Does the Effect of Replacing Cottonseed Meal with Dried Distiller’s Grains on Nellore Bulls Finishing Phase Vary between Pasture and Feedlot?

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing cottonseed meal by dried distiller’s grains (DDG) in terms of efficiency in the productive aspects of beef cattle finishing in pasture versus feedlot. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with two production systems (pasture versus feedlot) and three supplements: CM, conventional supplement with cottonseed meal (CM) as a protein source; 50DDG: supplement with 50% replacement of CM by DDG; and 100DDG: 100% replacement. The effect of replacing CM by DDG on dry matter and nutrients intake and nutrients digestibility depends on the finishing system (p < 0.05). While in the pasture system animal consumed more nutrients in the CM, a greater intake was observed in the 100DDG in feedlot. The nutrients digestibility was lower in the pasture (p < 0.05). Animal performance and final body weight were higher in the feedlot (p < 0.0001), with averages of 1.57 kg/d and 566 kg of final body weight (FBW) for feedlot, and 0.99 kg/d and 504 kg FBW for pasture. The use of DDG does not change the animal performance finished in pasture or feedlot, and it is a viable alternative to replace conventional supplements in finishing phase in both systems in tropical environment.

Effects of Replacing Cottonseed Meal with Corn Dried Distillers’ Grain on Ruminal Parameters, Performance, and Enteric Methane Emissions in Young Nellore Bulls Reared in Tropical Pastures

“…Although supplements were provided at the same level (0.3% BW) and pastures were equally managed using the same strategies and level of fertilization, the animals that received 50DDG had a higher forage intake (kg/d) than 100DDG, but when converted to %BW, the forage intake was similar between both treatments. Meanwhile, the treatment with 50DDG also promoted greater TDMI than 100DDG, as verified by Hoffmann et al [6].…”

“…On the other hand, less costly sources of animal feed that are not consumed by humans have gained increasing attention, for example, citrus pulp as an energy source and dried distiller's grain (DDG) as a protein source [3,6]. Cottonseed meal is a traditional protein source used in ruminant nutrition, mostly during the rearing and finishing phases, owing to its high ruminal undegraded protein (RUP) content [7,8], which can lead to an increase in protein flow to the small intestine.…”

“…Hoffmann et al [8] observed that corn DDG can replace 100% of cottonseed meal as a protein source during the rearing phase in tropical pastures without any adverse effects on average daily gain (ADG), enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions or nitrogen (N) excretion. Moreover, Hoffmann et al [6] found that the use of DDG does not affect the performance of animals finished on pasture or feedlot, and that this co-product is a viable alternative to replace conventional supplements in tropical environments. However, the efficiency of different replacement levels of cottonseed meal by DDG, and the responses of animals grazing tropical pastures has not yet been described.…”

Advances in Pasture Management and Animal Nutrition to Optimize Beef Cattle Production in Grazing Systems

“…Other studies that evaluated the use of corn DDG at levels of 0; 50 and 100% replacement for conventional protein sources (cotton meal and soybean meal) reported that DDG can 100% replace the protein source during the rearing phase on tropical pastures without any adverse effects on ADG, enteric CH 4 emissions or N excretion [66,92]. Furthermore, Hoffmann et al [93] reported that the use of DDG does not affect animal performance finished in pasture or conventional feedlot, emphasizing that it is a viable alternative to replace conventional supplements in a tropical environment.…”