Use of Dried Distillers Grains in Preconditioning Programs for Weaned Beef Calves and Subsequent Impact on Wheat Pasture, Feedlot, and Carcass Performance

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of feeding increasing levels of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) during preconditioning, weaned steer (n = 64) and heifer (n = 64) calves were stratified by BW and allotted to receiving pens for a randomized complete block design. Dietary treatments included DDGS at 0.30, 0.75, 1.20, or 1.65% of mean pen BW. Throughout 56 d, prairie hay (4.8% CP, 68.8% NDF) was fed ad libitum, and refusals were measured weekly. After 56 d, steer calves grazed wheat pasture before entering the feedlot; heifers were placed in the feedlot. Calves readily consumed DDGS at all levels fed. As DDGS level increased, ADG increased quadratically (P < 0.01), hay intake decreased linearly (P < 0.01) and G:F improved quadratically (P < 0.01). Wheat pasture ADG was greatest for steers fed the lowest DDGS level (P < 0.01) and decreased linearly across treatments (P < 0.01). For steers, hot carcass weight and marbling score increased numerically (linear, P = 0.13; linear, P = 0.12, respectively) with increasing DDGS during preconditioning. Other measured carcass characteristics were not influenced by DDGS level for steers or heifers (P > 0.20). Optimal G:F was estimated at 1.5 and 1.36% DDGS feeding for steers and heifers, respectively. At 1.65% of BW, visual symptoms of polioencephalomalacia were not observed. We suggest a maximum DDGS feeding rate of 1.25% of BW for growing calves consuming native tall grass prairie hay as long as maximum dietary sulfur concentrations are not exceeded.