Animal Science, Department of
Date of this Version
2023
Citation
2023 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report
UNL Beef, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
A feelot study compared the effects of corn silage inclusion on steer performance and carcass characteristics withing dry-rolled corn diets and steam-flaked corn diets. Treatments included four corn silage inclusions as 0, 15, 30, 45% of dry matter in both steam-flaked corn and dry-rolled corn base diets. Feeding a steam-flaked based corn diet increased average daily gain by 7.8% and improved feed conversion by 6.8% when compared to steers fed a dry-rolled corn diet. As corn silage inclusion increased, feed conversion increased linearly. When fed to the same days on feed carcass adjusted final body weight, hot carcass weight, and average daily gain responded quadratically: steers fed 15% and 30% corn silage gained faster and were heavier than steers fed 0% or 45% corn silage. Feeding steam-flaked corn improved gain and feed conversion compared to dry-rolled corn. Regardless of corn processing method, including corn silage in the diet at 15 or 30% of dry matter maximized gain but as expected, feed conversion was lowest with no roughage.
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Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons, Meat Science Commons, Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Commons