PSII-14 Effects of high protein DDGS in SFC or DRC-based diets on finishing performance of steers

The effect of high protein dried distillers grains plus solubles in steam flaked corn (SFC) or dry rolled corn (DRC)-based diets on finishing performance was evaluated. Crossbred steers (n = 360, 288 ± 0.54 kg) were blocked into 3 BW blocks and assigned randomly to one of 36 pens. The treatment design was a 2 × 3 factorial. One factor was SFC or DRC-based diets, and the other factor was a control with no DGS (CON), regularly produced DDGS (DDGS), or High Protein DDGS (HiPro) included at 30% in the diet (DM basis). Data were analyzed using MIXED procedure of SAS, with pen serving as the experimental unit. There was an interaction (P = 0.02) between distillers treatment and corn processing for G:F, as including DDGS in DRC diets increased G:F from 0.157 to 0.163, with no difference when using HiPro (P = 0.18; 0.161). In SFC-based diets, there was a tendency (P = 0.11) for DDGS and HiPro to reduce G:F from 0.175 in CON diets to 0.171 in both DDGS and HiPro. When including HiPro, G:F tended (P = 0.10) to decrease SFC-based diets, with no difference (P = 0.18) in DRC-based diets. Gain increased using either distillers source (P 0.01) compared to feeding CON, and tended (P = 0.10) to be greater for DDGS than HiPro. Dry matter intake was lower (P < 0.01) for cattle fed SFC-based diets than DRC-based diets, resulting in greater (P < 0.01) G:F. Carcass adjusted final body weights mimicked the response observed in ADG, as DDGS tended (P = 0.10) to have a greater final bodyweight than HiPro and both were heavier (P < 0.01) than CON. Including either DDGS or HiPro in DRC-based diets improved G:F, but including DDGS or HiPro in SFC-based diets had no impact on G:F.