PSXIII-B-9 Effects of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) Supplementation on Behavior, Heart Rate, Hemogram and Serum Biochemistry Profiles of Beef cow-Calf Pairs During Weaning

Abstract Weaning is a stressful event that affects animal welfare and performance. This study examined the effects of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) supplementation on behavior, chute score physiological responses cow-calf pairs during weaning. Ten apparently healthy Angus pairs, average BCS 6.0, were randomly allocated to one two groups for 7 days: Control (CON, 200g/head commercial grower feed, n=10) Hemp (HMP, containing 80% feed 20% hemp, n=10), daily. Hay water provided ad libitum. Chute exit scores recorded blood samples collected at d 0, 4 feeding period. Animal activity data was using automated monitoring systems Moomonitor IceQubes cows calves, respectively. At weaning, separated abruptly observed. Data analyzed Stata 14.2. Overall, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, rumination duration, rumen fluid pH did not differ (P > 0.05) between treatments. Specifically, hemogram serum biochemistry results cow groups. However, resting duration tended be greater in HEMP compared with CON (383.94±19.3 vs 298.60±16.1 mins/day, P = 0.06) cows. In addition, (473.8±24.5 262.3±31.6 min/day) heart rate lower (62.67 94.7 beats/min, 0.03). Hemoglobin concentration smaller (12.6 14.1mg/mL, 0.02). mean corpuscular hemoglobin (33.04 32.04g/dl, 0.04). We concluded increased cows, reduced calves first report use improve