Influence of distillers grains with solubles on bull growth and reproductive traits1

• Published in: Translational animal science 2020-01, Vol.4 (1), p.229-241
• Main Authors: Henley, Parker A, Podico, Giorgia, Garrett, Edgar, Kaplan, Claire, Meteer, William T, McCann, Joshua C, Canisso, Igor, Shike, Daniel W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ruminant Nutrition
• ISSN: 2573-2102; 2573-2102
• DOI: 10.1093/tas/txz189

This study evaluated the effects of offering growing bulls a diet with 40% modified wet distillers grains plus solubles (MWDGS; dry matter [DM] basis) on growth, composition, hoof scores, and reproductive performance. Simmental × Angus bulls (n = 28) were stratified by body weight (BW; 316 ± 29 kg), sire, and day 0 semen production (Y/N) and assigned into one of six pens. Pens were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments (n = 3 pens/treatment): 1) offered free-choice access to a corn-based diet with no MWDGS (CON) or 2) offered free-choice access to a diet with 40% MWDGS (DST; DM basis). Bulls were offered treatments for 140 d and, then, switched to a free-choice, common, low-energy diet for an additional 70 d. Bull BW, body condition score (BCS), hip height (HH), ultrasound (rump fat depth [RF], 12th rib fat thickness [BF], marbling score [MS], and longissimus muscle depth [MD]), hoof evaluations, breeding soundness examination (BSE), and semen evaluations were performed on days 0, 28, 56, 84, 112, 140, 175, and 210. There was a tendency (P