Fish Meal or Cottonseed Meal as Supplemental Protein for Growing Holstein Steers

Abstract

Twenty-three Holstein steers of 195kg mean live weight were individually fed a complete mixed diet composed primarily of ground corn grain with either 140g cottonseed meal or 90g cottonseed meal plus 30g menhaden fish meal/kg diet as the source of supplemental protein. Thirteen steers were slaughtered at 454kg and 10 at 544kg live weight. Steers slaughtered at 544kg gained weight more slowly with consequent 18.2% increase in dry matter required per unit gain compared with steers slaughtered at 454kg live weight. Steers fed the fish meal diet gained 1.34 kg/d and consumed 7.36kg dry matter daily while steers fed the cottonseed meal diet gained 1.17 kg/d and consumed 7.40kg dry matter daily. Dry matter consumed per unit gain was 12.6% less for steers fed fish meal diet than for steers fed cottonseed meal diet.