One 28-day receiving experiment was
conducted using 625 exotic × British cross
heifers to evaluate growth performance and
morbidity on receiving diets that contained
either alfalfa hay or a pellet composed of
65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseed
meal as the roughage source. Heifers fed the
cotton byproduct pellet consumed more feed
(P<0.01) but tended to be less efficient than
those fed alfalfa hay. Daily gain was comparable
between diets (P>0.05), and the percentages
of heifers diagnosed, treated, or
retreated for respiratory disease were similar

Blasi, Dale A.

Drouillard, James S.

Farran, T.B.

Hunter, R.D.

Montgomery, Sean P.

Sindt, J.J.

K-State Research Exchange

1Sincere apprec iation is expressed to the National Cottonseed Products Association for financialsupport.95Cattlemen’s Day 2001USING A MIXTURE OF COTTONSEED HULLS AND COTTONSEED MEAL TO REPLACE ALFALFA HAY INDIETS FOR STRESSED FEEDER CALVES1D. A. Blasi,  J. S. Drouillard, T. B. Farran,R. D. Hunter, S. P. Montgomery, J. J. Sindt  SummaryOne 28-day receiving experiment wasconducted using 625 exotic × British crossheifers to evaluate growth performance andmorbidity on receiving diets that containedeither alfalfa hay or a pellet composed of65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseedmeal as the roughage source.  Heifers fed thecotton byproduct pellet consumed more feed(P<0.01) but tended to be less efficient thanthose fed alfalfa hay. Daily gain was compa-rable between diets (P>0.05), and the per-centages of heifers diagnosed, treated, orretreated for respiratory disease were similar.(Key Words: Cottonseed Hulls, ReceivingCattle, Health.)IntroductionTypically, feed intake of stressed feedercalves is low and extremely variable follow-ing transportation and introduction into areceiving facility. Adequate energy intake iscritical for mounting an effective immuneresponse.  Consequently, rations that are fedduring the receiving period  must be palat-able and  fortified with high levels of crudeprotein, energy, minerals, and vitamins.Furthermore, a  roughage source that ispalatable and promotes ruminal health iscritical throughout the transition to a feedlotdiet. Our objective was to compare thegrowth performance and morbidity/mortalityrates of stressed calves fed receiving dietscontaining alfalfa hay or a mixture of cotton-seed hulls and cottonseed meal.Experimental ProceduresSix hundred twenty five crossbred heifersaveraging 448 lb were fed receiving dietscontaining either alfalfa hay or a mixture ofcottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal. Calveswere purchased from sale barns in Kentuckyand Tennessee and transported to the KSUBeef Cattle Research Center in Manhattan.They were placed into a large pen on arrival,given free access to long-stem prairie hayand water, and processed within 24 hours ofarrival. Weight and rectal temperature wererecorded, and heifers were given Cydectin®pour-on,  Fortress-7®, a Ralgro® implant anda metaphylactic dose of Micotil® at 1.5 mlper 100 lb body weight. They were allottedrandomly to their respective treatments andplaced into one of 12 pens of 48 to 55 headeach. A second dose of Fortress-7  was given12 to 14 days after initial processing. Diets are shown in Table 1. Heifers werefed their respective