Programmed Feeding of Protein to Finishing Beef Steers

Six-hundred pound Angus steer calves were fed cornbased finishing diets for 180 days to determine the effects of stepwise reduction of protein in the diet on performance and carcass characteristics. Reducing protein in the diet, but satisfying the requirements projected by the National Research Council model for Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, did not affect performance or carcass measurements. Further reduction in protein content of the diet, so the projected requirement of the rumen microorganisms was not being met, did not affect performance or carcass measurements. It is concluded that quantity of protein fed to finishing cattle can be programmed and abstantially reduced. These reductions will result in substantially less nitrogen excreted in manure from larger feedlots.

Substituting Wet Distillers Grains or Condensed Distillers Solubles for Corn Grain in Finishing Diets for Yearling Heifers

A feeding trial was conducted with 790-lb yearling heifers fed an average of 121 days to evaluate replacing cracked corn and supplemental urea with wet distillers grains or condensed distillers solubles. Wet distillers grains were evaluated at 16%, 28% and 40% of diet dry matter. Condensed distillers solubles were added at 6.5% of diet dry matter. Control diets were supplemented with urea or a combination of urea and soybean meal. Feeding 16% wet distillers grains or condensed distillers solubles increased gain of heifers compared with those fed the control urea diet. Increasing the amount of wet distillers grains tended to decrease feed intake and reduce gain. The calculated apparent net energy based on gain of the heifers was greatest for the heifers fed 16% wet distillers grains. The apparent energy of the wet distillers grains declined as the quantity fed was increased. The calculated net energy values were 1.09 and 1.35 Mcal/lb of dry matter for the average of the three concentrations of wet distillers grains and condensed distillers solubles. These results confirm the high energy values of wet distillers grains relative to cracked corn as observed in a previous steer feeding trial.

Evaluation of Wet Distillers Grains in Finishing Diets for Yearling Steers

A feeding trial was conducted with 940-lb yearling steers fed 113 days to determine the feeding value of distillers grains relative to corn grain. Replacing corn and urea with wet distillers grains for 20% of the diet dry matter tended to increase gain with no increase in feed consumption, resulting in improved feed conversion. Replacing 40% of diet dry matter with wet distillers grains decreased feed intake without affecting gains, and improved feed efficiency. The overall average estimated net energy value of wet distillers grains was 1.20 Mcal NEg per pound dry matter. This experiment confirmed the observations in previous cattle feeding experiments, that for finishing cattle wet distillers grains have a high energy value compared with cracked corn grain. Another objective of the study was to determine if cattle being fed wet distillers grains could be suddenly changed to a different diet if the supply of wet feed was suddenly disrupted. It was found that if intake is managed during the change, that distillers grains portion of the diet can be suddenly changed from wet to dry and then changed back to wet after a week, without sacrificing performance of the cattle.

Evaluation of Condensed Porcine Solubles as a Source of Supplemental Nitrogen in Corn-Based Finishing Diets for Yearling Steers

A feeding trial was conducted with 860-lb yearling steers fed 121 days to evaluate Condensed Porcine Solubles (Porcine Solubles) as a source of supplemental nitrogen for finishing cattle. Diets containing 5% soybean meal, 1.46% urea, and 2% or 4% Porcine Solubles were compared. When first offered, cattle did not want to consume feed containing the Porcine Solubles. Following adaptation, feed containing up to 4% Porcine Solubles was readily consumed. During the first 56 days, steers fed soybean meal gained faster and were more efficient than steers fed urea or Porcine Solubles. At the end of the trial there were no differences among the nitrogen supplements in feed intake, gain, or feed conversion. There were no significant differences in carcass weight or measures of carcass quality.

The Costs and Predictive Factors of Bovine Respiratory Disease in Standardized Steer Tests

A retrospective study of 2,146 feedlot cattle in 17 feedlot tests from 1988 to 1997 was conducted to determine the impact of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) on veterinary treatment costs, average daily gain, carcass traits, mortality, and net profit. Morbidity caused by BRD was 20.6%. The average cost to treat each case of BRD was $12.39. Mortality rate of calves diagnosed and treated for BRD was 5.9% vs. .35% for those not diagnosed with BRD. Average daily gain differed between treated and non-treated steers during the first 28 days on feed but did not differ from 28 days to harvest. Net profit was $57.48 lower for treated steers. Eighty-two percent of this difference was due to a combination of mortality and treatment costs. Eighteen percent of the net profit difference was due to improved performance and carcass value of the non-treated steers. Data from 496 steers and heifers in nine feedlot tests were used to determine the effects of age, weaning, and use of modified live virus or killed vaccines prior to the test to predict BRD. Younger calves, non-weaned calves, and calves vaccinated with killed vaccines prior to the test had higher BRD morbidity than those that were older, weaned, or vaccinated with modified live virus vaccines, respectively. Treatment regimes that precluded relapse resulting in re-treatment prevented reduced performance and loss of carcass value. Using modified live virus vaccines and weaning calves 30 days prior to shipment reduced the incidence of BRD.

Evaluation of Wet Distillers Grains for Finishing Cattle

A feeding trial was conducted with 870-lb steers fed 137 days to evaluate replacing cracked corn with dry and wet distillers grains with solubles (DGS) as feed for finishing cattle. Dry DGS was evaluated at 16% of diet dry matter. Wet DGS (WDGS) was evaluated at 14.6%, 26.2%, and 37.5% of diet dry matter. Control diets were supplemented with urea or a combination of urea and soybean meal. Feeding 16% dry DGS or 14.6% wet DGS increased rate of gain and tended to increase carcass fatness. Increasing the amount of wet DGS in the diet decreased feed intake, reduced gain, and improved feed conversion. The calculated net energy for gain values for dry and wet DGS were .92 and 1.5 times the energy value of corn grain. Economic returns declined slightly as the percentage of wet DGS increased in the diet, but remained above the two diets without DGS. The average benefits from feeding wet DGS averaged $25, $21, and $19 per head for steers fed 14.6%, 26.2%, and 35.7%, respectively, based on a formula price for wet DGS related to price of corn and including a charge for transportation of the wet feed.