Cysteine from Feather Meal And Sulfur Amino Acid Requirements for Growing Steers

Authors

Mark Klemesrud, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

January 1997

Comments

Published in 1999 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. Published by Agricultural Research Division & University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension , Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Abstract

Ninety individually fed steers were used to determine how cysteine from feather meal could replace dietary methionine in meeting their requirements for sulfur amino acids. Treatment proteins included blood meal, blood meal plus incremental levels of feather meal or blood meal plus incremental levels of rumen-protected methionine. Addition of sulfur amino acids to blood meal from feather meal or rumen-protected methionine improved average daily gain (P < .05). Rumen-protected methionine elicited a greater gain response than feather meal (P < .05). Feather meal can provide some of the sulfur amino acids lacking in blood meal. However, additional methionine may further improve performance.