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Sugar beets for growing and finishing feedlot cattle
Sugar beets produce excellent yields throughout the Northern Plains and are uniquely tolerant of saline soil conditions. Sugar beets contain more energy than corn silage (80% vs. 70% TDN) but are typically lower in DM (20% vs. 35%). A growing and finishing study was conducted to evaluate sugar beets at the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center in the fall and winter of 2013-14. One hundred forty three weaned crossbred steer calves were blocked by weight into four weight groups and allotted to one of three treatments with four replicates per treatment. Pen was the experimental unit in the randomized complete block design. Sugar beets (BEET), beet pulp (PULP) and corn silage (CSIL) were compared in 1.30 Mcal NEg/kg growing diets and 1.40 Mcal NEg/kg finishing diets. The corn based rations included BEETS at 25.8% (DM) of the growing ration and 9.4% of the finishing diet. Chopped straw was included at 5% in all rations. Sugar beets were stored whole in an outdoor pile. Beets were processed weekly by chipping with a flail head manure spreader. Pressed beet pulp was fed as wet shreds (American Crystal Sugar, Hillsboro, ND). Well eared corn silage was harvested from irrigated fields at the Carrington Center. The trial started on November 12 and terminated on May 5, 2014. After approximately December 1, ambient temperatures were below freezing and sugar beets were chipped and fed frozen. During the 63 d growing phase, DMI was greater (P < 0.01) for BEET (10.70 kg/d) and PULP (9.46 kg/d) diets than CSIL (9.05 kg/d) with improved ADG (P < 0.03) observed for BEET (1.99 kg/d) and PULP (2.00 kg/d) compared to CSIL (1.83 kg/d). Reduced G:F ( P< 0.04) was observed for BEET compared to PULP and CSIL. During the 112 d finishing period, DMI was greatest (P < 0.04) for CSIL (10.81 kg) compared to PULP (10.05 kg) and BEET (10.31 kg) with a tendency for improved ADG (P < 0.12) at 1.91 kg for CSIL vs.1.79 kg for PULP and 1.78 kg for BEET. Finishing G:F was not affected (P > 0.43) nor were any of the carcass traits (P > 0.33). Ensiling should be explored as an alternative storage method instead of chipping frozen beets.
Keywords: sugar beets, feed, beef