PSII-4 Effect of urea and distillers inclusion in dry rolled corn based diets on heifer performance and carcass characteristics

Abstract

Abstract Crossbred heifers (n = 96) were utilized to study the effects of increasing wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) and urea inclusion in a dry rolled corn (DRC) based finishing diet on performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers were individually fed using a calan gate system with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Orts were collected once a week and analyzed for dry matter (DM) content and used to correct DM intake (DMI). Factors included WDGS inclusion at either 10 or 20% of diet DM and urea inclusion at either 0 or 1.2% of diet DM. Cattle were stratified by body weight (BW) and assigned randomly to treatment. Blood samples were taken at 3 points during the feeding period and analyzed for blood urea nitrogen content. The model included urea and WDGS inclusions and their interactions as fixed effects. There were no interactions (P > 0.08) between WDGS and urea inclusion for any performance or carcass characteristics so only main effects are discussed. There was no difference for initial BW, final BW, ADG, and G:F on a live or carcass adjusted basis (P > 0.26) for either urea or distillers inclusion in the diet. Dry matter intake was reduced (P = 0.03) with increased urea inclusion; however, WDGS inclusion did not influence DMI (P = 0.29). No difference (P > 0.10) was detected for urea or WDGS inclusion for any carcass characteristics. Blood urea nitrogen was greater (P < 0.01) for cattle fed increasing levels of both urea and WDGS. Added distillers and urea in the diet had minimal impact on performance or carcass characteristic suggesting supplemental urea in a DRC-based finishing diets is of minimal benefit when feeding at least 10% WDGS.