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

Dehydrated paunch and vegetable by-products for growing beef cattle

Crossbred beef heifers (avg wt 653 lb) were used in a feeding experiment to determine the relative feed value of dried paunch content, two separate vegetable processing by-products, and combinations of by-products with dryrolled corn. Consumption of the vegetable byproduct diets, both of which contained a high percentage of fat, was less than expected. Performance of cattle fed the by-product diets was less than that of cattle fed high-energy diets comprised of corn. However, when combined with corn, the vegetable by-product yielded performance similar to that of corn alone

Soy molasses as a feed ingredient for finishing cattle

Eighty Angus × Hereford cross steers were used in an individual feeding study to compare soybean molasses (a by-product of soybean meal manufacture) and soybean meal as ingredients in finishing diets containing flaked corn or a combination of high-moisture corn and dryrolled corn. Supplementation with soy molasses resulted in higher (P<.05) feed intakes in the cattle fed the high-moisture corn diet but had no effect on intakes of cattle fed the flaked diets. No such changes were noted for supplementation with soybean meal. In general, carcass traits were not influenced by level or type of supplement. Soy molasses appears to have feed value equal to or greater than that of soybean meal when compared on a protein basis. Its value as a source of supplemental nutrients appears to be greater in steam-flaked diets than in high-moisture diets

Supplementation strategies for forage-fed beef steers

A comparison was made of different supplementation strategies for steer calves wintered on brome hay for 109 days. Treatments consisted of no supplement, 1.33 lb/head daily of a 30% protein range cube, a commercially available free-choice block supplement containing 40% crude protein (19% as non-protein nitrogen), and a soy-based block supplement containing soy solubles and full-fat soybeans with 40% crude protein (25% as nonprotein nitrogen). Following the backgrounding phase, steers were placed onto finishing rations and fed for an additional 152 days before being slaughtered. Gain during the growing phase was greater for all supplemented cattle than for unsupplemented controls. Cattle fed blocks or no supplement tended to compensate during the finishing phase, suggesting that differences in gastrointestinal tract fill may have impacted body weights at the end of the back grounding phase. When performance was evaluated over the entire 261-day trial, cattle fed blocks were more efficient than controls, whereas efficiencies of cattle fed range cubes were essentially equal to those of cattle that previously received no supplement. Additionally, soybean solubles and full-fat soybeans were viable alternatives to traditional ingredients for manufacturing free-choice block supplements

Increasing levels of Rumensin® in limit-fed, high energy, growing diets for beef steers and effects on subsequent finishing performance

One hundred sixty-four crossbred beef steers were used to determine optimal Rumensin ® concentrations in limit-fed, high-energy, growing diets. Diets contained 30, 40, or 50 grams of Rumensin per ton of dry matter (R30, R40, and R50). Average daily gain and feed efficiency during the growing phase were not different (P>.80) among treatments. Steers that received R50 in the growing phase had the highest average daily gains during the finishing phase (P<.05). This resulted in heavier carcass weights for R50 than R30 (P<.05) and R40 (P<.12). Feed efficiencies during the finishing phase were not different among treatments (P>.40)

Effects of high-grain or high-roughage transition diets on finishing performance of cattle previously fed high-concentrate growing diets

Three hundred twenty-eight crossbred beef steers previously fed high-concentrate growing diets had ad libitum access to one of two transition diets prior to initiation of the finishing phase. Transition diets consisted of 58% steam-flaked corn and 30% alfalfa hay or of 23% steamflaked corn and 65% alfalfa hay (DM basis). Average daily gains, dry matter intakes, and feed efficiencies during the transition phase were greater for steers fed the high-grain diet than for steers fed the high-roughage diet (P<.01). This resulted in heavier carcass weights at the end of the subsequent finishing phase for steers fed the high-grain transition diet (P<.05). Average daily gains and feed efficiencies in the finishing phase were not affected by the type of diet fed during the transition phase (P>.20)

Alfalfa hay levels in limit-fed, high-energy, growing diets for beef steers

One hundred sixty-four crossbred beef steers were used in a 102-day growing study to determine optimum levels of alfalfa hay in limit-fed, high-energy, growing diets. Diets contained steam-flaked corn and 40% Sweet Bran® brand wet corn gluten feed (dry matter basis) with 0, 10, or 20% ground alfalfa hay. A fourth diet containing steam-flaked corn (no Sweet Bran) and 20% ground alfalfa hay was used as a control. Average daily gains and feed efficiencies in the growing phase were greater (P<.05) for cattle fed no alfalfa than for cattle fed the control, 10% alfalfa, or 20% alfalfa diets. Steers fed the control and 20% alfalfa diets had increased rates of dry matter intake (P<.05) compared to those fed no alfalfa. At the end of the growing phase, all cattle were placed on a common finishing diet and fed for 101 days. Dry matter intakes during the finishing phase for cattle previously fed no alfalfa were numerically less than intakes for cattle fed other diets and significantly less than intakes for cattle previously fed the control diet. Feed efficiencies were greater for cattle previously fed 20% alfalfa diets than those fed the control diet (P<.05). Average daily gains did not differ (P>.40) among diets during the finishing phase