Relationships of body weight, forage composition, and corn supplementation to feed intake and digestion by Holstein steer calves consuming bermudagrass hay ad libitum.

Abstract

Holstein steer calves (101 to 350 kg BW) consumed bermudagrass hay ad libitum without or with supplemental ground corn up to 1.0% of BW. As BW increased, total DMI increased quadratically (-2.459 + .05448 [BW]-.000073 [BW2] + .540 [corn DMI]; R2 = .83, sy.x = .655). Each kilogram of corn DM decreased bermudagrass DMI by .46 kg. Total digestible OM intake (kg) increased with BW and corn supplementation (.314 + .0127 [BW] + .441 [corn OM intake]; R2 = .79, sy.x = .444). Feed intake level accounted for approximately 2.5 times more variability in total digestible OM intake than digestion did. Corn supplementation decreased digestion of bermudagrass NDF (62.50 - 8.468 [corn DMI, % BW]; R2 = .13, sy.x = 8.121), with a similar decrease across BW. Increasing bermudagrass DMI (% of BW) decreased bermudagrass NDF digestion slightly, but variation accounted for was only 33% of that attributable to corn DMI (% of BW). Concentrations of common fiber fractions (NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicellulose, and ADL) in bermudagrass explained very little variation in feed intake and digestion, indicating considerable influence of other factors. Bermudagrass intake and digestion were not related, and no substantial interactions were observed among steer BW, corn level, and bermudagrass composition.

Prediction of Feed Intake and Its Relationships with Chemical Composition of Diets in Goats Consuming Concentrate, Bahiagrass Pasture and Mimosa Browse

“…Estimated DMI in low quality bahiagrass diet, however, did not correlated (R 2 = 0.075; P < 0.306) with BW (Figure 2(b)). Goetsch et al [9] reported that as BW increased, total DMI (kg) increased quadratically in Holstein steer. Likewise, the kilograms of Bermudagrass DM consumed increased quadratically with increasing BW.…”

Corn distillers dried grains with solubles supplementation in a pasture-based beef production system

“…This increase in total DMI has been observed for cattle that are either grazing or fed high forage diets and supplemented with concentrate or fiber-based supplements Bodine et al, 2001;Sanson and Clanton 1989;Matejovsky and Sanson, 1995;Gekara et al, 2001;Goetsch et al, 1991). Most feeds have substitution rates that are less than one and greater than zero Bodine et al, 2001;Sanson and Clanton 1989;Matejovsky and Sanson, 1995;Gekara et al, 2001;and Goetsch et al, 1991) which results in a net increase in total DMI and increased animal productivity. observed that dairy cows grazing at high and low pasture allowances had increased total DMI as concentrate was supplemented at 8.63 kg/d.…”

“…Bodine et al (2001) found that steers supplemented with protein increased total OM intake and improved BW gain. In spite of substitution, total DMI is quite often increased, even with cattle at different stages of production and consuming forages of different quality as indicated by reported substitution rates less than one Bodine et al 2001;Sanson and Clanton 1989;Gekara et al 2001;and Goetsch et al 1991). Only in certain situations, such as supplementation of low quality forage with high protein supplement, can an increase in forage intake be observed as well.…”

“…Not only is the substitution rate affected by the forage allowance, but forage composition also plays a role (Sanson and Clanton, 1989;Goetsch et al, 1991;Matejovsky and Sanson, 1995;. Supplementation of low quality meadow hay with corn to 0.75% BW did not affect hay DM digestibility, while the apparent DM digestibility and total DMI of the diet were increased (Sanson and Clanton, 1989).…”

“…While high starch diets can impair forage digestion, grain has been observed to increase the total OM digestibility and/or total digestible dry matter intake (DDMI) because of the grains' high digestibility (Goetsch et al, 1991;Gekara et al, 2001;Royes et al, 2001). Bodine et al (2001) observed increased OM digestibility when high starch pellets were supplemented to heifers and stated that if sufficient degradable intake protein (DIP) were present in the diet, negative associative effects of starch would largely be avoided.…”