Dried distillers grains with solubles with reduced corn silage levels in beef finishing diets.

Two finishing experiments were con- ducted to evaluate the use of 25% dried corn distill- ers grains with solubles (DDG) in beef cattle finishing diets by partially replacing a portion of the grain and soybean meal in the control diets. In Exp.1, crossbred heifers (n = 377; BW 378 ± 4.1 kg) were fed diets consisting of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with a control diet containing 0% DDG and 15% corn silage (CS), 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Compared with the control treatment, heifers fed DDG and 15% CS had a greater proportion of USDA yield grade 4 and 5 carcasses (P = 0.04; 5.68 vs. 14.12), and smaller LM area (P = 0.04; 86.09 vs. 82.48 cm 2 ). In Exp. 2, crossbred heifers (n = 582; BW = 377 ± 27.09 kg) were fed diets similar to Exp. 1 except dry-rolled corn (DRC) and SFC were compared as the basal grain sources. Treatments included DRC or SFC: with con- trol diets containing 0% DDG and 15% CS, 25% DDG and 15% CS, or 25% DDG and 5% CS. Feeding SFC decreased DMI (P 0.52). Results indicate that roughage levels can be reduced in feedlot diets containing 25% DDG with no adverse effects on BW gain, feed efficiency, or carcass quality.