Performance of bred heifers fed various supplements during gestation1

Professional Animal Scientist, Aug 2003 by Sanson, D W, Coombs, D F

Condition score of the heifers was not affected (P0.46) by the type of supplement. Supplemental feeding treatments did not affect (P>0.52) calf birth date, calf birth BW, or calf weaning BW (Table 4).

Others have observed that soybean hulls are equal to corn when used as a supplement. Horn et al. (1995) reported equal or better BW gains with steers grazing wheat supplemented with soybean hulls compared with corn depending on the year. Anderson et al. (1988) observed similar responses to soybean hulls and corn with steers grazing smooth brome grass. The decrease in BW gain by the heifers consuming rice bran agrees with differences in the TDN levels for rice bran and soybean hulls. There has been less work with rice bran, and a percentage of its energy comes from rice oil. The authors were unable to find any research that indicates the digestibility of the fiber fraction of the rice bran.

Implications

Increasing level of corn, while holding supplemental protein constant, to heifers in the last trimester of gestation consuming a medium-quailty hay did not increase BW gain or condition score of the heifers during the supplementation phase. These data suggest that increasing supplemental energy does not always improve performance of gestating heifers consuming a medium-quality forage. Data also support the literature that soybean hulls can be substituted for corn as a supplement without affecting performance. Satisfactory performance was observed with gestating heifers supplemented with rice bran, although it was lower than with gestating heifers supplemented with corn or rice bran.

1Article published with the approval of Louisiana Agric. Exp. Stat. as Journal Article No. 03-62-0885.

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