diets once daily, adlibitum. After the 28-day receiving trial allheifers were fed a common diet to equalizeruminal fill  between treatments. Feed con-sumption and weight gain  were monitoredthroughout the receiving period. Animals that exhibited clinical signs ofrespiratory disease were identified eachmorning and were treated for respiratorydisease if clinical signs were accompaniedby a rectal temperature >103°F, or if theyexhibited clinical signs on 2 consecutivedays. The initial respiratory disease treatmentwas a subcutaneous injection of Micotil at 1.5 ml96per 100 lb body weight. Heifers were re-turned to their original pen following treat-ment. When necessary, calves were retreatedafter 48 hours, regardless of rectal tempera-ture. The third-time treatment was a combi-nation of 6 ml/100 lb body weight LA® 200and 5 ml/100 lb body weight Tylan® 200,administered intramuscularly.  Results and DiscussionTable 2 summarizes the performance ofheifers during the 28-day receiving experi-ment. Heifers fed the cotton byproduct pelletconsumed more feed (P<0.01) but tended tobe less efficient than the heifers that were fedalfalfa hay (5.61 vs 4.78 lbs of feed/lb gain).Whether calculated on a deads in or deadsout basis, daily gain was comparable betweendiets.  The percentage of heifers diagnosedand treated, or retreated, for respiratorydisease were similar.Our results indicate that a pelleted cot-tonseed byproduct (65% cottonseed hulls and35% cottonseed meal) is comparable toalfalfa hay in receiving diets.  The bulkdensity of cottonseed hulls is low and han-dling is therefore cumbersome. However,blending hulls with cottonseed meal andpelleting offers distinct advantages in termsof transportation, ease of handling, andprotein content. When taken together,  thesefactors improve the marketing radius of thesebyproducts. Therefore, use of cottonseedbyproducts may be a viable alternative toalfalfa in receiving diets.Table 1.  Composition of Receiving Diets (100% Dry Basis)Ingredient, %Cottonseed Hulls/Meal Pellet Alfalfa HayFlaked corn 44.65 42.08Alfalfa hay 40.00Pelleted cottonseed hulls/meala 40.00Cottonseed meal  5.31 8.00Molasses 6.00 6.00Vitamin premix 4.04 3.92Nutrient Analysis     Dry matter, % 84.7 83.5     Crude protein, % 15.6 15.3     ADF, % 19.4 22.1     Calculated NEg, Mcal/lb 0.51 0.47     Fat, % 3.45 2.46     Phosphorus, % 0.46 0.36     Potassium, % 1.40 1.63     Copper, ppm 10.3 16.8     Zinc, ppm 82.5 89.8     Total starch, % 48.1 41.1aContained (dry matter basis) 65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseed meal; nutrientcomposition: 22.0% crude protein, 34.3% crude fiber, 48.6% ADF, 0.21 Mcal/lb NEg,0.18% calcium, and 0.64% phosphorus.97Table 2. Performance of Feeder Heifers  Fed Receiving Diets Containing Alfalfa Hayor  Cottonseed Hulls (65%)/Cottonseed Meal (35%) Pellets as Sources ofRoughageItemPelleted CottonseedHull/Meal Alfalfa Hay PaNo. pens 12 12No. heifers 313 312Daily Gain, lb/day     Deads in basis 2.15 2.22 0.83     Deads out basis 2.64 2.52 0.72Dry Matter Intake, lb/day 11.8 10.7 <0.01Feed:Gain     Deads in basis 5.61 4.78 0.27     Deads out basis 4.52 4.23 0.54Mortality 3.2 1.9 0.38Pulled, % 48.8 45.3 0.44Treated, % 35.7 35.2 0.89Retreated, % 26.2 23.2 0.38aProbability level that the difference is due to chance.

