Impact of Feeding Syngenta Enogen® Feed Corn Compared to Control Corn in Different Diet Scenarios to Finishing Beef Cattle.

Abstract

Simple SummaryA pooled statistical analysis of seven experiments and 200 pen observations was performed to determine the impact of feeding Enogen® corn compared to conventional corn grain in beef cattle finishing diets. When the corn was compared as dry-rolled corn in diets with lower inclusion rates of distiller grains plus solubles (less than 20% of the diet), feeding Enogen® corn improved the efficiency of beef production. That response was a 4.8% improvement due to feeding Enogen® in a corn-based diet without distiller grains but was 1.8% in diets with 18 to 20% distiller grains. Feeding Enogen® corn improved the efficiency by 4.5% in diets with another common byproduct, Sweet Bran®. Cattle performance was similar for Enogen® and conventional hybrids when processed and fed as high-moisture corn. Feeding Enogen® corn improves the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when fed as dry-rolled corn in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran® feeds.The objective of this pooled statistical analysis was to evaluate Syngenta Enogen® Feed Corn (EFC) versus conventional corn (CON) when fed as either dry-rolled corn (DRC) or high-moisture corn (HMC) for effects on finishing beef cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Corns were evaluated in diets with byproduct inclusion rates of 0, 15, 18, 20, and 30% distiller grains or 25 and 35% Sweet Bran® (a commercial corn gluten feed product). Seven trials (n = 1856) consisting of 200 pen means comparing 26 diet treatments were analyzed using regression in a pooled analysis. When EFC was processed as DRC, the gain efficiency (G:F) improved compared with CON, but the response to feeding EFC decreased from a 4.8% improvement to no improvement compared to CON as distiller grains increased from 0 to 30%, but was significantly improved due to feeding EFC in diets with 0 to 18% distiller grains. Feeding cattle EFC as DRC increased the average daily gain (ADG) and G:F by 4.5% compared with CON corn in diets containing Sweet Bran®. No improvements in animal performance were observed when cattle were fed EFC compared to CON when processed as HMC in any situation. Feeding Enogen® corn improved the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when processed as dry-rolled corn and fed in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran®.