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Limited data are available regarding the influence of thiamine supplementation on the incidence of polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in lambs fed diets containing increased concentrations of S in the diet (>0.7%). Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the influence of thiamine supplementation on feedlot performance, carcass quality, ruminal hydrogen sulfide gas concentrations, and incidence of PEM in lambs fed a finishing diet containing 60% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; DM basis). Two studies were conducted using completely randomized designs to evaluate the influence of concentration of thiamine supplementation. Study 1 used 240 lambs fed in 16 pens, whereas study 2 used 55 individually fed lambs. Lamb finishing diets contained 60% DDGS, which resulted in a dietary S concentration of 0.73% (DM basis). Treatments diets were based on the amount of supplemental thiamine provided: 1) no supplemental thiamine (CON), 2) 50 mg/animal per day (LO), 3) 100 mg/animal per day (MED), or 4) 150 mg/animal per day (HI). Additionally, in study 2, a fifth treatment was included, which contained 0.87% S (DM basis; increased S provided by addition of dilute sulfuric acid) and provided 150 mg of thiamine/animal per day (HI+S). In study 1, ADG decreased quadratically (P = 0.04), with lambs fed the CON, LO, and MED diets gaining BW at a greater rate than lambs fed the HI diet. In study 1, DMI responded quadratically (P < 0.01), whereas G:F tended to differ linearly (P = 0.08) to concentration of thiamine supplementation, with MED lambs having greater DMI and decreased G:F. No differences (P > or = 0.17) in lamb performance were observed in study 2. In both studies, most carcass characteristics were unaffected, with the exception of a tendency for decreased carcass conformation (study 1; P = 0.09) and greater flank streaking (study 2; P = 0.03). No differences in ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentration (P > 0.05) among treatments were apparent until d 10, at which point lambs fed the LO diet had less hydrogen sulfide concentrations than all other treatments. Lambs fed HI had the greatest concentrations of hydrogen sulfide on d 31 (1.07 g of hydrogen sulfide /m(3); P < 0.009). Ruminal pH did not differ (P = 0.13) and averaged 5.6 +/- 0.06. No clinical cases of PEM were observed during the course of either study. The use of thiamine as a dietary additive to aid in the prevention of PEM in finishing lambs does not appear to be necessary under the conditions of this study.

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Inclusion of potato-processing waste (PW) from the frozen potato products industry in high-grain beef cattle finishing diets was evaluated in two studies. In a randomized complete block design, 125 crossbred yearling heifers (365 +/- 0.3 kg initial BW; five pens per treatment; five heifers per pen) were used to evaluate PW level on feedlot performance and meat quality. Heifers were fed for 85 (two blocks) or 104 d (three blocks). In a digestion study, four ruminally, duodenally, and ileally cannulated Holstein steers (474.7 +/- 26.6 kg initial BW) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to evaluate effects of PW level on ruminal fermentation, site of digestion, and microbial protein synthesis. The control diet for both studies contained 80% corn, 10% alfalfa hay, 5% concentrated separator by-product (CSB), and 5% supplement (DM basis). Potato waste replaced corn and separator by-product (DM basis) in the diet at 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% in the feedlot study, and at 0, 13, 27, and 40% in the digestion study. In the feedlot study, DMI decreased (linear; P = 0.007) with increasing inclusion of PW. Increasing PW decreased ADG and feed efficiency from 0 to 30% and then increased at 40% (quadratic; P < 0.01). Calculated dietary NEg concentrations did not differ among treatments (P = 0.18). Hot carcass weight decreased as PW increased from 0 to 30% and then increased at 40% PW (cubic; P < 0.01). Fat thickness and longissimus muscle area decreased with increasing PW (linear; P < 0.05). Level of PW did not affect marbling or liver scores (P > 0.30). No difference (P > 0.20) was observed for Warner-Bratzler shear force at 0, 10, 20, and 30% PW levels; however, 40% PW resulted in lower (P = 0.05) shear force values. Taste panel scores for juiciness and flavor intensity did not differ with increasing PW (P > 0.30). Steaks from cattle fed 0% were scored less tender than 10 and 40% PW (cubic; P < 0.05). In the digestion study, DMI decreased (quadratic; P < 0.01) with increasing PW. Ruminal pH and total VFA concentration increased (linear; P < 0.05) and true N disappearance from the stomach complex and apparent total-tract N disappearance decreased with increasing level of PW (linear; P < 0.01). Starch intake and ruminal disappearance decreased with increasing level of PW (quadratic; P < 0.05). Inclusion of PW decreased feedlot performance, with little effect on carcass characteristics or meat quality. Optimal inclusion of PW in finishing diets may depend on the cost of transportation and other dietary ingredients.

Two hundred crossbred lambs were used to determine energy value and optimum inclusion level of field pea (Pisum sativum) in corn-based diets. In experiment one (Exp. 1), 100 crossbred lambs (33.9 ± 1.3 kg initial BW) were blocked by weight and sex (two blocks of ewe lambs per treatment; three blocks of ram lambs per treatment) and fed for 89 days. In experiment two (Exp. 2), 100 crossbred ram lambs (39.1 ± 0.2 kg initial BW) were blocked by weight (five pens per treatment) and fed for 63 days. Treatments for each experiment were similar; field pea replaced corn at 0, 150, 300, or 450 g/kg of the diet (DM basis). Diets contained 750 g/kg corn and/or field pea, 100 g/kg alfalfa hay, 50 g/kg concentrated separator byproduct (CSB), 60 g/kg soybean meal (SBM), and 40 g/kg supplement. In Exp. 2, a fifth treatment was added to evaluate if field pea can replace corn and SBM in high-grain diets (450 − SBM); this diet consisted of 450 g/kg field pea, 350 g/kg corn, 100 g/kg alfalfa, 50 g/kg CSB, and 50 g/kg supplement. Diets contained 28 mg/kg lasalocid and a minimum 149.6 g/kg CP, 7.6 g/kg Ca, 4.4 g/kg P, and 12.2 g/kg K. Only carcass data from ram lambs were recorded. Data for each experiment were analyzed separately with GLM procedure of SAS and linear, quadratic, and cubic effects of field pea were determined. In Exp. 1, a cubic (P = 0.02) response for DMI occurred, greater intake of 150 g/kg than 300 g/kg diet. No other performance measurements were affected by treatment. In Exp. 2, lambs fed 450 − SBM tended to be more efficient (P = 0.10) than lambs fed 450 + SBM. Carcass characteristics were not affected by treatment (P > 0.10). Based on lamb performance (Exp. 1) there was a tendency for a linear (P = 0.10) increase in dietary net energy. In Exp. 2, no difference in dietary net energy occurred with increasing level of field pea. Dietary net energy was greater for 450 − SBM compared with 450 + SBM. Average calculated NE m and NE g for field pea were 2.75 and 2.02 Mcal/kg, which was 14% greater than corn. Field pea is a suitable replacement for corn in lamb finishing diets and is at least equal in energy density to corn.