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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #389519
Research Project: Improve Nutrient Management and Efficiency of Beef Cattle and Swine

Location: Nutrition, Growth and Physiology

Title: Effect of roughage source on digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and feedlot performance of steers fed dry-rolled corn-based feedlot diets containing 30% modified distillers grains with solubles

Author
item Neville, Bryan
item PICKINPAUGH, W - North Dakota State University
item MITTLEIDER, L - North Dakota State University
item CATON, J - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/7/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Objectives of these studies were to evaluate the impacts of roughage source on digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and feedlot performance of steers fed dry-rolled corn-based diets containing 30% MDGS. Treatments for both studies were based on roughage source and consisted of 1) 20% DM inclusion of corn silage (CS), and 2) 20% DM inclusion of beet pulp (BP), and 3) 10% DM inclusion of grass hay (GH). The digestibility study used three ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers (514 ± 52.7 kg) in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. In the finishing study,165 steers (263.7 ± 31.8 kg) were randomly assigned to pen (n = 5/treatment) for a 211-day feedlot study. In the digestibility study, roughage source did not affect intake, duodenal flow, ruminal digestibility, or intestinal digestibility of crude protein (P >= 0.11); however, GH had greater total tract CP digestibility (P = 0.04) compared with CS but was similar (P = 0.15) to BP. Ruminal digestibility of NDF in BP was greater when compared with GH and CS (P = 0.05) which resulted in lower duodenal NDF flow for BP (P = 0.03). Ruminal ADF digestibility was not different (P = 0.26), however, duodenal ADF flow was lower in BP than CS or GH (P = 0.02). Acetate-to-propionate ratio was less in GH (P = 0.02) than CS and tended to be less (P = 0.08) than BP. In the feedlot study, body weight, ADG, DMI, and G:F were not affected by roughage source (P >= 0.56). Hot carcass weight was greater in either GH or CS (P = 0.01) compared to BP. In conclusion, roughage source did not impact intake or gain, but may influence site and extent of digestion in steers fed high-concentrate diets containing 30% MDGS.