Protein supplements for corn-silage diets and their effect on subsequent growth and carcass characteristics in beef cattle

1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. J. Horton ◽  
W. D. Pitman ◽  
F. M. Pate

Ninety-six Brahman crossbred steers (187 ± 3.9 kg) were used to evaluate protein supplements in corn-silage growing diets for 140 d. The following treatments were used: 1, control (7.9% crude protein (CP)); 2, urea (10.3% CP); 3, dehydrated alfalfa (10.0% CP); or 4, soybean meal (SBM) (10.6% CP). Steers were then fed a common finishing diet (80% corn) with 13.4% CP for 120 d. Steers fed the control diet had lower levels of plasma-urea nitrogen, consumed less feed, gained less weight and utilized feed less efficiently than those fed supplemented diets (P < 0.05). Steers fed SBM gained weight faster than those fed urea (P < 0.05), though feed/gain ratios were similar. Although control steers exhibited compensatory growth during the 120-d finishing period, re-alimentation was not complete, and their overall gain was lowest at the end of the 260-d study (P < 0.05). Cattle fed the low-protein growing diet also had lighter carcasses, smaller loin eye area and less backfat and marbling than steers fed protein supplements (P < 0.05). Carcass characteristics were similar for the three protein supplements. These results demonstrate that urea equalled SBM and dehydrated alfalfa as a protein source in a corn-silage growing diet as measured by overall performance and carcass characteristics at the end of 120 d re-alimentation on a finishing diet. However, the negative effects of protein deprivation during the 140-d growing period were not completely overcome after a 120-d finishing period. Key words: Compensatory growth, protein supplements, carcass, beef cattle

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan A Johnson ◽  
Brittney D Sutherland ◽  
John J McKinnon ◽  
Tim A McAllister ◽  
Gregory B Penner

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the source of silage, cereal grain, and their interaction on growth performance, digestibility, and carcass characteristics of finishing beef cattle. Using a completely randomized design within an 89-d finishing study, 288 steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 24 pens (12 steers/pen) with average steer body weight (BW) within a pen of 464 kg ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD). Diets were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with corn silage (CS) or barley silage (BS) included at 8% (dry matter [DM] basis). Within each silage source, diets contained dry-rolled barley grain (BG; 86% of DM), dry-rolled corn grain (CG; 85% of DM), or an equal blend of BG and CG (BCG; 85% of DM). Total tract digestibility of nutrients was estimated from fecal samples using near-infrared spectroscopy. Data were analyzed with pen as the experimental unit using the Mixed Model of SAS with the fixed effects of silage, grain, and the two-way interaction. Carcass and fecal kernel data were analyzed using GLIMMIX utilizing the same model. There were no interactions detected between silage and grain source. Feeding CG increased (P &lt; 0.01) DM intake by 0.8 and 0.6 kg/d relative to BG and BCG, respectively. Gain-to-feed ratio was greater (P = 0.04) for BG (0.172 kg/kg) than CG (0.162 kg/kg) but did not differ from BCG (0.165 kg/kg). Furthermore, average daily gain (2.07 kg/d) and final body weight did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.25). Hot carcass weight (HCW) was 6.2 kg greater (372.2 vs. 366.0 kg; P &lt; 0.01) and dressing percentage was 0.57 percentage units greater (59.53 vs. 58.96 %; P = 0.04) for steers fed CS than BS, respectively. There was no effect of dietary treatment on the severity of liver abscesses (P ≥ 0.20) with 72.0% of carcasses having clear livers, 24.4% with minor liver abscesses, and 3.6% with severe liver abscesses. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and starch were greater for BG (P &lt; 0.01) than CG or BCG. As expected, grain source affected the appearance of grain kernels in the feces (P ≤ 0.04). Feeding CS silage increased the appearance of fractured corn kernels (P = 0.04), while feeding BS increased fiber appearance in the feces (P = 0.02). Current results indicate that when dry rolled, feeding BG resulted in improved performance and digestibility compared with CG and BCG. Even at low inclusion levels (8% of DM), CS resulted in improved carcass characteristics relative to BS.


2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Madrid ◽  
S. Martínez ◽  
C. López ◽  
J. Orengo ◽  
M. J. López ◽  
...  

