Evaluation of Two Different Sweet Bran Products on Beef Cattle Digestion Characteristics and a Review of RAMP as an Alternative Step-up Program

Authors

Emily K. Hoefling, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

James C. MacDonald

Committee Members

Galen Erickson, Jess Sperber

Date of this Version

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A theis 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, May 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Emily K. Hoefling. Used by permission

Abstract

Two Sweet Bran products were evaluated at 13%, 18%, and 23% inclusion of the diet on total tract digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters. Seven ruminally cannulated, heifers were used in a 6 x 7 row-column design with 21-d periods consisting of 16-d adaptation period followed by a 5-d collection. Dietary treatments were designed in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement with 6 periods. Factors included two Sweet Bran products that differed in particle size (Sweet Bran-SP; GMD = 1.79mm or Sweet Bran-LP; GMD = 2.51 mm) and three dietary inclusion (13%, 18%, or 23% of diet dry matter). The Sweet Bran products replaced steam-flaked corn in finishing diets. Total tract organic matter digestibility increased linearly for Sweet Bran-SP (82.8, 84.7, 85.5% for 13, 18, and 23% Sweet Bran-SP, respectively; P = 0.01) and also increased linearly for neutral detergent fiber digestibility (57.3, 63.7, 68.9% for 13, 18, and 23% Sweet Bran-SP, respectively; P < 0.01).The diet digestible energy concentration (Mcal DE / kg diet DM) increased linearly for Sweet Bran-SP (3.73, 3.85, 3.90 Mcal DE/kg for 13, 18, and 23% Sweet Bran-SP, respectively; P < 0.01). Average rumen pH tended to increase quadratically (P = 0.10) with increasing concentrations of Sweet Bran-SP (pH = 5.53, 5.84, 5.85 for 13, 18, and 23% Sweet Bran-SP, respectively). Reducing the particle size of the bran in Sweet Bran negatively impacted diet digestibility, energy content, and rumen pH at dietary inclusions below 18%. RAMP (Cargill Branded Feeds; Blair, Nebraska), a complete starter ration blending Sweet Bran (Cargill Branded Feeds; Blair, Nebraska), alfalfa, and cotton seed hulls, can be used as an alternative to traditional step-up grain adaptation programs. Results demonstrated that cattle adapted with RAMP had greater ADG, greater feed efficiency, and averaged 7 kg greater hot carcass weight compared to traditional adaptation programs. Microbiome analysis indicated that cattle adapted with RAMP had consistent bacterial diversity opposed to those transitioned using conventional corn-based diets, suggesting RAMP promotes less variability in microbial adaptation to high-concentrate diets. Overall, RAMP indicates efficiency in reducing or eliminate the need for extended adaptation periods, supporting efficient and cost-effective feedlot operations.

Advisor: James C. MacDonald