Effects of supplementation of limit-fed growing diets with either soybean meal or nonenzymatically browned soybean meal on steer performance

Seventy two individually fed Angus × Hereford steers (642 lb) were used to evaluate the effects of supplementing limit-fed, growing diets with either soybean meal (SBM) or nonenzymatically browned soybean meal (NSBM). Eight steers were allotted to a control diet composed of 39.1% high-moisture corn, 42% cottonseed hulls, 10.4% ground corn, 5% cane molasses 2.25% urea, and 1.5% vitamins and minerals (dry basis). The remaining steers were allotted to diets that derived 100, 80, 60, or 40% of their supplemental protein from SBM or 60, 45, 30, or 15% of their supplemental protein from NSBN. The balance of supplemental protein came from urea. All diets were formulated to contain 13.0% crude protein (dry basis). Steers were fed once daily for 80 days at 2.25% of BW. Average daily gain and efficiency did not differ (P>.05) between sources (ADG=1.932 + .103 × (% CP from SBM) + .097 × (% CP from NSBM); gain:feed=.140 + .0058 × (% CP from SBM) + .0051 × (% CP from NSBM)). The lack of response to NBSBM supplementation above that for SBM suggests that either degradable intake protein was limiting in the basal diet or a large proportion of the amino acids in the NSBM were unavailable due to overprocessing

Effects of supplementing limit-fed, wheat middling-based diets with either soybean meal or non-enzymatically browned soybean meal on growing steer performance

Seventy two individually fed Angus × Hereford steers (660 lb) were limit-fed, 16.7% CP wheat middling-based diets with 1.9 or 3.8 percentage units of additional CP from either soybean meal (SBM) or non-enzymatically browned soybean meal (NEBSBM). A limitfed, rolled corn-based diet (16.7% CP) also was included. Steers were fed once daily for 70 days at 2.25% of BW. The SBM provided 30% bypass protein, and NEBSBM provided 68%. Average daily gain and efficiency improved linearly with increasing level of NEBSBM (P<.05; ADG=2.482 + .106 (increase in % CP); feed to gain=6.26 - .22(increase in % CP)), but not with increasing levels of SBM. Steers fed the wheat middling diets had lower ADG and efficiency than those fed the corn control diet. These data suggest that bypass protein may be first limiting in highconcentrate, limit-fed growing diets composed predominantly of wheat middlings

Peroxide treatment of feather meal for finishing cattle

Heifers (756 lb, 312 head) were used in a finishing study to evaluate the effects of peroxide-treated feather meal on animal performance and carcass characteristics. Diets contained 3.0% of peroxide-treated or untreated feather meal, and were fed ad libitum. Treatment of feather meal with hydrogen peroxide increased in situ protein degradabilities by 56%, but did not significantly alter feed intake or feed efficiencies. Although not statistically different, gains were 2.1% greater for heifers fed peroxide-treated feather meal. Hot carcass weights also averaged 6 pounds heavier for heifers fed diets containing peroxide-treated feather meal. Marbling tended to be lower, but carcasses grading USDA Choice tended to be higher for heifers fed diets containing peroxide-treated feather meal

Effect of hydrogen peroxide on protein degradation of feather meal

Protein degradation of feather meal treated with hydrogen peroxide was evaluated using the in situ bag technique. Bags containing untreated feather meal or feather meal treated with 1.4, 2.5, 2.7, 5.0, or 7.0% hydrogen peroxide (g/100 g feather meal, as fed basis) at various pH and times of heating (55oC) were suspended in the rumen of a cannulated steer for 12 hours. Protein degradabilities of feather meal treated with 2.5 and 2.7% peroxide were only 12 to 19% greater than untreated feather meal, but feather meal treated with 5% peroxide had protein degradabilities 56 to 67% greater than untreated feather meal. Treatment of feather meal with 7% peroxide did not increase protein degradation further. Altering pH and heating (55oC) peroxide-treated feather meal for 30 or 120 minutes had only minor effects on protein degradability

Betaine supplementation for finishing cattle

Crossbred heifers (756 lb) were used to evaluate the effects of feed-grade betaine on animal performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers had ad libitum access to a finishing diet without betaine or with 4, 8, or 12 g/day of feed-grade betaine top-dressed at feeding. Feed intakes, gains, and feed efficiencies were not significantly altered by feed-grade betaine. Hot carcass weights tended to increase with the betaine supplementation, but dressing percent; percentage of kidney, pelvic and heart fat; fat thickness; or ribeye area were not altered. Yield grades were numerically greater, and marbling scores significantly greater for heifers supplemented with 4 or 12 g/day of betaine. These results demonstrate that supplementation of feed-grade betaine may have minor effects on performance and carcass characteristics