The aim of the present research was to determine the effect of low protein diets on growth performance, carcass traits and ammonia emission from barrows and gilts during the growing and finishing periods. For each period, three diets were formulated. A control diet (C) with 160 and 155 g crude protein (CP)/kg for the growing and finishing, respectively, a medium level diet (M) and a low level diet (L) with 10 and 20 g CP/kg less than the C, respectively. All the diets were supplemented with crystalline amino acids on an ideal protein basis. Barrows (90) and gilts (90) were sorted by bodyweight and sex and housed in three identical manually ventilated chambers. No significant effects of diet on pig performance were observed. In the finishing period, barrows were heavier (P < 0.001) and had higher average daily gain (P < 0.01) and average daily feed intake (P < 0.01) than gilts. Pigs fed the L diet had higher backfat thickness than those fed the other diets in the growing period (P < 0.05). Backfat thickness was higher (P < 0.01) in barrows than in gilts. Muscle depth decreased in pigs fed the L diet in the finishing period. Muscle depth was not affected (P > 0.05) by sex. Average ammonia emissions during the last 6 days were 117.7, 94.2 and 85.5 mg ammonia/kg pig.day for pigs fed the C, M and L diets, respectively. The results show that a reduction in dietary CP of 10 g/kg, accompanied by supplementation with crystalline amino acid reduced ammonia emission by 19.9% with no detrimental effects on growth performance and carcass characteristics, and a reduction of 20 g/kg reduced ammonia emission by 27.3% with no detrimental effects on growth performance but reduced muscle depth at slaughter.


2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 742-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Martínez-Aispuro ◽  
José Luis Figueroa-Velasco ◽  
Vicente Zamora-Zamora ◽  
José Luis Cordero-Mora ◽  
Carlos Narciso-Gaytán ◽  
...  

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 423-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. HARVEY ◽  
W. J. CROOM JR. ◽  
K. R. POND ◽  
B. W. HOGARTH ◽  
E. S. LEONARD

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of high levels of sodium chloride in energy and (or) protein supplements on performance and digestive and metabolic parameters of growing beef cattle. In each trial, 24 Hereford steers averaging 196 kg initial weight were individually fed corn silage or fescue hay plus an energy and (or) protein supplement containing NaCl. Consumption of the low (LS) and high (HS) levels of NaCl was 22–23 g d−1 and 192–193 g d−1, respectively. In Trial 1 the high NaCl supplement tended to reduce gains and feed efficiency of steers fed silage whereas gains were similar for those fed low and high NaCl and fescue hay. In Trial 2, gains and feed efficiencies were similar for both NaCl treatments. Rumen fluid total volatile fatty acid concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) at day 70 of both trials with high NaCl. Steers fed high NaCl had lower rumen ammonia concentrations at days 56 and 70 of Trial 1, while no significant differences were noted at day 70 of Trial 2. Molar percentages of valeric acid were reduced at each sampling with high NaCl diets. Serum Na levels were similar for the two NaCl levels, whereas K levels were increased at day 70 due to high NaCl. Rumen liquid digesta flow rates were increased (P < 0.05) in animals fed the high NaCl supplements, whereas total solid digesta and soybean meal rate of passage were not affected by NaCl level in the supplement. Supplements containing high levels of NaCl do induce changes in rumen function but do not consistently affect animal performance. Key words: Sodium chloride, supplements, beef cattle, corn silage, fescue hay


1968 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Castell ◽  
J. P. Bowland

