Eighty-one steers [428 ± 3.5 kg of body weight (BW)] were used to determine the effect of grain type (corn vs. barley) and oil concentration of dried corn distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS; moderate = 7.9% vs. low = 4.5% ether extract) on growth performance, feeding behavior, and carcass characteristics. Intake and feeding behavior traits were calculated from data generated via the Insentec feeding system. Steers were slaughtered with an average BW of 668 ± 4.4 kg. Final BW and average daily gain (ADG) were not affected by grain type or DDGS oil concentration. Dry matter intake (DMI) decreased (P = 0.002) and gain:feed ratio (G:F) increased (P = 0.01) in steers fed diets containing barley. Daily visits to the feeder decreased (P = 0.05), but time eating per visit increased (P = 0.03) in steers fed diets containing barley than corn. Plasma urea-N concentration was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in steers fed diets containing barley than corn and in steers fed diets containing low-oil DDGS than moderate-oil DDGS diets. There was no effect of treatment on carcass characteristics. These data indicate that steers fed diets containing barley had improved G:F and that including low-oil vs. moderate-oil DDGS in a finishing diet does not influence growth performance, feeding behavior, or carcass measurements.
The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of grain type (rolled corn vs. rolled barley) and oil concentration of dried corn distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS; moderate = 7.9% vs. low = 4.5% ether extract) on site of digestion. Seven ruminally and duodenally cannulated Holstein steers (716 ± 8.9 kg) were used in a 4 × 7 Youden square with experimental periods of 24 d. True ruminal organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility (% of intake) as well as intestinal (% of entering duodenum) and total tract starch digestibility was greater (P ≤ 0.03) in steers fed diets containing barley than in steers fed diets containing corn. Ruminal disappearance and ruminal, intestinal, and total tract OM, CP, and starch digestibility were not influenced (P ≥ 0.11) by feeding diets containing DDGS with differing oil concentration. Total tract lipid digestibility (%) was greater (P < 0.001) in steers fed diets containing moderate-oil DDGS than low-oil DDGS. These data indicate that including a low-oil DDGS, as compared with a moderate-oil DDGS, in finishing diets containing rolled corn or rolled barley does not influence intake or site of digestion of nonlipid components.
To determine the effects of grain type (rolled-corn vs. rolled-barley) and dried corn distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS) oil concentration (low = 4.5% vs. moderate = 7.9%) on ruminal pH, ammonia (NH3) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, in vitro enteric methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and digestive enzyme activity, eight ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (715 ± 61.4 kg) were used in a 4 × 8 Latin rectangle with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Diets were offered for ad libitum intake. Experimental periods were 24 d with 7 d of diet adaptation, 7 d of sample collection, and a 10 d transition between periods. No differences were observed for ruminal NH3, total VFA concentration, pH, or in vitro concentration of CH4 or CO2 after 24 h of incubation among treatments. The lag time for in vitro gas production and degradation was greater (P = 0.03) from steers fed diets containing rolled-corn than rolled-barley. There were grain type × DDGS interactions (P ≤ 0.02) observed for α-amylase and trypsin activity (U L−1 ruminal fluid). Maltase activity (U L−1 ruminal fluid) was greater (P ≤ 0.01) in steers fed diets containing rolled-corn than rolled-barley and in steers fed diets containing low- compared with moderate-oil DDGS. These results indicate that, although ruminal enzyme activity was influenced, feeding different grain types (rolled-corn vs. rolled-barley) or DDGS with differing oil concentration (moderate vs. low) did not negatively influence ruminal fermentation or in vitro CH4 production.
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