title: Combinations of alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed in limit-fed growing diets for beef cattle.
abstract: Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of alfalfa hay (AH) and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) combinations on ADG and gain efficiency of cattle limit-fed growing diets. In Exp. 1, crossbred beef steers (n = 220; initial BW = 262 kg) were limit-fed diets consisting of steam-flaked corn and 40% WCGF (DM basis) with 0, 10, or 20% ground AH (0AH, 10AH, and 20AH, respectively). A fourth diet containing 20% ground AH and steam-flaked corn served as a control. All diets were fed once daily at 1.8% of BW (DM basis). Growing period ADG, gain efficiency, and dietary NE calculated from performance data decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with addition of AH to diets containing WCGF. Rate of DMI increased linearly (P < 0.05) with AH addition to diets containing WCGF. Following the growing period, steers were finished on a common diet offered ad libitum. Gain efficiencies during the finishing period were higher (P < 0.05) for steers fed the 20AH diet than for steers fed the control diet. In Exp. 2, crossbred beef heifers (n = 339; initial BW = 277 kg) were limit-fed diets containing steam-flaked corn with 10, 20, or 30% ground AH and 0, 40, or 68% WCGF in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, fed once daily at 1.6% of BW (DM basis). An AH x WCGF interaction occurred (P < 0.05) for growing period ADG and gain efficiency. Increasing AH or WCGF decreased cattle ADG, gain efficiency, and dietary NE with the exception of heifers fed 30AH/40WCGF, which had ADG that did not differ (P > 0.10) from that of heifers fed 20AH/0WCGF or 30AH/0WCGF, and which had greater gain efficiencies (P < 0.05) than heifers fed 30AH/0WCGF. Rate of DMI increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing AH and decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing WCGF. Heifers were finished on diets containing 33% WCGF with 0 or 0.5% added urea (DM basis) offered ad libitum. Increasing WCGF in growing diets tended (linear, P < 0.10) to increase finishing ADG and gain efficiency, whereas increasing AH decreased (linear, P < 0.05) kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, and the percentage of carcasses grading USDA Prime. Urea tended to increase ADG (P < 0.10), but decreased (P < 0.04) the percentage of carcasses grading USDA Choice. Results suggest that the value of WCGF relative to steam-flaked corn in limit-fed growing diets might be improved in diets containing 30% AH relative to diets containing 10 or 20% AH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-1600, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Drouillard
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sindt
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Farran
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Trater
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coetzer
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: LaBrune
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Stocks
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D000455:Medicago sativa; D011897:Random Allocation; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005983:Glutens