Evaluating corn and corn gluten feed in growing cattle diets as a replacement for roughage

A 99-day study was conducted to evaluate growth performance of 216 beef heifers (average 524 lb) fed traditional roughage-based diets at 2.75% of body weight or limit-fed highconcentrate diets containing corn or corn gluten feed fed at 2.0% of body weight. Dietary treatments included roughage plus corn, roughage plus corn gluten feed, limit-fed corn, limitfed corn with added Smartamine®-ML (providing 10 g/day ruminally protected lysine), limitfed corn gluten feed, and limit-fed corn gluten feed with added Smartamine. Adding Smartamine-ML to the diet did not improve performance significantly compared to unsupplemented groups (P>.30). Limit-fed diets containing corn and corn gluten feed resulted in more efficient growth than the respective roughage-based treatments (P<.01). Limit-fed gluten feed diets resulted in gains that were approximately 88% of that with the cornbased diets. Performance was not different for corn and corn gluten feed when added to roughage-based diets

Alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed levels in steam-flaked corn finishing diets

A 153-day finishing experiment was conducted using 631 heifers to determine optimum alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) combinations in steam-flaked, corn-based diets. Diets contained either 2 or 6% alfalfa hay and 25, 35, or 45% WCGF (dry basis). Performance was similar (P>0.16) for cattle fed 2 or 6% alfalfa hay. Gain efficiencies (P<0.05) and fat thickness (P<0.10) declined linearly with increasing amounts of WCGF. For heifers fed 2% alfalfa hay, ribeye area increased with increasing dietary WCGF. However for heifers fed 6% alfalfa hay, ribeye area decreased with increasing dietary WCGF. Liver abscesses were lowest for heifers fed 35% WCGF. Alfalfa hay fed at 2% of diet dry matter is sufficient for steam-flaked corn diets containing 25, 35 or 45% WCGF

Steam-flaked corn diets containing combinations of wet corn gluten feed and alfalfa hay: effects on diet digestibility and ruminal characteristics

Twelve ruminally cannulated Jersey steers were used to measure digestibility and ruminal characteristics of steam-flaked corn based diets containing combinations of wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) and alfalfa hay (AH). Starch intake was lower (P<0.05), but neutral detergent fiber intake was higher (P<0.05) as AH and WCGF increased in the diet. Ruminal pH was increased by AH (linear, P<0.05) and tended (P<0.07) to increase with WCGF. Feeding higher levels of WCGF tended to increase passage rate (P=0.17) and decreased (P<0.05) total tract organic matter digestibility. Flaked corn diets containing at least 25% WCGF may contribute enough roughage to allow reduction of alfalfa hay levels

Evaluation of performance in receiving heifers fed different sources of dietary lipid

Two 35-day receiving experiments were conducted using 668 highly stressed crossbred beef heifers to evaluate differences in growth performance, morbidity, and mortality when fed diets containing differing sources of dietary lipid. Heifers received diets containing beef tallow, tallow enriched with a microalgae product containing a high proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid), full-fat soybeans, or ground flaxseed. All diets contained approximately 60% concentrate and 40% roughage (alfalfa hay). Feed intake, daily gain, and feed efficiency were poorer (P<0.05) for cattle fed full-fat soybeans than for those fed the other treatments. Feed intake tended to be reduced when micro-algae was top-dressed to the diet, but gain was not negatively impacted. In Trial 2, feed efficiency was improved by the micro-algae. No notable differences among treatments were evident in the percentage of cattle treated for bovine respiratory disease, but cattle fed flaxseed tended to respond better to therapeutic treatments, requiring fewer retreatments

Performance of beef heifers limit-fed growing diets containing alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed

Three hundred thirty-nine crossbred beef heifers were used in a 99-day growing study to identify optimum combinations of alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) in limit-fed growing diets. Diets contained 10, 20, or 30% ground alfalfa hay, and 0, 40, or 68% Sweet Bran® WCGF (dry basis) in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. An interaction occurred (P<0.05) between level of alfalfa hay and level of WCGF for both average daily gain and feed efficiency. Increasing the levels of alfalfa hay or WCGF reduced cattle performance, with the exception of the 30% alfalfa hay and 40% WCGF diet, which supported average daily gains similar (P>0.10) to diets containing 20 or 30% alfalfa hay and no WCGF. Feed efficiencies for the 30% alfalfa hay and 40% WCGF diet were better (P<0.05) than the diet containing 30% alfalfa hay and no WCGF. Dry matter intake as measured two hours after feeding increased linearly (P<0.01) with increasing levels of alfalfa hay, and decreased linearly (P<0.01) with increasing levels of WCGF. This study suggests that including WCGF at 40% of the diet (dry basis) can effectively replace steam-flaked corn in limit-fed diets containing 20 or 30% alfalfa hay