Ground vs. Unground Ammoniated Oat Hulls for Growing Calves

One hundred forty-four steer calves were fed growing diets that contained either 1) 50% ground alfalfa hay (ALF), 2) 25% ground alfalfa hay and 25% ground, ammoniated oat hulls (ALF/GOH), 3) 50% ground, ammoniated oat hulls (GOH) or 4) 50% unground, ammoniated oat hulls (UGOH). Oat hulls were treated with ammonia at 3.3% by weight and enough water to raise the moisture content to approximately 20%. They were allowed to react for 32 days prior to feeding. Daily gains were greater for calves consuming the ammoniated oat hull diets, regardless of form (P\u3c.10). Daily gain differences occurred in spite of the fact that dry matter intake was lower for GOH-fed calves than for the others (P\u3c.10). As a result, feed efficiency was better for the GOH diet than ALF and ALFIGOH (P\u3c.10) but did not differ from UGOH (P\u3e.10). Ammoniated oat hulls, whether ground or unground, are a viable substitute for more conventional roughages in feedlot growing diets

Effect of a Yeast Culture Product (Yea-Sacc) on Feedlot Performance of Growing Calves Limit-Fed a High Concentrate Diet

Eighty weaned steer calves (initial weight 535 Ib) were blocked by weight, allotted within block to 8 pens and limit-fed a high concentrate diet without (CONT) or with Yea-Sacc (YS; 13 g per day). The diet consisted of 69% whole, high moisture corn, 20% ground alfalfa hay, 2% molasses, and 9% supplement (dry matter basis). The diet was fed once daily for an average of 99 days in amounts calculated to result in CONT calf daily gain of 2.25 Ib. As intended, dry matter intakes of calves on the two treatments were identical (13.3 Ib/day). Daily gains averaged 2.40 and 2.32 Ib (P\u3e.20) and feed efficiency 5.55 and 5.73 (P\u3e.20) for CONT and YS, respectively. YS did not improve gain or feed efficiency of growing calves limit-fed a high concentrate diet

Wheat Tailings in Feedlot Finishing Diets

One hundred twenty-eight yearling steers (average initial weight 854 Ib) were fed one of four finishing diets containing (dry matter basis) either 1) 83% high moisture corn, 2) 44% high moisture corn and 37% high moisture wheat tailings, 3) 82% high moisture wheat tailings, or 4) 42% high moisture corn and 40% dry wheat tailings. Wheat tailings consisted of small wheat kernels removed during cleaning that had low test weights (41.5 to 52.0 Iblbushel) and high vomitoxin levels (1 7 to 42 ppm). High moisture wheat tailings were coursely cracked, reconstituted to 29% moisture, and ensiled. Dry wheat tailings were cracked only. Average daily gain declined up to 25% (P\u3c.01) with increasing levels of high moisture wheat tailings as a result of a linear decline in dry matter intake (P \u3c .05). Feed efficiency tended to worsen (P\u3c .14). However, calculated net energy values for high moisture wheat tailings were similar to that of corn. Dry wheat tailings, on the other hand, resulted in similar intake (P\u3e .20) but 1 5% lower average daily gain (P\u3c .01) than high moisture wheat tailings fed at a comparable level and net energy values were approximately 75% of corn. Wheat tailings, regardless of form or level, decreased quality grade (P \u3c .05) but did not affect dressing percent, yield grade, or liver abscesses (P\u3e .20)

Environmental Effects on Growing Swine Performance

The effects of environmental conditions on performance of growing pigs (30-50 kg) were studied over a four-week period. Pigs were exposed to natural occurring diurnal temperatures and a constant 32°C ambient temperature during normally hot weather conditions and constant 21 and 10°C ambient temperature conditions during cold weather. For each temperature treatment pigs were divided into single, 9 and 18 head per pen groups. The constant 32°C ambient temperature had a significant (P\u3c0.05) effect on average daily gain and feed intake. Average daily gains were reduced from 0.72 to 0.64 kg/d and average daily feed intake was reduced from 1.53kg/d to 1.36 kg/d when comparing pig performance from the naturally occurring diurnal to constant 32°C temperature treatments. The 10°C cold weather treatment had no significant {P\u3e0.05) effects on overall pig performance. Pigs from the 10°C treatment gained at a rate of 0. 72 vs 0.74 kg/d for pigs in the 21°C treatment. Average daily feed intake was 1.61 kg/d for pigs at 10°C versus 1.64 kg/d for pigs at 21°C. The 9 and 18 pigs per pen group size had no significant effect on pig performance in any of the temperature treatments. Pen microenvironments varied considerably with each temperature treatment. Pig and floor surface temperatures were significantly affected by temperature and group size. During the cold weather tests the pigs housed in the single pigpens had significantly (P\u3c0.0001) lower surface temperatures than the pigs from the 9 and 18 pigs per pen group. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of maintained warm or cold temperatures and group size on growing swine and characterize the pen environment for each condition

Evaluation of Mixing Characteristics of Diets Containing Modified Distillers Grains

