Effect of mash or pelleted supplements containing crab meal on intake and weight gains of beef cattle

Abstract

Yearling beef steers showed a progressive decrease in rate of gain as crab meal replaced 33, 66 and 100% of supplemented soybean meal. The crab meal was highly resistant to degradation in sacco but was well digested in the whole tract of sheep. Rumen fluid from sheep fed crab meal was as effective for fiber digestion in vitro as that from sheep fed a similar diet without crab meal. It was concluded that the lower feed intake observed with cattle fed crab meal was not due to inhibition of fiber digestion. In a second experiment, there was no improvement in cattle performance when the crab meal was treated with the antioxidant ethoxyquin. Oxidation of crab meal that could lead to rancidity does not appear to be a problem, as adding ethoxyquin did not affect cattle performance. In a third experiment, pelleting a crab meal–alfalfa meal supplement increased intake from 1.22 kg d−1 to 1.64 kg d−1 (P < 0.01), and pelleting a crab meal–barley supplement increased intake from 1.55 kg d−1 to 1.80 kg d−1 (P < 0.05). In a fourth experiment, pelleting the crab meal supplement again largely overcame the depressing effects of crab meal on intake and weight gains. It was concluded that crab meal is a useful supplement for young cattle, provided they can be induced to consume it. Pelleting the crab meal supplement is one way of overcoming the lower intake and weight gains associated with feeding it as a mash. Key words: Crab meal, intake, digestibility, beef cattle, pelleting