Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different corn milling methods for high-moisture and dry corn on finishing cattle performance, carcass traits, and nutrient digestion. In experiment 1, steers (N = 600 [60 pens]; initial body weight [BW] = 402 ± 17 kg) were fed for 134 d to evaluate the effect of milling method and corn type on performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments were evaluated as a 2 × 3 factorial design with factors being milling method (Automatic Ag roller mill [ROLL] or hammer mill [HAMMER]) and corn type (high-moisture [HMC], dry [DC], or 50:50 blend of HMC and DC [BLEND]). There were no milling method × corn type interactions for final BW, gain (ADG), or dry matter intake (DMI; P ≥ 0.32), but there tended to be an interaction for G:F (P = 0.09). Cattle fed ROLL HMC had 4.7% greater gain:feed (G:F; P ≤ 0.01) with 55% lower fecal starch (P < 0.01) compared to HAMMER HMC, whereas processing did not impact (P = 0.74) G:F in DC diets. There were no further effects (P ≥ 0.14) on performance or carcass traits regardless of milling method or corn type. In experiment 2, seven ruminally fistulated steers were utilized in a 4 × 7 incomplete Latin rectangle to evaluate the effects of DC or HMC processed with either ROLL or HAMMER (2 × 2 factorial treatment design) on nutrient digestion. Feeding HMC decreased the amount of excreted dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM; P ≤ 0.01) regardless of mill type, but there was a tendency (P ≤ 0.13) for an interaction between corn type and mill type for DM and OM digestibility. There was no difference between milling treatments fed as HMC (P ≥ 0.69), but the HAMMER DC diet was more digestible than the ROLL DC (P = 0.05). As expected, HMC-based diets had greater (P < 0.01) starch digestibility compared to DC, but milling method had no impact on starch digestibility (P = 0.56). There were no differences (P = 0.56) in average ruminal pH, but HMC diets had greater variance (P = 0.04) and greater area less than pH 5.6 (P = 0.05) compared to DC based diets while milling method did not impact either (P > 0.33). Processing HMC with a roller mill improved G:F compared to processing with a hammer mill, but had little effect when corn was fed as dry corn or HMC:DC blend. Furthermore, feeding cattle HMC compared to DC increases nutrient digestibility, but milling method had little impact.
A 2 × 2 factorial digestion study using seven ruminally cannulated steers evaluated the effect of feeding diets containing 70% (dry matter-basis) high-moisture (HMC) or dry corn (DC), processed with either a hammer mill or Automatic Ag Roller Mill (Pender, NE), on nutrient digestion. Feeding HMC decreased the amount of excreted dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM; P ≤ 0.01) regardless of mill type, but there was a tendency (P ≤ 0.13) for an interaction between corn type and mill type for DM and OM digestibility. There was no difference between either milling treatments fed as HMC (P ≥ 0.69), but the hammer mill DC diet was more digestible than the roller mill DC (P = 0.05). There was no effect on NDF digestibility, but there was a tendency for an interaction between grain type and processing method for ADF digestibility, with the roller mill DC diet having the lowest (P = 0.02) ADF digestibility and no differences (P ≥ 0.15) among the other treatments. As expected, HMC based diets had greater (P < 0.01) starch digestibility compared to DC, but milling method had no effect (P = 0.56). High moisture corn diets had greater (P = 0.01) DE intake (Mcal/kg), and hammer mill DC tended to be greater (P = 0.07) than roller mill DC. There tended (P = 0.07) to be an interaction for minimum pH, with roller mill HMC and hammer mill DC having the lowest average pH, but not different from hammer mill HMC (P ≥ 0.32). There were no differences (P = 0.56) in average pH, but HMC diets had greater variance (P = 0.04) and greater area under pH 5.6 (P = 0.05) compared to DC based diets. Feeding cattle HMC compared to DC increases nutrient digestibility but milling process had little impact.
