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Effects of treating sorghum wet distillers grains plus solubles with calcium hydroxide in steam-flaked corn-based finishing diets on dry matter intake and ruminal fermentation characteristics
This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of treating sorghum wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) with calcium hydroxide in steam-flaked corn (SFC) diets on dry matter intake, and ruminal fermentation characteristics in growing beef steers. Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated beef steers (380 ± 5.4 kg of BW) were used in a 3 x 3 replicated latin square design. Dietary treatments consisted of corn WDGS, sorghum WDGS, or calcium hydroxide treated (2.67% DM basis) sorghum WDGS in SFC based finishing diets. All WDGS were included at 30% on a DM basis. Treated sorghum WDGS were allowed to sit for 7 days in sealed plastic containers prior to feeding. Animals were fed once daily at 0700 hours. Periods consisted of 17 days of diet adaptation and 4 days of subsequent collection. Fecal and duodenal samples were wet composited by animal within period. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS with animal as the experimental unit. Means were separated using LSMEANS with the PDIFF option. Dietary treatment did not affect body weight gain (P = 0.15), DMI (P = 0.80) or OMI (P = 0.79). Cattle receiving the corn WDGS treatment had a lower ruminal pH (P < 0.01) throughout the trial. No difference (P = 0.22) in average ruminal pH was observed between the sorghum WDGS and treated sorghum WDGS. Overall, sorghum WDGS had better rumen buffering capacity compared to corn WDGS, however differences in pH did not affect DMI or OMI.
Keywords:
calcium hydroxide, fermentation, sorghum wet distillers grains plus solubles