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Feed Intake and Digestion by Beef Steers Consuming and Receiving Ruminal Insertions of Prairie Hay Differing in Level and Particle Size¹

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701

Abstract

A 5 x 5 Latin square design involving five cannulated beef steers (342 and 358 kg avg initial and final body weights, respectively) fed prairie hay (76.7% neutral detergent fiber, 5.7% acid detergent lignin and .85% N) was conducted to evaluate effects on feed intake and nutrient digestion of variations in physical characteristics of ruminal digesta achieved by ruminal insertion of different amounts of prairie hay differing in particle size. Steers were fed hay ad libitum in two equal meals (0800 and 2000). At 1200, four of the steers received manual, ruminal insertions of ground hay. Fine hay (F) was ground through a screen with 2-mm openings (.39 mm mean particle size), whereas coarse hay (C) was ground through a screen with 2.54-cm openings (4.46 mm mean particle size). Amounts of hay inserted were .2 (low, L) or .4% (high, H) of initial body weight of individual steers. Ruminal hay insertions comprised 18% of total dry matter (DM) intake for L and 34 and 37% for HF and HC, respectively. Fed hay consumption decreased (P < .05) with hay insertion and was lower for H than L; total DM intake was not influenced by treatment (P > .10). Ruminal NH₃-N concentrations and ruminal fluid passage rate, volume and outflow rate were not different (P > .10). Apparent ruminal organic matter digestion was greater (P < .05) with ruminal hay insertion than without and with H than with L (P < .05). Constant total prairie hay ingestion (fed plus inserted) when insertions of hay differing in amount and particle size were made suggests that changes in physical characteristics of reticuloruminal digesta induced by insertions near the the time of maximal ruminal fill were not involved in regulation of feed intake.

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

² Present address: Div. of Anim. and Vet. Sci., West Virginia Univ., Morgantown 26506.

³ Dept. of Anim. Sci.

⁴ Present address: Box 55, Happy, TX 79042-0055.