V. L. Anderson
Carrington Research Extension Center
North Dakota State University
Experimental Procedure
To provide preliminary information on intake and digestibilityof wheat midds in finishing
diets for yearling steers, a 2x2 factorial experiment was conducted using pelleted or non-pelleted
wheat midds fed at 20 or 50% of the grain component in the diet. In the 4x4 Latin Square
designed study, steers in each pen were exposed to each feed treatment. Four steers were
randomly alloted to each pen at the start of the trial.
Steers were fed each experimental ration for 9 days prior to a 5 day data collection period.
Intake was measured daily and fecal samples collected for digestibility comparisons. A known
quantity of each feed ingredient was offered once daily and orts (portion not eaten by the time of
the next feeding) removed, weighed, and discarded prior to subsequent feeding. Intake was
calculated as average intake per head per day and as a percent of body weight. The corn based
diets included 3 pounds of alfalfa hay, 1.56 pounds of protein/ionophore/mineral supplement and
the appropriate mixture of corn and wheat midds to appetite.
Fecal samples were collected from each steer daily and composited by ration treatment
(pen) for each of the four collection periods. Acid insoluble ash was used as an indigestible
internal marker to determine digestibility by comparing concentration in the feed vs concentration
in the feces.
Two additional pens of four head each were used to compare the four diets with and
without a liquid feed supplement. The liquid feed supplement was added to the diet as it was
mixed and bunk fed once daily. A commercial liquid feed product which contains 19% fat in
addition to molasses, whey and condensed distillers solubles was used. The same collection
schedule was used. The potential advantages of adding a liquid supplement are reduction of
fines, increased palatability, and added energy from the fat and molasses. The return over cost
will need to be determined in a commercial scale feedlot study.
Statistical analysis was conducted according to SAS (1987) GLM procedures with pen as
the experimental unit. Analysis was conducted for main effects of treatment and period and
interactions.
Results and Discussion
Intake in pounds per head per day, and as a percent of body weight, and digestibility are
reported in tables 1-3 for amount of midds in the diet (20 vs 50%), physical form, (pellets vs
meal) and supplement (liquid or no liquid). No interactions were observed so data was pooled for
evaluation of main effects. No differences were detected for any of the variables in the traits
measured. Digestibilities are higher than typically reported which may be a function of the using
acid insoluble ash as a marker.
Pelleted wheat midds at 0, 10, 20 and 30% of cracked corn based finishing diets in a
replicated 120 day trial with 820 pound steers caused a linear decrease (P<.05) in gains and feed
efficiency with increasing wheat midds in the diet (Brandt et al., 1986). The 50% level in this
study has not been evaluated in a commercial feedlot setting. As grain prices remain high,
higher levels of wheat midds may provide adaquate gains for profitable feeding. While this trial
gives us an idication that there is little apparent difference in the intake and digestibility of midds
due to form or amount, additonal studies are warranted to determine animal perfomance and cost
of gain using more animals and treatments.
Literature Cited
Brandt, R. T., R. W. Lee, and J. Carrica. 1986. Replacing corn with pelleted wheat midds in
finishing diets. Cattle Feeders' Day, Garden City Branch Station, Kansas State University, p21
NRC. 1984. Nutritional requirements of beef cattle. National Acadamy of Sciences, Washington, D. C.
SAS User's Guide. 1987. SAS Institute, Crary, NC
-----Treatment------ 20% Midds 50% Midds SE P value ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intake/hd/day, lb 30.88 29.71 .83 .39 Intake as % of body wt. 2.78 2.89 .09 .31 Digestibility, % 86.98 90.59 1.83 .11
-----Treatment---- Pellets Meal SE P value ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intake/hd/day, lb 30.30 30.28 .91 .99 Intake as % of body wt. 2.83 2.83 .10 .98 Digestibility, % 87.72 89.84 1.86 .25a
---Treatment---- Dry Liquid SE P value ---------------------------------------------------------------- Intake/hd.day, lb 31.58 32.42 1.53 .54 Intake as % of body wt. 2.92 3.08 .17 .18 Digestibility 91.87 89.64 2.11 .40
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