Journal of Animal Science, Vol 79, Issue 3 766-774, Copyright © 2001 by American Society of Animal Science

EVALUATION STUDIES

Soybean hulls as a primary ingredient in forage-free diets for limit-fed growing cattle

C. A. Loest, E. C. Titgemeyer, J. S. Drouillard, D. A. Blasi and D. J. Bindel
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-1600, USA.

In Exp. 1, 300 heifers (260 kg initial BW) were used to compare growth performance of cattle fed forage-free diets containing predominantly soybean hulls with that of cattle receiving roughage- and corn-based diets and to determine whether cattle fed soybean hull-based diets would respond to supplementation with methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA), lipid-coated betaine, or concentrated separator by-product (CSB; a source of betaine). Treatments included 1) a roughage-based diet fed at 2.75% of BW, 2) a corn-based diet fed at 1.5% of BW, 3) a corn-based diet fed at 2.25% of BW, 4) a soybean hull-based diet fed at 1.5% of BW (SH1.5), 5) a soybean hull-based diet fed at 2.25% of BW (SH2.25), 6) SH1.5 top-dressed with 11.4 g/d Alimet (10 g/d MHA), 7) SH2.25 top-dressed with 11.4 g/d Alimet, 8) SH2.25 top-dressed with 7 g/d of a lipid-coated betaine product (4.2 g/d betaine), and 9) SH2.25 top-dressed with 250 g/d CSB (15.5 g/d betaine). Supplemental MHA, betaine, and CSB did not change DMI, ADG, or gain:feed ratio for cattle fed soybean hulls. Heifers fed soybean hull-based diets gained 29% slower (P < 0.05) and had 27% lower gain:feed ratios than heifers fed the corn-based diets. Cattle fed soybean hull-based diets had gains that were lower (P < 0.05) than those of cattle fed the roughage-based diets, but gain:feed ratios were similar because cattle were fed less of the soybean hull-based diets. Roughage-fed cattle had similar gains but 25% lower (P < 0.05) gain:feed ratios than cattle fed the corn-based diets. In Exp. 2, degradation by ruminal microbes of betaine in anhydrous betaine, betaine-HCl, feed-grade betaine, lipid-coated betaine, and CSB was evaluated in vitro using ruminal inocula collected from steers fed a high-grain or high-roughage diet. The roughage diet led to less betaine disappearance than the grain diet. More betaine was degraded from CSB than from other sources, perhaps because sugars provided by CSB stimulated fermentation, but no large differences occurred among the other four sources. Betaine from all sources was extensively degraded, although some betaine may escape ruminal degradation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. E. Depenbusch, E. R. Loe, J. J. Sindt, N. A. Cole, J. J. Higgins, and J. S. Drouillard Optimizing use of distillers grains in finishing diets containing steam-flaked corn J Anim Sci, August 1, 2009; 87(8): 2644 - 2652. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. R. Wilson, C. S. Abney, J. T. Vasconcelos, M. Vazquez-Anon, J. P. McMeniman, and M. L. Galyean Effects of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid on performance and carcass characteristics of finishing beef cattle and on fermentation in continuous culture J Anim Sci, August 1, 2008; 86(8): 1951 - 1962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Beck, S. Hutchison, C. B. Stewart, J. D. Shockey, and S. A. Gunter Effect of crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris) hay harvest interval on forage quality and performance of growing calves fed mixed diets J Anim Sci, February 1, 2007; 85(2): 527 - 535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. P. Montgomery, J. S. Drouillard, E. C. Titgemeyer, J. J. Sindt, T. B. Farran, J. N. Pike, C. M. Coetzer, A. M. Trater, and J. J. Higgins Effects of wet corn gluten feed and intake level on diet digestibility and ruminal passage rate in steers J Anim Sci, December 1, 2004; 82(12): 3526 - 3536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J. Sindt, J. S. Drouillard, E. C. Titgemeyer, S. P. Montgomery, C. M. Coetzer, T. B. Farran, J. N. Pike, J. J. Higgins, and R. T. Ethington Wet corn gluten feed and alfalfa hay combinations in steam-flaked corn finishing cattle diets J Anim Sci, December 1, 2003; 81(12): 3121 - 3129. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. P. Montgomery, J. S. Drouillard, J. J. Sindt, T. B. Farran, J. N. Pike, A. M. Trater, C. M. Coetzer, H. J. LaBrune, R. D. Hunter, and R. A. Stock Combinations of alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed in limit-fed growing diets for beef cattle J Anim Sci, July 1, 2003; 81(7): 1671 - 1680. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J. Sindt, J. S. Drouillard, H. Thippareddi, R. K. Phebus, D. L. Lambert, S. P. Montgomery, T. B. Farran, H. J. LaBrune, J. J. Higgins, and R. T. Ethington Evaluation of finishing performance, carcass characteristics, acid-resistant E. coli and total coliforms from steers fed combinations of wet corn gluten feed and steam-flaked corn J Anim Sci, December 1, 2002; 80(12): 3328 - 3335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Loest, E. C. Titgemeyer, J. S. Drouillard, C. M. Coetzer, R. D. Hunter, D. J. Bindel, and B. D. Lambert Supplemental betaine and peroxide-treated feather meal for finishing cattle J Anim Sci, September 1, 2002; 80(9): 2234 - 2240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Loest, E. C. Titgemeyer, G. S.-J. D. C. Van Metre, and J. S. Smith Methionine as a methyl group donor in growing cattle J Anim Sci, August 1, 2002; 80(8): 2197 - 2206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]