title: Supplemental betaine and peroxide-treated feather meal for finishing cattle.
abstract: These studies evaluated the effects of betaine, provided either as feed-grade betaine or as concentrated separator by-product (CSB; desugared beet molasses), on performance and carcass characteristics of finishing cattle. In Exp. 1, 175 steers (410 kg initial BW) were fed a finishing diet based on steam-flaked and dry-rolled corn, and treatments included 10.5 and 21 g/d feed-grade betaine and 250 and 500 g/d CSB (supplying 15.5 and 31 g/d of betaine, respectively). Steers fed feed-grade betaine had greater (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.1) DMI than control steers, but ADG and gain efficiencies were not affected by treatment. Dressing percent and backfat thickness was greater (P < 0.1) for steers that received feed-grade betaine than for controls. Longissimus muscle area was lower (P < 0.1) for steers supplemented with either feed-grade betaine or CSB than for control steers. Yield grades were higher for cattle receiving feed-grade betaine (quadratic effect, P < 0.1) than for control steers. Marbling scores were not affected by supplemental betaine, but the percentage of carcasses grading USDA Select was lower (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.1) for steers fed feed-grade betaine than for control steers, predominantly due to a greater percentage grading USDA Choice. In Exp. 2, 312 heifers (343 kg initial BW) were used in a finishing study to evaluate the effects of graded levels of feed-grade betaine and peroxide-treated feather meal on performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments included two finishing diets (containing peroxide-treated or untreated feather meal) and four levels (0, 4, 8, and 12 g/d) of feed-grade betaine arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial. No significant interactions occurred between treatment of feather meal and betaine. Treatment of feather meal with hydrogen peroxide (5% wt/wt) increased in situ protein degradability but did not alter DMI, ADG, gain efficiencies, or carcass characteristics of heifers when it replaced untreated feather meal in the diet. Top-dressing feed-grade betaine to the diets had no effect on DMI, ADG, and gain efficiencies. Marbling scores were greater (cubic effect, P < 0.05) for heifers fed diets top-dressed with 4 and 12 g/d of feed-grade betaine, but other carcass characteristics were not altered significantly. Overall, feed-grade betaine and CSB did not alter growth performance, but did have minor effects on carcass characteristics.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001823:Body Composition; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating; D005241:Feathers; D005260:Female; D008082:Lipotropic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010545:Peroxides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008082:Lipotropic Agents; D010545:Peroxides; D001622:Betaine