Effect of Limit-fed Co-product Feedstuffs on Production, Digestion, Fermentation and Rumen Fuction in Beef Cattle

ISBN-10
1303853434
ISBN-13
9781303853432
Category
Beef cattle
Pages
252
Language
English
Published
2014
Author
William Brandon Smith

Description

In terms of energy density, the cost of shipping hay is often not justified in yr where adverse conditions limit available forage. Our objective was to determine if co-product feedstuffs could be used to meet the energy demands for cows in late pregnancy. Eighty-six crossbred cows (527 ± 0.8 kg BW) in late gestation were stratified by BW, BCS and age and allocated randomly to 1 of 6 groups held on 2-ha dormant bermudagrass pastures for 68 d. Three groups were offered bermudagrass hay ad libitum (HAY) and three groups were offered 6.4 kg of soybean hulls (LSH) daily and allowed access to mixed-grass hay for 1 h daily. Changes in BW, BCS, serum non-esterified fatty acids, and birth weights were minimal between treatments (P ≥ 0.12). In a companion study, 8 ruminally-fistulated cows (671 ± 32.0 kg BW) were stratified by BW and allocated randomly to1 of 4 treatments in a 2-period study: LSH, limit-fed distillers dried grains with solubles (LDG), a limit-fed mixture of SH and DDGS (MIX), or ad libitum mixed-grass hay (HAY). Total feces were collected for 5 d following a 28-d adaptation to diet and facilities in each period. Rumen fluid was sampled immediately prior to feeding and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 hr post-feeding for ruminal fermentation assessment. Digestibility of DM, OM, aNDF and ADF was greater (P

Similar books