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Effects of Corn Dried Distiller's Grains plus Solubles Supplementation to Gestating Cows Fed Low-quality Forage on Cow Performance and Feeding Behavior
To investigate the effects of corn dried distiller’s grains plus solubles (DDGS) supplementation to cows fed corn stover and silage during late gestation, 27 multiparous beef cows (674 ± 17 kg) were divided randomly into 2 pens equipped with Insentec feeders. For 10 wk, both groups were fed the basal diet for ad libitum intake while one group was supplemented (SUP; n = 12) with DDGS at 0.3% of BW. Following parturition, all cows received the same diet for an additional 8 wk. During gestation, SUP cows consumed more forage (14.9 vs. 12.4 ± 0.61 kg; P= 0.01) and total ration than non-supplemented cows (CON). Time consuming forage did not differ, but SUP cows consumed forage faster than CON (67 vs. 81 ± 3.5 g/min; P ≤ 0.01). CON cows ate more meals than SUP cows (9.5 vs. 9.3 ± 0.6 meals/d; P = 0.06) from d 201-218 of gestation. SUP cows consumed larger meals than CON cows (1.84 vs. 1.36 ± 0.15 kg), and spent more time eating than CON cows (P = 0.002). SUP cows gained BW (1.27 kg/d; P < 0.001) and there was no change in BCS (P = 0.79). CON cows tended to lose BW (-0.23 kg/d; P = 0.06) and lost BCS (P < 0.001). Calves born to SUP cows tended to be heavier than calves born to CON cows (P = 0.06; 43.3 vs. 40.5 ± 0.9 kg). During lactation, intake increased linearly but treatments were not different (P < 0.01). SUP cows spent more time eating than CON cows (186.0 vs. 193.6, ± 10.9 min, P < 0.01) after d 25 of lactation. SUP cows ate faster than CON cows until d 18 of lactation and CON cows ate faster than SUP cows from d 32 to d 56 of lactation (P = 0.01). Meals increased with advancing lactation and CON cows averaged more meals than SUP cows (52.3 vs. 34.9 ± 4.6 meals/d; P ≤ 0.01). Conversely, meal size decreased as lactation advanced and SUP cows consumed larger meals than CON cows (0.6 vs. 0.9 ± 0.1 kg; P ≤ 0.05). Time spent per meal was affected by day (P ≤ 0.02). Finally, both groups gained (P < 0.01) BW with advancing lactation and CON cows appearing to realiment. DDGS supplementation influenced intake behavior during gestation and lactation as well as maintenance of maternal BW and BCS, and calf birth BW.
Keywords: feeding behavior, DDGS, beef cow