requirement due to the need to forage across heterogeneous landscapes. In this study, we created a precision system model to account for net energy for activity of beef cattle on extensive rangeland systems by integrating in-pasture weighing technology, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and animal nutrition models. The results from the mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) for net energy for maintenance activity (Nemr_act) indicated a significant main effect of treatment (P < 0.0001) and stocking rate (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant interaction (P = 0.705). These results indicate that, although the overall energetic expenditure may be similar, individual pasture effects may impact the proportional cost of physical activity partitioned between Resting, Flat, and Ascending energetic expenditures, as animals utilize diverse landscapes. Cattle grazing on extensive rangelands within the intermountain west with greater variations in both topography and slope will likely impact energetics to a greater extent. As the rates of precision technology and virtual fencing are adopted, the applications of the algorithm developed in this study may be used to quantify these differences at larger landscape scales across western rangelands.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1620584/fullprecision livestockanimal nutritiondata integrationmodelingrangelands |
| spellingShingle | Logan Riley Vandermark Jameson R. Brennan Krista Ann Ehlert Hector M. Menendez Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models Frontiers in Veterinary Science precision livestock animal nutrition data integration modeling rangelands |
| title | Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models |
| title_full | Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models |
| title_fullStr | Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models |
| title_short | Estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating GPS tracking data, in-pasture weighing technology, and animal nutrition models |
| title_sort | estimating net energy for activity for grazing beef cattle by integrating gps tracking data in pasture weighing technology and animal nutrition models |
| topic | precision livestock animal nutrition data integration modeling rangelands |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1620584/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT loganrileyvandermark estimatingnetenergyforactivityforgrazingbeefcattlebyintegratinggpstrackingdatainpastureweighingtechnologyandanimalnutritionmodels AT jamesonrbrennan estimatingnetenergyforactivityforgrazingbeefcattlebyintegratinggpstrackingdatainpastureweighingtechnologyandanimalnutritionmodels AT kristaannehlert estimatingnetenergyforactivityforgrazingbeefcattlebyintegratinggpstrackingdatainpastureweighingtechnologyandanimalnutritionmodels AT hectormmenendez estimatingnetenergyforactivityforgrazingbeefcattlebyintegratinggpstrackingdatainpastureweighingtechnologyandanimalnutritionmodels |