Roughage Source in Feedlot Diets

Story in Brief The influence of roughage source on digestion of :1 high grain diet was measured with 24 Hereford-Angus steers. The six roughages tested were cottonseed hulls, prairie hay, alfalfa hay, sorghum plant silage and two varieties of corn plant silage. The diet consisted of 82 percent whole shelled corn, 10 percent roughage and 8 percent supplement. Daily feed intake was restricted to 2 percent of body weight. Digestion of organic matter, starch, ADF and nitrogen were not significantly different for the diets containing the six roughages. Total diet organic matter and starch digestibilities tended to be higher for cottonseed hulls and prairie hay diets than the diets containing silage. The more completely digested roughages were not necessarily associated with the more digestible grain diets. Results indicate that cattle feeders may ignore forage digestibility and energy ,content in selection of roughages for whole corn finishing diets and be more concerned with roughage availability, palatability, ration handling characteristics and cost. Traditional roughages such as corn silage and alfalfa hay, which are often preferred by cattle feeders, appeared to have little advantage in this study.