Dried distillers grains with solubles with reduced corn silage levels in beef finishing diets.
Two finishing experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of 25% dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DDG) in beef cattle finishing diets by partially replacing a portion of the grain and soybean meal in the control diets. In Exp.1, crossbred heifers (n = 377; BW 378 +/- 4.1 kg) were fed diets consisting of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with a control diet containing 0% DDG and 15% corn silage (CS), 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Compared with the control treatment, heifers fed DDG and 15% CS had a greater proportion of USDA yield grade 4 and 5 carcasses (P = 0.04; 5.68 vs. 14.12), and smaller LM area (P = 0.04; 86.09 vs. 82.48 cm(2)). In Exp. 2, crossbred heifers (n = 582; BW = 377 +/- 27.09 kg) were fed diets similar to Exp. 1 except dry-rolled corn (DRC) and SFC were compared as the basal grain sources. Treatments included DRC or SFC: with control diets containing 0% DDG and 15% CS, 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Feeding SFC decreased DMI (P < 0.01), improved G:F (P < 0.01) and final shrunk BW (P = 0.05) compared with DRC. Average USDA yield grade was greater for cattle fed DRC than for those fed SFC (P = 0.02), but calculated yield grade was not different among treatments (P = 0.71). Feeding DDG and 5% CS, regardless of grain source, led to decreased DMI and greater G:F than feeding DDG and 15% CS (P = 0.02). When comparing the control treatments with the diets containing 25% DDG and 15% CS shrunk final BW, ADG, and G:F were decreased (P < or = 0.05); however, carcass-adjusted measurements were not different (P > 0.52). Results indicate that roughage levels can be reduced in feedlot diets containing 25% DDG with no adverse effects on BW gain, feed efficiency, or carcass quality.
May
M L
ML
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
Quinn
M J
MJ
Depenbusch
B E
BE
Reinhardt
C D
CD
Gibson
M L
ML
Karges
K K
KK
Cole
N A
NA
Drouillard
J S
JS
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards; D012820:Silage; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism