Influence of grain type, tallow level, and tallow feeding system on feedlot cattle performance.

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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of grain type, tallow level, and tallow feeding system on finishing steer performance. Experiment 1 involved 256 yearling steers (359 kg) in a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Steers were assigned randomly to one of four tallow feeding systems: 1) 0% tallow fed throughout the experiment; 2) 4% tallow fed throughout the experiment; 3) 0% tallow fed d 1 through 33 and then 4% tallow fed until slaughter; and 4) 4% tallow fed d 1 through 33 and then 0% tallow fed until slaughter. Tallow treatments were applied to diets containing either dry-rolled corn (DRC) of high-moisture corn (HMC). No fat treatment x grain type interaction (P > .10) was observed. Steers fed 4% tallow throughout the experiment, only during d 1 through 33, or only during d 34 until slaughter were more (P < .10) efficient than steers fed 0% tallow. No differences in DMI or ADG were observed (P > .10). In Exp. 2, 120 large-framed steer calves (286 kg) were blocked by weight and allotted randomly within block to one of three treatments consisting of the addition fo 0, 2, or 4% tallow added d 1 and fed for 197 d. Feed efficiency of calves increased linearly (P < .05) with increasing tallow level. Daily gain was not different (P > .10), but DMI decreased linearly (P < .05) with increasing tallow level. This research indicates that tallow added during or after grain adaptation to DRC- or HMC-based diets fed to yearling steers will result in similar improvement in feed efficiency, and that including up to 4% tallow to diets fed to large-framed calves can significantly improve feed efficiency. Copyright © . .

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