Steers (n=600; Initial BW = 402 ± 17 kg) were fed for134 day to evaluate the effect of milling method and corn type on performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments were evaluated as a 2 × 3 factorial with factors being milling method (Automatic Ag® roller mill or hammer mill) and corn type (100% high-moisture, 100% dry, or 50:50 blend of high-moisture and dry corn). High-moisture corn was processed at harvested based on respective treatment and ensiled until trial initiation. Both dry corn and HMC were processed using a 16-mm screen in the hammer mill and the roller mill was adjusted to ensure all kernels were broken. There were no interactions between milling method and corn type for final BW, daily gain (ADG), or dry matter intake (DMI; P ≥ 0.32), but there was a tendency for an interaction for G:F (P = 0.09). Cattle fed 100% high-moisture corn processed with the Automatic Ag roller mill were 4.7% more efficient (P ≤ 0.01) with 55% lower fecal starch (P < 0.01) compared to high-moisture corn processed with the hammer mill. Cattle fed dry corn tended (P = 0.07) to have a greater live final BW regardless of milling type and had the greatest DMI (P ≤ 0.01) Intake decreased as high-moisture corn was increased in the diet. Due to no differences in ADG with lower DMI led to a 6% improvement (P ≤ 0.01) in G:F for steers fed HMC. There were no further effects (P ≥ 0.14) on performance or carcass traits regardless of milling method or corn type. Processing high-moisture corn using Automatic Ag roller mill improved feed efficiency compared to processing with a hammer mill when corn was included at 70% of the diet, but processing method had little effect when fed as dry corn or blended diets.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the optimal time to reimplant following an initial implant on performance and carcass characteristics when steers were fed for 180 d. Crossbred steers (n = 800; initial BW = 330 ± 25 kg) were utilized in a generalized randomized block design and assigned randomly to pen, and pen assigned randomly to one of five treatments. Treatments included 5 different days on terminal (DOT) implant (160, 120, 100, 80 or 40 DOT). All steers were given an initial implant (80 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) + 16 mg estradiol; Revalor-IS) on d 1. Terminal implant consisted of 200 mg TBA + 20 mg estradiol (Revalor-200). Dry matter intake was the least for 40 DOT (P ≤ 0.04), with no differences between the other treatments (P ≥ 0.11). Carcass-adjusted final BW responded quadratically (P = 0.03) with 100 DOT having the greatest final BW but was not different from 120 DOT (P = 0.82). Carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F responded quadratically (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). When solved for the first derivative, carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F were maximized at 99 and 87 DOT, respectively. However, there was less than a 2% difference in carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F between 80 and 120 DOT. Hot carcass weight responded quadratically (P = 0.03), with the greatest HCW at 100 DOT. Solving for the first derivative, HCW was optimized at 104 DOT. There were no differences in back fat, marbling, or yield grade (P ≥ 0.27). Overall, administering an initial implant followed by a terminal implant 85 to 105 d prior to harvest increased gain, efficiency, and HCW in steers when fed for 180 d. Minimal changes in performance and carcass characteristics when steers are reimplanted 80 to 120 d prior to harvest suggests flexibility in reimplanting windows.
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of grain type and wet distillers grains inclusion on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Yearling steers (n = 320; initial BW = 325 ± 23 kg) were utilized in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, with the first factor as grain type at either 100% dry-rolled corn or a 50:50 blend of dry-rolled wheat and dry-rolled corn, and the second factor as wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) inclusion at 12 or 30% of diet DM. There were no interactions between grain type and WDGS inclusion levels (P ≥ 0.21), contrary to our hypothesis that 50:50 wheat blend would improve performance with increased WDGS. There were no differences in DMI, ADG, or G:F (P ≥ 0.29) between 100% DRC or 50:50 blend of DRC and wheat. There was no difference in HCW between grain types (P = 0.84), but LM area was greater (P = 0.02) for steers fed a 50:50 blend of DRC and wheat. There were no differences in 12th rib fat or USDA marbling score between grain types (P ≥ 0.15), but increased LM area in steers fed the blended diet led to improved calculated yield grade (P = 0.04). Increasing WDGS in the diet increased carcass-adjusted final BW (P = 0.03) and improved carcass-adjusted ADG and G:F by 3.8% (P ≤ 0.05). Feeding 30% WDGS increased HCW by 10.9 kg (P = 0.03) and increased 12th rib fat (P = 0.02) compared to feeding 12% WDGS. There were no differences in LM area, USDA marbling score, or calculated YG between WDGS inclusions. These data suggest that increasing WDGS in the diet improves performance regardless of grain type and depending on price, wheat can replace up to 50% of the grain portion of the diet without affecting performance.
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