Effects of various doses of lubabegron on calculated ammonia gas emissions, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of beef cattle during the last 56 days of the feeding period

Abstract

Lubabegron (LUB; Experior, Elanco, Greenfield, IN, USA) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2018 and is indicated for the reduction of ammonia (NH ₃) gas emissions·kg ⁻¹ body weight (BW) and hot carcass weight (HCW) when fed to feedlot cattle during the final 14 to 91 d of the finishing period. LUB demonstrates antagonistic behavior at the β  ₁ and β  ₂ receptor subtypes and agonistic behavior at the β  ₃ receptor subtype in cattle and is classified by the Center for Veterinary Medicine as a “beta-adrenergic agonist/antagonist.” This report describes a randomized complete block study that evaluated LUB dose (0, 1.5, 3.5, and 5.5 mg·kg ⁻¹ dry matter) during the last 56 d of the feeding period on calculated NH ₃ gas emissions, live weight, carcass weight, and associated ratios in beef feedlot cattle. Carcass characteristics, mobility, and health were also evaluated. All cattle received monensin and tylosin throughout the study. Ammonia gas emissions were calculated using the equation developed by Brown et al. (Brown, M. S., N. A. Cole, S. Gruber, J. Kube, and J. S. Teeter. 2019. Modeling and prediction accuracy of ammonia gas emissions from feedlot cattle. App. Anim. Sci. 35:347–356). The reduction in calculated cumulative NH ₃ gas emissions with LUB ranged from 1.3% to 11.0% (85 to 708 g/hd). When NH ₃ gas emissions were expressed on a live weight (unshrunk) and carcass weight basis, calculated NH ₃ gas emissions decreased by 3.0% to 12.8% and 3.8% to 14.6%, respectively. Daily dry matter intake was 2.3% greater ( P _trt < 0.05) for steers that received LUB. Average daily gain was 13.7% greater ( P _trt < 0.05; 1.68 vs. 1.91 kg), while gain efficiency was 10.8% greater ( P _trt < 0.05; 0.167 vs. 0.185) for steers fed LUB. Animal mobility was scored in the pen approximately 1 wk prior to harvest, when cattle were loaded on trucks scheduled for harvest, and at antemortem inspection during lairage. No treatment differences ( P _trt ≥ 0.170) were observed at any time for the percent of cattle receiving mobility scores of 1 or 2 (normal or minor stiffness but moving with the normal cattle, respectively). Cattle mobility scored as a 1 or 2 equaled or exceeded 92% at all times. Final BW and HCW increased ( P _trt < 0.05) 11.6 to 15.7 kg and 11.3 to 17.1 kg, respectively, in cattle receiving LUB compared to cattle receiving monensin plus tylosin alone.