Feedlot Ruminant Nutrition and Metabolism

Ruminant production systems are constantly being developed to improve the quality of products from these animals, especially meat and milk. Consumers have been increasingly demanding quality, environmentally friendly food with good nutritional properties. The use of strategies such as feedlot has been an important tool in improving these products and is usually related to a change in nutrition, which consequently tends to alter the metabolism of these animals. Several other factors can also influence these changes, such as adaptation to confinement, environment, feeding regime, stress, and genetics, among others.

Increasing evidence has shown the importance of metabolic changes in feedlot ruminants, especially in relation to performance and health, meat quality, and milk composition. New knowledge about the metabolism of feedlot animals is essential to improve the productivity and quality of products. A better understanding of the molecular factors that affect the metabolism of these animals can significantly help to achieve the new goals of producing food of animal origin for the growing demand of the human population.