Influence of forage source and forage inclusion level on growth performance, feeding behavior, and carcass characteristics in finishing steers1

Autor: A. Islas, F. E. Keomanivong, Kendall C Swanson, Sarah R Underdahl, Marc L Bauer, T. C. Gilbery, Z. E. Carlson, M. C. Ruch
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Animal Science. 95:1325-1334
ISSN: 1525-3163
0021-8812
DOI: 10.2527/jas.2016.1157
Popis: Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of forage source (Exp. 1) and forage inclusion level (Exp. 2) in finishing diets on growth performance and feeding behavior. In Exp. 1, sixty-four steers (394 ± 3.6 kg BW) were allotted by BW to 3 pens. Within each pen, steers were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 dietary treatments containing different forage sources: 1) alfalfa hay, 2) corn silage, 3) wheat straw, and 4) corn stover. Alfalfa hay was provided at 10% of the diet DM and the other forage sources were offered to provide the same percentage of NDF from forage. In Exp. 2, forty-four steers (451 ± 4.6 kg BW) were used in a completely randomized design and were fed dry-rolled corn-based diets containing a mixture of hay and corn silage as the forage source at 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% forage (DM basis). Intake and feeding behavior traits were calculated from data generated by the Insentec feeding system. In Exp. 1, final BW, ADG, and G:F did not differ between treatments. Dry matter intake and feeding behavior traits responded differently depending on week (interaction ≤ 0.04) of the experiment with DMI generally greater in steers fed alfalfa or corn silage early in the experiment and time per meal generally greater and eating rate slower in steers fed diets containing wheat straw or corn stover. In Exp. 2, ADG and G:F decreased linearly ( 15%).
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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