Corn supplementation of beef cows and its impact on growth performance and carcass outcomes of their progeny

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2018-12, Vol.96, p.190-190
• Main Authors: Maharjan, D, Swanson, K, Reynolds, L, Stokka, G, Ward, A, Dahlen, C, Neville, B, Wittenberg, K, McGeough, E, Vonnahme, K, Schaefer, A, Rodas-González, A, López-Campos, Ó, Aalhus, J, Gardiner, P, Ominski, K, Tanner, A, Kennedy, V, Kirsch, J, Gaspers, J, Negrin-Pereira, N, Fontoura, A, Bauer, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abattoirs; Barley; Beef; Beef cattle; Calves; Cattle; Corn; Diet; Dietary supplements; Frequency distribution; Gestation; Grain; Nutrient deficiency; Offspring; Parturition; Pasture; Pasture management; Progeny; Quality; Shear forces; Yield
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163

To examine the impact of corn supplementation of cows on carcass outcomes of their offspring, forty-seven multiparous Angus beef cows carrying male calves were assigned randomly to two dietary treatments. Treatments were control (CON; n=23) receiving ad libitum access to a low quality, forage-based diet (57.54% TDN, 6.4% CP) TMR, and a supplemented group (SUP; n= 24) receiving corn at 0.02% BW (94.5% TDN, 7.64% CP) in addition to ad libitum access to the basal TMR. Dietary treatments started on d 110 of gestation for 22 wks. Following parturition, cows with their offspring were placed on pasture and managed as a single group. Calves were weaned (~159 d of age) and backgrounded for 250 d. Thereafter, the steers were placed in the feedlot, assigned to 4 pens (blocks) based on BW and offered a 57% corn silage/ 38% barley grain-based ration with growth performance measured at 28-day intervals. Pens 1 through 4 were fed for 69, 83, 96, and 137 d, respectively, to reach a final BW of 615 kg (~16 mo of age) and then sent to a commercial abattoir. Steers from SUP and CON cows did not differ in initial BW, final BW, and ADG, during the finishing period (P > 0.05). No significant difference in carcass quality and yield traits, including subprimal cut yields, bone, lean and fat trim, was observed between treatments (P > 0.05). In addition, differences in the frequency distribution of the Canadian quality and yield grades (P > 0.05) were not observed. Warner-Bratzler shear force values tended to be higher in steers from SUP dams than steers from CON dams (P = 0.07). Overall the results indicate that corn supplementation of cows during the mid to late gestation does not affect growth performance and carcass outcomes of their offspring.