Using a mixture of cottonseed hulls and
cottonseed meal to replace alfalfa hay in
diets for stressed feeder calves

One 28-day receiving experiment was conducted using 625 exotic x British cross heifers to evaluate growth performance and morbidity on receiving diets that contained either alfalfa hay or a pellet composed of 65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseed meal as the roughage source. Heifers fed the cotton byproduct pellet consumed more feed (P0.05), and the percentages of heifers diagnosed, treated, or retreated for respiratory disease were similar

Kansas State University

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports Volume 0 Issue 1 Cattleman's Day (1993-2014) Article 359 2001 Using a mixture of cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal to replace alfalfa hay in diets for stressed feeder calves T.B. Farran R.D. Hunter Sean P. Montgomery See next page for additional authors This report is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. Copyright 2001 Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. Contents of this publication may be freely reproduced for educational purposes. All other rights reserved. Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identification purposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Follow this and additional works at: https://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr  Part of the Other Animal Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Farran, T.B.; Hunter, R.D.; Montgomery, Sean P.; Sindt, J.J.; Blasi, Dale A.; and Drouillard, James S. (2001) "Using a mixture of cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal to replace alfalfa hay in diets for stressed feeder calves," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 1. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.1762 Using a mixture of cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal to replace alfalfa hay in diets for stressed feeder calves Abstract One 28-day receiving experiment was conducted using 625 exotic x British cross heifers to evaluate growth performance and morbidity on receiving diets that contained either alfalfa hay or a pellet composed of 65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseed meal as the roughage source. Heifers fed the cotton byproduct pellet consumed more feed (P<0.01) but tended to be less efficient than those fed alfalfa hay. Daily gain was comparable between diets (P>0.05), and the percentages of heifers diagnosed, treated, or retreated for respiratory disease were similar. Keywords Cattlemen's Day, 2001; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 01-318-S; Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 873; Beef; Cottonseed hulls; Receiving cattle; Health Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Authors T.B. Farran, R.D. Hunter, Sean P. Montgomery, J.J. Sindt, Dale A. Blasi, and James S. Drouillard This research report is available in Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: https://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol0/iss1/359 1Sincere apprec iation is expressed to the National Cottonseed Products Association for financialsupport.95Cattlemen’s Day 2001USING A MIXTURE OF COTTONSEED HULLS AND COTTONSEED MEAL TO REPLACE ALFALFA HAY INDIETS FOR STRESSED FEEDER CALVES1D. A. Blasi,  J. S. Drouillard, T. B. Farran,R. D. Hunter, S. P. Montgomery, J. J. Sindt  SummaryOne 28-day receiving experiment wasconducted using 625 exotic × British crossheifers to evaluate growth performance andmorbidity on receiving diets that containedeither alfalfa hay or a pellet composed of65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseedmeal as the roughage source.  Heifers fed thecotton byproduct pellet consumed more feed(P<0.01) but tended to be less efficient thanthose fed alfalfa hay. Daily gain was compa-rable between diets (P>0.05), and the per-centages of heifers diagnosed, treated, orretreated for respiratory disease were similar.(Key Words: Cottonseed Hulls, ReceivingCattle, Health.)IntroductionTypically, feed intake of stressed feedercalves is low and extremely variable follow-ing transportation and introduction into areceiving facility. Adequate energy intake iscritical for mounting an effective immuneresponse.  