HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stokes, S. R. Articles by Piper, E. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stokes, S. R. Articles by Piper, E. L.

Effects of Supplemental Bermuda Grass Hay or Corn on Intake, Digestion and Performance of Cattle Consuming Endophyte-Infected Fescue

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701

Abstract

Effects of supplemental Bermuda grass hay (BG) or ground corn on intake, digestion and performance of cattle consuming endophyte-infected fescue (I) were studied. In Exp. 1, a Latin square study, five growing Holstein steers (158.1 kg) consumed I ad libitum and were offered 0, .3, .6, .9 or 1.2% body weight (BW) of BG daily. Total dry matter (DM) intake rose linearly (P<.05) with increasing BG, although intake was numerically similar with .6, .9 and 1.2% BW of BG. Digestibility was constant with diet (P>.10). Six growing Holstein steers used in Exp. 2, a Latin square with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments, ingested I or noninfected (NI) fescue hay ad libitum with 0, .5 or 1.0% BW of ground corn. Total DM intake increased linearly as the level of corn rose (P<.05). Total intake with I increased more with the first than with the second addition of corn, and the opposite occurred with NI (interaction between fescue infection and the quadratic effect of corn level, P<.10). Organic matter digested (g/d) was greater for NI than for I and rose linearly with increasing corn ingestion (P<.05). Ninety-six crossbred beef heifers and steers (184.2 kg avg initial live weight) were used in a 77-d fall grazing experiment (Exp. 3) with a 2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement. Cattle grazed I or NI paddocks and were given no supplement or .34% BW of BG or .65% BW of ground corn on a daily basis (DM). Animals given corn tended to gain fastest (P<.19); daily gain was similar (P>.20) for I and NI. In conclusion, supplementation of I diets with nontoxic forage lowers fescue intake more than does supplementation with grain, but offering grain elicits a greater increase in digestible OM intake.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Arkansas Agric. Exp. Sta.

² Anim. Sci. Dept.