Feeding value of coconut alcohol bottoms-bottoms for feedlot cattle

Six crossbred steers (274 kg) with "T" cannulas in the rumen, proximal duodenum (6 cm from the pyloric sphincter) and distal ileum (20 cm from the ileal-cecal valve) were used in a crossover experiment to evaluate the feeding value of coconut alcohol bottoms-bottoms (CABB) in a finishing diet for feedlot steers. Dietary treatments consisted of a steam-rolled barley-based finishing diet supplemented with or without 6% CABB. The CABB was blended first with the steam-rolled barley portion of the diet prior to adding the other dietary ingredients. Ruminal digestion of ADF and N was not affected (P greater than .10) by CABB supplementation. Added CABB decreased total tract digestibility of OM, ADF, lipid and DE by 5.65 (P less than .01), 29.4 (P less than .05), 57.4 (P less than .01) and 5.65%, respectively. Adjusting for constituent passage of the basal diet, estimated total tract digestibility of OM, DE and lipid of the supplemental CABB was 1.1, -.23 and 16.4%, respectively. CABB essentially has no feeding value in finishing diets for cattle.