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Roughage sources in beef cattle finishing diets.

T L Mader¹, J M Dahlquist, L D Schmidt

¹University of Nebraska, Northeast Research and Extension Center, Concord 68728.

Journal of Animal Science

|February 1, 1991

Summary

The best roughage source for beef steers depends on the corn processing method and feeding stage. Corn silage generally performed well in processed diets, while alfalfa silage excelled in whole high-moisture corn diets.

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Area of Science:

Animal Science
Ruminant Nutrition
Beef Cattle Production

Background:

Optimizing beef cattle finishing diets requires careful selection of roughage sources.
Corn silage, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage are common roughage options with varying nutritional profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the efficacy of corn silage, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage as roughage sources in different corn-based finishing diets for beef steers.
To evaluate the impact of corn processing methods on roughage source performance.

Main Methods:

Four feeding trials were conducted with beef steers utilizing diets with varying corn processing (dry-rolled, dry whole, ground high-moisture, whole high-moisture) and roughage sources (corn silage, alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage).
Key performance metrics including dry matter intake (DMI), gain, and feed:gain ratios were monitored.
Dietary NDF digestibility was correlated with performance in processed and whole high-moisture corn diets.

Main Results:

In processed corn diets, corn silage generally led to lower DMI and improved feed:gain compared to alfalfa silage.
During the initial feeding period, corn silage outperformed alfalfa hay in gain and feed:gain.
Alfalfa silage showed better feed:gain ratios with whole high-moisture corn diets, while corn silage performed well in ground high-moisture corn diets.
Diet NDF digestibility was highly correlated with steer performance in processed and whole high-moisture corn diets.

Conclusions:

The optimal roughage source for beef steer finishing diets is influenced by the method of corn processing.
The feeding period (adaptation vs. finishing) also plays a role in determining the most effective roughage source.
Understanding these interactions is crucial for maximizing feed efficiency and performance in beef cattle.