Consequently, rations that are fedduring the receiving period  must be palat-able and  fortified with high levels of crudeprotein, energy, minerals, and vitamins.Furthermore, a  roughage source that ispalatable and promotes ruminal health iscritical throughout the transition to a feedlotdiet. Our objective was to compare thegrowth performance and morbidity/mortalityrates of stressed calves fed receiving dietscontaining alfalfa hay or a mixture of cotton-seed hulls and cottonseed meal.Experimental ProceduresSix hundred twenty five crossbred heifersaveraging 448 lb were fed receiving dietscontaining either alfalfa hay or a mixture ofcottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal. Calveswere purchased from sale barns in Kentuckyand Tennessee and transported to the KSUBeef Cattle Research Center in Manhattan.They were placed into a large pen on arrival,given free access to long-stem prairie hayand water, and processed within 24 hours ofarrival. Weight and rectal temperature wererecorded, and heifers were given Cydectin®pour-on,  Fortress-7®, a Ralgro® implant anda metaphylactic dose of Micotil® at 1.5 mlper 100 lb body weight. They were allottedrandomly to their respective treatments andplaced into one of 12 pens of 48 to 55 headeach. A second dose of Fortress-7  was given12 to 14 days after initial processing. Diets are shown in Table 1. Heifers werefed their respective diets once daily, adlibitum. After the 28-day receiving trial allheifers were fed a common diet to equalizeruminal fill  between treatments. Feed con-sumption and weight gain  were monitoredthroughout the receiving period. Animals that exhibited clinical signs ofrespiratory disease were identified eachmorning and were treated for respiratorydisease if clinical signs were accompaniedby a rectal temperature >103°F, or if theyexhibited clinical signs on 2 consecutivedays. The initial respiratory disease treatmentwas a subcutaneous injection of Micotil at 1.5 ml96per 100 lb body weight. Heifers were re-turned to their original pen following treat-ment. When necessary, calves were retreatedafter 48 hours, regardless of rectal tempera-ture. The third-time treatment was a combi-nation of 6 ml/100 lb body weight LA® 200and 5 ml/100 lb body weight Tylan® 200,administered intramuscularly.  Results and DiscussionTable 2 summarizes the performance ofheifers during the 28-day receiving experi-ment. Heifers fed the cotton byproduct pelletconsumed more feed (P<0.01) but tended tobe less efficient than the heifers that were fedalfalfa hay (5.61 vs 4.78 lbs of feed/lb gain).Whether calculated on a deads in or deadsout basis, daily gain was comparable betweendiets.  The percentage of heifers diagnosedand treated, or retreated, for respiratorydisease were similar.Our results indicate that a pelleted cot-tonseed byproduct (65% cottonseed hulls and35% cottonseed meal) is comparable toalfalfa hay in receiving diets.  The bulkdensity of cottonseed hulls is low and han-dling is therefore cumbersome. However,blending hulls with cottonseed meal andpelleting offers distinct advantages in termsof transportation, ease of handling, andprotein content. When taken together,  thesefactors improve the marketing radius of thesebyproducts. Therefore, use of cottonseedbyproducts may be a viable alternative toalfalfa in receiving diets.Table 1.  Composition of Receiving Diets (100% Dry Basis)Ingredient, %Cottonseed Hulls/Meal Pellet Alfalfa HayFlaked corn 44.65 42.08Alfalfa hay 40.00Pelleted cottonseed hulls/meala 40.00Cottonseed meal  5.31 8.00Molasses 6.00 6.00Vitamin premix 4.04 3.92Nutrient Analysis     Dry matter, % 84.7 83.5     Crude protein, % 15.6 15.3     ADF, % 19.4 22.1     Calculated NEg, Mcal/lb 0.51 0.47     Fat, % 3.45 2.46     Phosphorus, % 0.46 0.36     Potassium, % 1.40 1.63     Copper, ppm 10.3 16.8     Zinc, ppm 82.5 89.8     Total starch, % 48.1 41.1aContained (dry matter basis) 65% cottonseed hulls and 35% cottonseed meal; nutrientcomposition: 22.0% crude protein, 34.3% crude fiber, 48.6% ADF, 0.21 Mcal/lb NEg,0.18% calcium, and 0.64% phosphorus.97Table 2. Performance of Feeder Heifers  Fed Receiving Diets Containing Alfalfa Hayor  Cottonseed Hulls (65%)/Cottonseed Meal (35%) Pellets as Sources ofRoughageItemPelleted CottonseedHull/Meal Alfalfa Hay PaNo. pens 12 12No. heifers 313 312Daily Gain, lb/day     Deads in basis 2.15 2.22 0.83     Deads out basis 2.64 2.52 0.72Dry Matter Intake, lb/day 11.8 10.7 <0.01Feed:Gain     Deads in basis 5.61 4.78 0.27     Deads out basis 4.52 4.23 0.54Mortality 3.2 1.9 0.38Pulled, % 48.8 45.3 0.44Treated, % 35.7 35.2 0.89Retreated, % 26.2 23.2 0.38aProbability level that the difference is due to chance.

Using a mixture of cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal to replace alfalfa hay in diets for stressed feeder calves

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