Use of a complete-feed diet (RAMP) to rapidly transition cattle to a finishing diet

Authors

C. J. Schneider, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Brandon L. Nuttelman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Dirk Burken, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Galen E. Erickson, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-2012

Citation

In Proceedings of the American Society of Animal Science Midwest Section, March 19-21, 2012. Des Moines, IA. J. Anim. Sci. 90 (suppl 2): pp 80.

Abstract

A study evaluated transitioning cattle from RAMP to a finishing diet with fewer intermediate step diets and days fed during transition. Yearling crossbred steers (n = 390; BW = 341 ± 14 kg) were blocked and stratified by BW, and assigned randomly within strata to 40 feedlot pens, with 9 or 10 steers per pen. Treatments were different grain adaptation programs (27 or 28 d) involving blends of RAMP and finishing diet. A control adaptation program involved decreasing RAMP and increasing a 62.5% corn finishing diet (62.5% high moisture corn (HMC), 25% sweet bran, 7.5% alfalfa hay (AH), and 5% dry supplement) in 5 steps (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 RAMP to finishing diet) fed for 4, 6, 6, 6, and 6 d, respectfully (CON62.5). Four remaining adaptation programs involved decreasing RAMP and increasing inclusion of a 40% corn finishing diet (40% HMC, 47.5% sweet bran, 7.5% AH, and 5% dry supplement). Two programs consisted of 5 steps (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 RAMP to finishing diet), fed for either 4, 6, 6, 6, and 6 d (CON40) or 10, 1, 1, 1 and 14 d (3–1d), The final 2 programs consisted of 4-steps (100:0, 67:32, 32:67 and 0:100 RAMP to finishing diet) fed for 10, 2, 2, 14 d (2–2d) or 3-steps (100:0, 50:50, and 0:100 RAMP to finishing diet) fed for 10, 4, and 14 d (1–4d). Following adaptation, a common finishing diet (40% HMC, 25% sweet bran, 22.5% modified distillers grains with solubles, 7.5% AH, and 5% dry supplement) was fed for the remainder of the feeding period. Adaptation program did not affect DMI (P > 0.2) during the adaptation period or over the entire feeding period. Daily gain and G:F were similar (P > 0.7) among treatments with G:F of 0.179, 0.182, 0.179, 0.182, 0.181 for CON62.5, CON40, 3–1d, 2–2d, and 1–4d, respectively. Carcass traits were not affected (P > 0.1) by adaptation method. Cattle started on RAMP can transition to a finishing ration containing 47.5% sweet bran in fewer days with fewer step diets than traditional grain adaptation programs without negatively affecting performance.