title: Influence of supplementation with corn dried distillers grains plus solubles to growing calves fed medium-quality hay on growth performance and feeding behavior.
abstract: To determine the effect of increasing supplementation of corn dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) on growth performance and feeding behavior, 70 steer calves (287 ± 10 kg of BW) were blocked by BW to 3 pens equipped with Insentec feeders. For 84 d, calves were fed medium-quality grass/legume hay offered for ad libitum intake and provided 1 of 3 dietary supplemental treatments (n = 7 or 8 steers per treatment within each pen; n = 23 or 24 per treatment): 1) nothing, 2) DDGS at 0.5% of BW daily (DM basis), and 3) DDGS at 1% of BW daily (DM basis). Hay intake (kg/d and % of BW daily) decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as DDGS supplementation increased. Total DMI (kg/d and % of BW) increased linearly (P < 0.001) with DDGS supplementation. Average daily gain and gain efficiency (G:F) responded quadratically (P ≤ 0.006) as G:F increased to a lesser extent when DDGS supplementation increased from 0.5 to 1% than from 0 to 0.5%. Meals (number per day) and time eating per meal for hay and total diet decreased linearly (P ≤ 0.006) with increasing DDGS supplementation. Time eating per day for hay responded quadratically (P < 0.001) and decreased to a greater extent when increasing from 0 to 0.5% DDGS supplementation than from 0.5 to 1% DDGS. Feed intake per minute (eating rate) for hay and total diet increased linearly (P ≤ 0.05) with increasing DDGS supplementation. On d 84, LM area, back fat thickness, and rump fat thickness increased linearly (P ≤ 0.006) with increasing DDGS supplementation. There were significant day × treatment interactions (P < 0.001) for plasma glucose and urea-N concentrations. Glucose did not change over the feeding period in control steers but increased in both supplemented groups. Urea-N decreased for control steers over the feeding period whereas urea-N increased in supplemented steers. In conclusion, supplementation of DDGS in amounts of 0.5 or 1% of BW daily can be used to reduce hay intake and improve ADG and G:F in growing steers fed medium-quality hay. Additionally, DDGS supplementation alters feeding behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58102.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Islas
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Gilbery
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Goulart
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Dahlen
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Swanson
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003313:Zea mays