Effects of a moderate exercise regimen on development and puberty attainment of beef heifers reared in drylots at a high stocking density

This experiment evaluated growth, physiological responses, and puberty attainment in beef heifers reared in drylots with a high stocking density, and provided or not with a moderate exercise regimen. A total of 180 heifers (75% Angus x 25% Brahman) were used in this experiment replicated over 2 yr. Each year, 90 heifers were ranked by age (264 +/- 1 d) and body weight (BW on day -3; 200 +/- 2 kg) on day 0, and assigned to a) one of six drylot pens (10 x 14 m pens; 10 heifers per pen) with a stocking density of 14 m(2)/heifer (DENS), or b) one of three pastures (2-ha pastures; 10 heifers per pasture) with a stocking density of 2,000 m(2)/heifer (CON). Beginning on day 15, three DENS pens were given access to an exercise area (DENS-EX) 3 times/wk (1 h). Negligible forage was available for CON, whereas heifers from all treatments received the same limit-fed diet (similar to 13 kg/heifer daily). Shrunk BW was recorded after 16 h of feed and water withdrawal on days -3 and 225 to calculate BW gain. Temperament was evaluated on days 0, 128, and 224. Heifers were fitted with a pedometer behind their shoulder on day 0 to record physical activity. Pedometer results and blood samples were collected weekly for progesterone analysis. Hair samples from the tail switch were collected every 28 d. Data were analyzed with pen or pasture as an experimental unit, via ANOVA using the MIXED or GLIMMIX procedures of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Heifers from CON had more (P < 0.01) steps per week compared with DENS and DENS-EX (23,973, 6,706, and 12,354 steps/wk, respectively; SEM = 1,247), and DENS-EX heifers had more (P < 0.01) steps per week compared with DENS. No treatment effects (P >= 0.91) were detected for heifer BW gain (similar to 0.820 kg/d). Hair cortisol concentrations were greater (P <= 0.05) in DENS and DENS-EX compared with CON beginning on day 56. Exit velocity and temperament score were greater (P <= 0.05) in DENS compared with DENS-EX and CON on day 224. Puberty attainment was delayed (treatment x day; P < 0.01) in DENS compared with DENS-EX and CON. A greater (P <= 0.05) proportion of CON were pubertal by day 105 compared with DENS and DENS-EX (30.0%, 11.6%, and 15.0%, respectively; SEM = 6.5), while a greater (P < 0.05) proportion of CON and DENS-EX were pubertal by day 154 compared to DENS (61.7%, 66.7%, and 43.3%, respectively; SEM = 6.5). Rearing replacement heifers in drylots with high stocking density has detrimental effects on their puberty attainment, and the moderate exercise regimen partially alleviated this negative outcome.