| he objective of the first study was to determine the effect of mechanical processing on feedlot performance and digestive function in growing heifers and steers fed a corn silage-based diet. In Trial 1, 60 crossbred heifers were fed three corn silages: (1) processed with an in-line kernel processor at the time of harvest, (2) processed after the storage phase and prior to feeding; and (3) unprocessed. The silage was 90% of the diet (DM basis), and the feeding period was 80 days. Heifers fed the processed silages gained significantly faster and more efficiently than heifers fed the unprocessed silage. In Trial 2, 12 ruminally cannulated steers were fed the diets described above in a completely randomized design metabolism trial. Processing did not affect rumen pH, ruminal digesta weight and composition, or liquid dilution rate, but several components of the ruminal fermentation profile were affected... |
