ABSTRACT
Compensatory growth has been known to occur in beef cattle for nearly 70 yr. Cattle that have been subjected to a period of feed restriction grow faster when the period of restriction is over than they would have done if no restriction had been imposed. This chapter examines possible explanations for the way in which compensatory growth works. The cattle exhibiting compensatory growth deposited more protein and water and less fat. Since each kilogram of protein gain needs less energy than each kilogram of fat gain, the differences in tissue gained help explain some of the compensation. Compensatory growth in cattle seems to result from at least two phenomena. First, cattle subjected to nutritional restrictions have greater feed intakes when the restriction is removed and this results in faster growth. Second, compensating cattle may deposit more protein and water and less fat in their bodies, resulting in greater efficiency of energy utilization.
