Effect of zinc source and implant strategy on performance, carcass characteristics, and trace mineral concentrations in finishing feedlot steers.

Seventy-two Angus-crossbred steers (411 ± 16 kg) were assigned to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments to examine the effects of blended Zn source supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, and trace mineral parameters of steers administered no implant or a two-implant program. Factors included implant (IMP) strategies and Zn supplementation. During the 126-d study, steers were either not implanted (NoIMP) or implanted (IS/200; Elanco, Greenfield, IN) on days 0 (Component TE-IS; 80 mg trenbolone acetate + 16 mg estradiol) and 57 (Component TE-200; 200 mg trenbolone acetate + 20 mg estradiol). All steers were fed 70 mg Zn/kg on a dry matter (DM) basis from ZnSO 4 + 30 mg Zn/kg DM from either basic ZnCl (Vistore Zn, Phibro Animal Health, Teaneck, NJ), Zn glycinate (Gemstone Zn, Phibro Animal Health), or ZnSO 4 (ZnB, ZnG, or ZnS, respectively). Steers were blocked by weight into pens of 6 and fed a dry rolled corn-based diet via GrowSafe bunks (GrowSafe Systems Ltd.; Airdrie, AB, Canada). Data were analyzed using the Mixed Procedure of SAS, with fixed effects of Zn, IMP, and the interaction. Steer was the experimental unit ( n = 12 steers/treatment). Liver and muscle collected on days -5, 14, 71, and 120 were analyzed for Zn concentration, and data were analyzed as repeated measures (repeated effect = Day). An IMP × Zn tendency ( P = 0.07) was observed for day 126 body weight with no effects of Zn within NoIMP, whereas ZnS tended to be heavier than ZnB with ZnG intermediate within IS/200. Carcass-adjusted overall feed efficiency (G:F) was greatest for ZnS (Zn; P = 0.02). Implanted cattle had greater DM intake, G:F, and carcass-adjusted performance ( P ≤ 0.01). Liver Zn concentrations were greater for IS/200 by day 120 (IMP × Day; P = 0.02). Within IS/200, ZnG tended to have greater muscle Zn than ZnS, whereas ZnB was intermediate (Zn × IMP; P = 0.09). No Zn or IMP × Zn ( P ≥ 0.12) effects were observed for carcass data. However, IS/200 had greater hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, and ribeye area than NoIMP ( P ≤ 0.001). These data suggest that implants improve growth and influence Zn metabolism. Future work should examine Zn sources and supplementation alongside implant strategies.