152 Effect of Continuous or Intermittent Feeding of Ergot Contaminated Grain in a Mash or Pelleted Form on the Performance of Backgrounding Beef Steers

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect feeding pelleted or mash ergot contaminated grain continuously intermittently on performance and blood parameters backgrounding steers. Sixty black angus steers (300 ± 29.4 kg) were used in a complete randomized (60% barley silage:40% concentrate DM basis) 84 d study. Steers randomly assigned 4 different treatments housed individually. Treatments included: 1) control ration (CON; no added ergot), 2) continuous (CEM; fed at 2 ppm), 3) intermittent (IEM; ppm first wk each 21 period diet for remaining wk), 4) pellet (IEP; during other wk). Calves weighed every days samples collected 0, 42, 84. No treatment effects (P>0.05) observed count. Steer DMI reduced all diets compared CON (P< 0.01, 7.45 vs. 8.05 kg/d). ADG 0.01). CEM had lower 0.980 0.735 shrunk final weight 366 350 than calves, but IEM different. Gain:Feed 0.07, 0.130 0.142) calves. Pelleting did not reduce impact alkaloids any measured parameters. Results suggest that an TMR (2 ppm) can significantly growth backgrounded feedlot effective method reducing toxicity.