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Corn Fiber as an Energy Supplement in High-Roughage Diets Fed to Steers and Lambs¹

University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0908

Abstract

Three growth trials and two digestion trials were conducted to determine the effects of supplementing high-roughage diets with ground corn (C), corn bran (CB) or corn gluten feed (CGF) on nutrient digestibility and growth of steers and lambs. In growth Trial 1, steers fed a corn cob-alfalfa haylage basal diet supplemented with 50% C or CB gained faster (P < .01) and more efficiently (P < .01) than steers fed at the 25% level, and CB-supplemented steers tended to be more efficient (P < .07) than C-supplemented steers. In a steer digestion trial, DM digestibility of a brome hay basal diet increased (P < .05) with 25% C or CB but no further increase was observed at the 50% level of either C or CB. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility was higher (P < .01) when steers were fed CB vs C. Reductions in ruminal pH at 8 and 12 h post-feeding were greater (P < .05) for 50% vs 25% C- and CB-supplemented diets, with no difference between C and CB. In growth Trial 2, daily gain and gain:feed of steers fed diets containing 15 or 30% C or CB were similar but higher (P < .05) than those fed the control corn silage diet. In a lamb digestion trial, wet or dry CB- or CGF-supplemented brome hay diets had similar (P > .01) DM digestibilities. In growth Trial 3, steers fed diets supplemented with C, CB or CGF had higher (P < .01) intakes and daily gains and better gain:feed ratios than those fed the control diet of corn stalklage, wheat straw and brome hay. Steers fed CB-supplemented diets were less efficient (P < .05) than those fed CGF-supplemented diets. Corn fiber was at least equal to corn grain as a source of supplemental energy in high-roughage diets, possibly due to less negative feed interactions (associative effects).

¹ Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 8576, Journal Ser., Nebraska Agric. Exp. Sta.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.

³ Present Address; Dept. of Anim. Sci., Washington State Univ., 235 Clark Hall, Pullman 99163-6320.

⁴ Present Address: Feed Service Corporation, Crete, NE 68333.