Four experiments were conducted with a total of 144 pigs to study the effects on rate of gain, efficiency of feed utilization, digestibility and retention of nutrients and carcass characteristics of adding 0.10% CuSO4∙5H2O to the diets of crossbred pigs, fed ad libitum or restricted to scale, from weaning to market weight. The diets contained either fishmeal or soybean meal as protein supplements and were formulated to contain 14 or 17% protein. For ad libitum-fed pigs, the addition of copper to the diet improved rate of gain by 6.2% and efficiency of feed utilization by 3.8% up to 50 kg liveweight, with a lesser improvement for restricted pigs. The increased gain and reduced feed per kg gain with copper supplements were more apparent when fishmeal rather than soybean meal and a high rather than a low protein level were fed. Rate of gain and efficiency of feed utilization were increased only slightly by copper supplements when the overall growth period to market weight was considered. In digestibility studies, chromium sesquioxide as an indicator and total fecal collection gave comparable results, but digestibility coefficients were higher when the total collection method was used. Energy digestibility and nitrogen digestibility and retention were not consistently influenced by supplemental copper. Metabolizable energy was not altered by supplemental copper in the diet. The carcasses of ad libitum-fed pigs receiving supplemental copper with high protein were generally lower in backfat, and had larger cross-sectional areas of the loin and higher carcass ROP scores, than those receiving no supplemental copper. However, pigs fed ad libitum copper-supplemented diets containing fishmeal yielded a large proportion of carcasses with soft fat. This softer consistency of fat was less apparent in carcasses of pigs fed soybean meal and did not occur at market weight in pigs fed diets restricted to scale.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. H. Cohen ◽  
B. D. King ◽  
H. H. Nicholson ◽  
E. D. Janzen

In 1984–1985 and 1985–1986 groups of 136 and 127 male calves were used to assess the effects of multiple implants (Ralgro and Steeroid), castration time (early and late) and castration method (surgical and chemical) on growth to weaning and feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Ralgro increased calf rate of gain to weaning (P < 0.05) and adjusted weaning weight (P < 0.01) but did not affect rate of gain during the feedlot period. Although Ralgro increased (P < 0.001) weight at slaughter, it took longer (P < 0.05) for implanted cattle to reach Canada A1 than unimplanted cattle. Steeroid did not affect rate of gain to weaning but did increase (P < 0.05) adjusted weaning weight. Steeroid increased (P < 0.05) rate of gain relative to unimplanted cattle during the growing period in the feedlot and cattle implanted four times from birth to slaughter gained more (P < 0.05) than cattle implanted twice (birth and weaning). For the entire feedlot period, bulls receiving Steeroid gained faster (P < 0.05) than unimplanted bulls with no difference (P > 0.05) between implant groups (two or four implants). Ralgro implants increased (P < 0.05) carcass weight, rib-eye area and cutability while Steeroid increased (P < 0.05) only carcass weight. However, when rib-eye area was adjusted for carcass weight, the effect of Ralgro was not significant (P > 0.05). Bulls had greater (P < 0.05) shipping weight, carcass weight, rib-eye area, dressing percent and cutability than steers. Age at castration (early or late) had no effect on feedlot performance or carcass traits while method of castration (surgical or chemical) had some effects (P < 0.05) on ADG, liveweight, carcass weight and rib-eye area. Key words: Castration, Ralgro, Steeroid, beef, growth, carcass


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-531
Author(s):  
W. F. Knaus ◽  
D. H. Beermann ◽  
L. O. Tedeschi ◽  
P. J. Guiroy ◽  
M. L. Boehm ◽  
...  

The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System model was used to formulate a low-protein mixed grass hay and corn diet predicted to create a ruminal N deficiency of 33% in 250-kg Holstein steers. Nitrogen metabolism, digestibility and metabolic status responses were compared between this control diet and a similar diet supplemented with 1.7% urea to compensate for the ruminal N deficiency. A 4 × 4 Latin square design was used to analyze main effects of diet and subcutaneous administration of 500 μg estradiol-17β (E2) twice a day. Urea supplementation increased N intake from 60 to 93 g d-1, improved N balance from 10.1 to 17.7 g d-1, and improved total tract digestibility of N, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), organic matter (OM), and dry matter (DM) (all P < 0.05), but there was no effect of urea supplementation on total tract digestibility of non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) and N retention (percent of N intake). Plasma urea N increased fourfold (P < 0.05) and plasma insulin increased from 0.32 to 0.50 ng mL-1 (P = 0.06) when the urea diet was fed. Administration of E2 did not alter N metabolism or plasma metabolites and insulin at either level of protein intake. It is concluded that supplementing a fiber-rich grass-hay-based diet with urea to achieve ruminal N balance increases digestibility of fiber fractions without altering dietary N utilization. Under these nutritional conditions the use of estrogenic growth promoters remains ineffective independent of ruminal N balance. Key words: Steers, nutrition, fiber, urea, estradiol, nitrogen balance


1956 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1089-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verle R. Bohman ◽  
Clark Torell

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document