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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2008-1496v1 87/8/2653    most recent 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 Google Scholar Articles by Depenbusch, B. E. Articles by Drouillard, J. S. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Depenbusch, B. E. Articles by Drouillard, J. S.

Effects of increasing levels of dried corn distillers grains with solubles on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of yearling heifers¹

B. E. Depenbusch^*, C. M. Coleman^*, J. J. Higgins and J. S. Drouillard^*,2

^* Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, and Department of Statistics, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506

² Corresponding author: jdrouill{at}ksu.edu

Three hundred forty-seven crossbred heifers (330 ± 11 kg initial BW) were used in a randomized complete block study to identify the optimal level of dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DGS) in flaked corn finishing diets. Fifty-four pens were used, with 9 pens per treatment and 6 to 7 heifers per pen. Finishing diets were steam-flaked corn-based and were fed once daily for 148 d. Dietary treatments consisted of 6 levels of DGS (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75%, DM basis). Dry matter intake, ADG, and final BW responded quadratically (P 0.03) to increasing levels of DGS and were maximized at 15% DGS. However, G:F decreased linearly (P = 0.01) as level of DGS increased. Longissimus muscle areas were not different (P 0.27), whereas 12th-rib fat thicknesses decreased linearly (P = 0.05) for heifers fed increasing levels of DGS. Marbling score and USDA yield grades were not different (P 0.06) for heifers fed different levels of DGS. Number of carcasses grading USDA Prime or Choice were not different (P 0.07), whereas number of carcasses grading USDA Select increased (P = 0.02; linear) as dietary level of DGS increased from 0 to 75%. Myofibrillar and overall tenderness increased linearly (P = 0.01) as dietary level of DGS increased from 0 to 75%. Juiciness, off-flavor intensity, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were not different (P 0.16) among treatments. Redness of steaks (i.e., a*) was not different (P 0.13) for steaks collected from heifers fed different levels of DGS as evidenced by similar instrumental color measurements after d 0, 3, and 5 of display. However, on d 7, steak color was less red (P = 0.04) and had more metmyoglobin. Concentration of linoleic acid (18:2n-6cis), total n-6 fatty acids, and total PUFA linearly increased (P = 0.01) with increasing levels of DGS.

Key Words: color profile • distillers grain • fatty acid • feedlot • growth • tenderness