Value of Added Fat in High Moisture Beef Cattle Diets and in Dry Lamb Diets

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The feeding of .4 lb (192 g) feed grade fat per head daily, along with a high moisture diet (ensiled high moisture corn, corn silage) did not improve rate of gain or feed efficiency in three experiments involving a total of 256 finishing beef steers. Based on average intakes, there was an apparent depression of feed intake associated with feeding fat and little effect on feed efficiency. In a lamb digestibility experiment the addition of 3% feed grade fat in a dry diet resulted in depressed (P<.01) crude fiber digestibility. Treatment of the added fat with lecithin had no additional effect on crude fiber digestibility, but did result in depressed (P<.05) protein digestibility, as compared to either the control diet or the diet containing 3% added untreated feed grade fat. These results indicate no measurable benefit from the addition of feed grade fat to the ruminant diets utilized in this research. Copyright © 1976. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1976 by American Society of Animal Science