Intake, Growth and Carcass Traits of Steers Offered Grass Silage and Concentrates Based on Contrasting Cereal Grain Types Supplemented with Field Beans, Peas or Maize By-Products

Simple Summary: In Europe, there is increasing interest in exploiting alternative indigenous energy and protein feedstuffs to increase self-sufficiency and sustainability. There is relatively little research information on oats or, field beans or peas as feed ingredients for beef cattle, particularly when used as supplements to grass silage. In terms of reducing nitrogen excretion and feed costs, it is also important to assess if protein supplements can be excluded from concentrate rations without compromising animal performance. This study found that the feeding value of rolled barley was similar to rolled oats and maize meal, and flaked beans and peas were similar to maize gluten feed and maize dried distillers grains when included in the supplementary concentrate to beef cattle offered grass silage. Excluding protein ingredients from a cereal-based concentrate did not affect animal performance and reduced nitrogen excretion. The study objective was to determine intake and performance of beef cattle individually offered perennial ryegrass-dominant grass silage ad libitum supplemented with 4 kg dry matter daily of, rolled barley or maize meal-based concentrate rations containing supplements of flaked field beans, flaked peas, maize dried distillers grains (MDD) or maize gluten feed (MGF) for 110 days (Experiment 1), rolled barley or rolled oats with or without supplements of flaked field beans or flaked peas for 146 days (Experiment 2), and to quantify the nitrogen balance of diets similar to those offered in Experiment 2 (Experiment 3). The protein supplements were formulated to have similar crude protein concentrations. Cereal type or protein source did not affect intake, growth, feed efficiency and carcass traits in Experiment 1 or 2. Inclusion of a legume protein supplement with barley or oats had no effect on intake or growth performance (Experiment 2), whereas their exclusion decreased nitrogen intake, plasma urea concentrations and urinary and total nitrogen excretion (Experiment 3). The feeding value of barley was similar to oats and maize meal, and flaked beans and peas were similar to MGF and MDD, as supplements to grass silage. Excluding protein ingredients from a cereal-based concentrate did not affect animal performance and reduced nitrogen excretion.

Automated summary

There is growing interest in Europe in exploiting alternative native energy and protein feedstuffs for self-sufficiency and sustainability. However, there is limited research on oats, field beans, or peas as feed ingredients for beef cattle, especially as supplements to grass silage. This study found that including flaked beans and peas as supplements to grass silage had similar feeding value to maize gluten feed and maize dried distillers grains. Excluding protein ingredients from cereal-based concentrate did not affect animal performance and reduced nitrogen excretion.