| Popis: |
Four hundred fifty heifers (846 lb) were used in a 126-day experiment to investigate the effects of feeding two microbial additives, Lactobacillus acidophilus BG2FO4 (MicroCell) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii P-63 (MicroCell PB), alone or in sequence, on feedlot growth performance and carcass characteristics. A 21-day step-up period preceded heifers being placed on a final finishing diet containing 10% corn silage, 42% steam-flaked corn, 42% high-moisture corn, 3% soybean meal, and 3% mineral supplement. Premeasured amounts of microbial additive were mixed with water before being mixed directly with the total ration. Treatments consisted of 1) no microbial additive; 2) MicroCell for the entire period; 3) MicroCell PB for the entire period; 4) MicroCell for 28 days then MicroCell PB for the remainder of the period; and 5) MicroCell PB for 28 days then MicroCell for the remainder of the period. |
