J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Calderon-Cortes, J. F.
Right arrow Articles by Zinn, R. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Calderon-Cortes, J. F.
Right arrow Articles by Zinn, R. A.

Journal of Animal Science, Vol 74, Issue 10 2310-2316, Copyright © 1996 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Influence of dietary forage level and forage coarseness of grind on growth performance and digestive function in feedlot steers

J. F. Calderon-Cortes and R. A. Zinn
Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias, Mexicali, Mexico.

We conducted two trials to examine the influence of dietary forage level (FL; 16 and 8% sudangrass hay) and forage coarseness of grind (COG; ground to pass through a 2.5- vs 7.6-cm diameter screen) on growth performance and digestive function in feedlot steers fed a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet. Thirty-two Mexican crossbred steers (297 kg) were used to determine treatment effects on growth performance during an 80-d finishing period. There were no treatment interactions (P > .10). Reducing FL increased (17%, P < .05) ADG. decreased (23%, P < .01) feed/gain, and increased (17% and 22%, P < .01) dietary NEm and NEg. Coarseness of grind did not affect (P > .10) steer performance. Treatment effects on digestive function were evaluated using four Holstein steers with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum. There were no treatment interactions (P > .10) on nutrient digestibility. Forage level did not affect (P > .10) ruminal digestion of OM, N, or microbial efficiency. However, decreasing FL increased (P < .05) total tract digestion of OM (5.0%), N (5.7%), and ME (8.7%). Increasing COG increased total tract digestibility of OM (2.3%, P < .01), ADF (24.4%, P < .01); N (3.8%, P < .01), and ME (3.7%, P < .05). Increasing FL increased (P < .10) ruminal pH and decreased (P < .10) ruminal molar proportions of butyrate. Increasing COG did not influence (P > .10) ruminal pH or ruminal VFA molar proportions. We conclude that increasing coarseness of ground sudangrass may not improve the performance of feedlot steers when the forage is fed at either 8 or 16% of diet DM, although measures of ruminal and total tract nutrient digestibility may be slightly increased.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
G. I. Crawford, C. D. Keeler, J. J. Wagner, C. R. Krehbiel, G. E. Erickson, M. B. Crombie, and G. A. Nunnery
Effects of calcium magnesium carbonate and roughage level on feedlot performance, ruminal metabolism, and site and extent of digestion in steers fed high-grain diets
J Anim Sci, November 1, 2008; 86(11): 2998 - 3013.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
F. Loya-Olguin, L. Avendano-Reyes, A. M. Encinias, D. A. Walker, N. A. Elam, and S. A. Soto-Navarro
Influence of slice baling on feeding value of alfalfa hay in receiving and finishing diets for feedlot cattle
J Anim Sci, October 1, 2008; 86(10): 2749 - 2755.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J DAIRY SCIHome page
T. G. Nagaraja and E. C. Titgemeyer
Ruminal Acidosis in Beef Cattle: The Current Microbiological and Nutritional Outlook
J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2007; 90(13_suppl): E17 - E38.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the American Society of Animal Science.