Corn Silage in Sustainable and Conventional Systems for Finishing Beef Cattle
نویسندگان
چکیده
19-33 ABSTRACT The objective of the research was to compare finishing beef steers on high corn (Zea mays L.) silage diets in which the corn was produced under conventional and sustainable systems. The conventional corn forage was produced on a given area for 5 yr, using conventional practices, alternating with 5 yr of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) The sustainable system corn forage was produced in a 4-yr rotation with small grain cover crops and legumes, in which corn was grown in a given area once every 4 yr. Input of pesticides was less for the sustainable system. Steers were fed sustainable and conventional corn silage supplemented with broiler litter and soybean (Glycine max L., Merr.) meal, respectively. Performance was lower (P<.05) for steers fed the sustainable silage supplemented with broiler litter. However, final bodyweights and carcass weights were higher (P<.05) for these cattle. Average carcass quality grades were similar for cattle fed the two diets. It appears that chemical inputs can be reduced without affecting profit in foragelivestock systems.
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