Six mixes of feed were manufactured and analyzed to determine how sequence of ingredient addition into a feed mixer influences mixing characteristics when modified distillers grains (mDG) was used as a feed ingredient. Five mixes were manufactured using a 3-bar rotor mixer and one mix was manufactured using a staggered-rotor mixer. There were three diet types evaluated: 1) high-forage receiving diet; 2) high-grain finishing diet with ground grass hay (GH) as the roughage source; and 3) high-grain finishing diet with silage as the roughage source. Five samples were collected from each mix and were analyzed for particle size and nutrient composition to determine within load coefficient of variation (CV). Based on these data mDG should be added before GH. The within load CV for particle size, CP, ADF, and sulfur were lower for a diet containing silage and mixed in a staggered-rotor mixer compared with a diet containing GH mixed in a 3-bar rotor mixer

Effect of a Yeast Culture Product (Yea-Sacc) on Feedlot Performance of Yearling Cattle Self-Fed an All-Concentrate Finishing Diet

Seventy-two yearling steers (initial weight 793 Ib) were allotted to 8 pens and self-fed a finishing diet consisting of 91 % whole shelled corn and 9% pelleted supplement without or with Yea-Sacc (11 g per day). Feed was provided to each pen approximately every 3days in amounts necessary to provide constant access during the 109-day trial. No treatment differences were detected for any of the feedlot performance or carcass characteristics measured. The occurrence of acidosis was high in both treatments as evidenced by the higher percentage of abscessed livers (40%). The feeding of Yea-Sacc did not have any beneficial effect in these circumstances

Evaluation of Feeding Wet Distillers Grains with Solubles, Dry Distillers Grans with Solubles and Blood Meal to Growing Steers

A two-year study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding different protein sources on the performance of feeder cattle. During year 1 (Y1), 128 steers (506 ± 40 lb) were weighed and randomly allocated to 16 pens in a completely randomized design. Each pen was assigned to one of four treatment diets: 1) 20% soybean meal and corn (SBM); 2) 20% dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS); 3) 20% wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS); or 4) 20% blood meal, oil and corn (BM). In Y1, steers were fed a diet that consisted of 74% alfalfa/grass hay, 4% molasses and 2% supplement for the first 28 d and a diet that consisted of 50% alfalfa/grass hay, cracked corn, 4% molasses and 2% supplement for the remaining 56 d. During year 2 (Y2), 160 steers (535 ± 40 lb) were weighed and randomly allotted to 16 pens. Each pen was assigned to one of the four treatment diets used in Y1. The steers received the 50% alfalfa/grass hay based grower diet throughout the entire 57-d trial. Body weight was recorded prior to feeding at the start of the trial and every 28 d for both years. In Y1, ADG, DMI and G:F did not differ due to diet for the first 28 d and over the entire trial period. During the first 28 d of Y2, ADG, DMI and G:F was not affected by treatment; however, cumulative G:F of steers fed BM and WDGS were greater (P \u3c 0.05) than steers fed SBM or DDGS. In conclusion, feeding BM and WDGS during the growing phase resulted in the most efficient gains when steers were started on a higher energy diet. In addition, distillers grains with solubles was an effective alternative to soybean meal in growing diets

Effects of Supplying Water with Varying Levels of Total Dissolved Solids and Sulfates to Steers During the Growing Period on Subsequent Finishing Performance

Previous results have shown that water with elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) and sulfates was detrimental to performance of growing steers. The objective of this study was to determine finishing performance of steers that had previously received different levels of water quality during the growing period. In yr 1, 78 steers (824 lb) were assigned to one of eight pens (2-4 pens/treatment) based on water supplied during the 84-d growing period. Water TDS and sulfates during growing were: 1) 1,020 and 400; 2) 4,840 and 3,090; and 3) 6,190 and 3,950 ppm of TDS and sulfates, respectively. In yr 2, 75 steers (840 lb) that were previously supplied water during a 104-d growing period averaging: 1) 1,230 and 440; 2) 2,930 and 1,730; 3) 4,720 and 2,920; and 4) 7,270 and 4,650 ppm of TDS and sulfates respectively, were received and fed in one pen. In both years, all steers were fed a common finishing diet and had access to rural water. In yr 1, steers receiving treatment 1 had higher (P \u3c 0.10) ADG and DMI compared to treatments 2 and 3 during the previous growing period. During the initial 28-d of finishing, treatments 2 and 3 had higher (P \u3c 0.10) ADG than treatment 1. Steer DMI was not different (P = 0.19) between treatments during the first 28-d. Over the entire 126-d finishing trial, ADG, DMI and carcass characteristics were not different due to treatment (P \u3e 0.10). In yr 2, there was a quadratic decline in ADG with increasing TDS (P \u3c 0.05) during the previous growing phase, resulting in treatment 4 have lower initial weight (P \u3c 0.05) compared to treatments 1, 2, and 3. During the first 28-d of finishing, ADG was higher (P \u3c 0.10) for treatments 2 and 3 compared to 1, with treatment 4 being intermediate. Over the 133-d finishing trial, ADG of treatments 2 and 3 was greater (P \u3c 0.10) than treatment 1, with treatment 4 being intermediate, resulting in treatment 4 having lower carcass weight (P \u3c 0.05) compared to treatments 1, 2 and 3. Other carcass traits were not significantly different due to treatment. Steers receiving water during the growing period with 5000 ppm TDS and 3000 ppm sulfates or less were able to compensate for lost growing performance during the finishing period