title: Effect of sulfur content in wet or dry distillers grains fed at several inclusions on cattle growth performance, ruminal parameters, and hydrogen sulfide.
abstract: Effects of S from wet or dry distillers grains with solubles (DGS) containing 0.82 or 1.16% S on animal growth performance, carcass characteristics, apparent total tract digestibility, and ruminal parameters were evaluated. In Exp. 1, crossbred beef steers (n = 120; 345 ± 34 kg BW) were individually fed ad libitum using Calan gates. Treatments were applied as a 2 × 2 × 3 + 1 factorial treatment arrangement with factors of DGS type (wet or dry), S content in DGS (0.82 or 1.16% DM basis), and DGS inclusion (20, 30, and 40%, DM basis), as well as a corn control diet (no DGS). In Exp. 2, ruminally cannulated crossbred beef steers (n = 6; 381 ± 31 kg BW) were assigned to 1 of 5 diets in a 5 × 6 unbalanced Latin Square design and fed ad libitum through five 14-d periods. A 2 × 2 + 1 factorial treatment arrangement was used with the factors of DGS type and S content in DGS (similar to Exp. 1). Inclusion of DGS was 40%, except for a MATCH diet containing wet 1.16% S DGS included at 31.4% (DM basis). Intake of DM decreased linearly (P < 0.01) and quadratically (P < 0.01) for steers fed wet and dry DGS that was 1.16% S, respectively. In addition, steers fed dry DGS consumed 9% more DM (P < 0.01) than those fed wet. Gain decreased linearly (P = 0.02) when wet 1.16% S DGS increased in the diet, representing a 12% drop in ADG between the Control and 40% DGS inclusion. A quadratic (P = 0.02) improvement in G:F was observed for steers fed wet DGS compared with dry, regardless of S content (P = 0.52). Feeding diets with wet 1.16% S DGS linearly decreased (P = 0.03) HCW. In Exp. 2, molar proportion of propionate declined (P = 0.01) 9% and A:P ratio tended (P = 0.13) to be greater when 1.16 compared with 0.82% S DGS was fed. Apparent total tract DMD was not affected (P > 0.16) and only subtle changes (P < 0.01) in ruminal pH parameters were observed. Greater (P = 0.02) ruminal H2S concentration for steers fed wet compared with dry DGS was observed, while 1.16% S DGS tended (P = 0.12) to produce greater ruminal H2S than 0.82% S. Sulfur in wet DGS appears to be more prone to be converted to ruminal H2S, because feeding 1.16% S as wet DGS had a greater impact on ADG, DMI, and ruminal H2S compared with dry DGS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln 68583.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Sarturi
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Klopfenstein
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rolfe
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Bremer
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D012417:Rumen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D014867:Water; D013455:Sulfur; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide