Dried distillers grains with solubles with reduced corn silage levels in beef finishing diets

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2010-07, Vol.88 (7), p.2456-2463
• Main Authors: May, M.L, Quinn, M.J, Depenbusch, B.E, Reinhardt, C.D, Gibson, M.L, Karges, K.K, Cole, N.A, Drouillard, J.S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal productions; Animals; beef cows; Biological and medical sciences; carcass characteristics; carcass quality; Cattle - growth & development; corn; corn silage; cow feeding; Diet - veterinary; dietary fiber; distillers grains; dried distillers grains with solubles; dry matter intake; Edible Grain - metabolism; feed conversion; feed quality; feedlots; Female; finishing; flaking; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heifers; liveweight gain; Meat - standards; Meat and meat product industries; optimal nutrition; Silage; soybean meal; steaming; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; Zea mays - metabolism
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/jas.2009-2637

Two finishing experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of 25% dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DDG) in beef cattle finishing diets by partially replacing a portion of the grain and soybean meal in the control diets. In Exp.1, crossbred heifers (n = 377; BW 378 ± 4.1 kg) were fed diets consisting of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with a control diet containing 0% DDG and 15% corn silage (CS), 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Compared with the control treatment, heifers fed DDG and 15% CS had a greater proportion of USDA yield grade 4 and 5 carcasses (P = 0.04; 5.68 vs. 14.12), and smaller LM area (P = 0.04; 86.09 vs. 82.48 cm²). In Exp. 2, crossbred heifers (n = 582; BW = 377 ± 27.09 kg) were fed diets similar to Exp. 1 except dry-rolled corn (DRC) and SFC were compared as the basal grain sources. Treatments included DRC or SFC: with control diets containing 0% DDG and 15% CS, 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Feeding SFC decreased DMI (P < 0.01), improved G:F (P < 0.01) and final shrunk BW (P = 0.05) compared with DRC. Average USDA yield grade was greater for cattle fed DRC than for those fed SFC (P = 0.02), but calculated yield grade was not different among treatments (P = 0.71). Feeding DDG and 5% CS, regardless of grain source, led to decreased DMI and greater G:F than feeding DDG and 15% CS (P = 0.02). When comparing the control treatments with the diets containing 25% DDG and 15% CS shrunk final BW, ADG, and G:F were decreased (P [less-than or equal to] 0.05); however, carcass-adjusted measurements were not different (P > 0.52). Results indicate that roughage levels can be reduced in feedlot diets containing 25% DDG with no adverse effects on BW gain, feed efficiency, or carcass quality.