Evaluation of Alpha Amylase Containing Corn on Beef Cattle Performance and Digestibility and Double-cropped Annual Forages Following Corn Harvest

Authors

• McKenna Brinton, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

James C. MacDonald

Committee Members

Galen E. Erickson, Mary E. Drewnoski

Date of this Version

8-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Major: Animal Science

Under the supervision of Professor James C. MacDonald

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2019

Comments

Copyright 2019, McKenna M. Brinton. Used by permission

Abstract

One digestion and three feedlot trials evaluated the effect of a new corn hybrid containing an α-amylase enzyme trait, Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn (SYT-EFC) on site and extent of digestion, ruminal fermentation parameters, and feedlot performance. Experiments utilized corn containing the enzymatic gene (SYT-EFC) compared to commercially available corn (CON), processed as corn silage (CS) kernel processed or not (KP), dry-rolled corn (DRC), high-moisture corn (HMC), or a blend of DRC and HMC. Growing calves fed high inclusions of CS, displayed increased G:F when CS was KP, resulting in a 6.5% improvement in G:F. Hybrid and kernel processing did not impact digestibility of the corn silages. Finishing cattle fed SYT-EFC as DRC, HMC, or a blend saw no significant improvement in performance or carcass characteristics when compared to CON treatments. Cattle fed DRC based finishing diets with wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) increasing at 0%, 15%, 30%, or 45% had increased G:F when fed SYT-EFC. Inclusion of SYT-EFC and 0% WDGS resulted in a 4.3% increase in G:F compared to the CON treatment. Overall, feeding SYT-EFC corn hybrids would suggest limited improvements in feed efficiency in specific diets.

Advisor: James C. MacDonald