Feeding a brown midrib corn silage-based diet to growing beef steers improves growth performance and economic returns

Remodeling of intestinal bacterial community and metabolome of Dezhou donkey induced by corn silage

Corn silage can usually improve the growth performance and the meat quality of ruminants, and subsequently increase the economic benefits of farming. However, little is known about the effects of corn silage on donkeys. This experiment investigated the effects of corn silage on the weight gain, gut microbiota and metabolites of Dezhou donkeys. A total of 24 Dezhou donkeys, sourced from the same farm and exhibiting similar age and average body weight, were utilized in this experiment. The donkeys were allocated into two groups: a control group receiving a basic diet and a test group receiving a basic diet supplemented with 30% corn silage. Each group comprised 12 donkeys, evenly distributed by sex (6 males and 6 females). The experiment lasted for 100 days. Results showed that dietary supplementation with corn silage significantly (P < 0.05) improved the weight gain of Dezhou donkeys at the end of the experiment. And the supplementation of corn silage in the diet significantly altered the bacterial community composition and metabolome in the feces of the donkeys. Notably, the relative abundance ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes was 0.76 in the control group compared to 0.96 in the test group. Furthermore, members of the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla were associated with differentiated metabolites enriched in the arachidonic acid metabolism and pentose and glucuronate interconversion pathways, both of which have been reported to be related to animal growth. Specifically, Bacteroidia exhibited statistically (P < 0.05) positive correlations with 15S-HpETE, while Bacilli demonstrated statistically (P < 0.05) negative correlations with D-Xylulose. The findings of this study can advance our mechanistic understanding of the remodeling of intestinal microbiota and metabolome induced by corn silage, as well as their relationships with the growth performance of Dezhou donkeys, which in turn favor the improvement in nutrition of Dezhou donkeys.

The effect of corn silage hybrid and inclusion on performance of finishing steers and silage hybrid effects on digestibility and performance of growing steers

Three experiments evaluated the effects of three corn silage hybrids, inclusion, and nutrient digestibility in growing and finishing diets. The three hybrids tested included a control (CON), a hybrid containing a brown midrib (bm3) trait (BM3), and an experimental bm3 hybrid with the soft endosperm trait (BM3-SOFT). Experiment 1 utilized 360 crossbred steers (body weight [BW] = 334; SD = 25 kg) to evaluate inclusion of silage in a finishing diet at (15% or 45% of diet dry matter [DM]) and silage hybrid (CON, BM3, or BM3-SOFT). Experiment 2 and 3 utilized 216 crossbred steers (BW = 324; SD = 10 kg) and six ruminally fistulated steers (BW = 274; SD = 27 kg), respectively, to evaluate effects of either CON, BM3, or BM3-SOFT silage hybrids on performance and nutrient digestibility in growing diets. In Exp. 1, there was a silage inclusion × hybrid interaction for average daily gain (ADG) and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F). All treatments with 15% silage had greater (P ≤ 0.04) ADG and G:F compared with 45% silage. Cattle fed BM3-SOFT had greater ADG and G:F than cattle fed CON or BM3 when silage was included at 15% of the diet. When silage was fed at 45% of the diet DM, ADG did not differ between cattle fed either bm3 hybrid. Cattle fed BM3 had the greatest G:F (P &lt; 0.01), with no difference between BM3-SOFT and CON. At 15% silage inclusion, hot carcass weight (HCW) was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for cattle fed BM3-SOFT compared with cattle fed CON and BM3 but did not differ between cattle fed BM3 and CON. At 45% silage inclusion, steers fed either bm3 hybrid did not differ in HCW but were both heavier (P &lt; 0.01) compared with cattle fed CON. In Exp. 2, ending BW, dry matter intake (DMI), and ADG were greater (P &lt; 0.01) for steers fed either bm3 hybrid compared to steers fed the CON, but not different between steers fed the bm3 hybrids. There were no differences (P = 0.26) in G:F between the silage hybrids. In Exp. 3, steers fed either bm3 had greater (P &lt; 0.01) neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility than steers fed the CON. Ruminal pH was lower (P &lt; 0.01), and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for steers fed bm3 hybrids compared to steers fed CON. Feeding silage with the bm3 trait improved fiber digestibility, which increased DMI and subsequent ADG in high-forage growing diets. Feeding corn silage with the bm3 trait improved performance compared to non-bm3 corn silage when included above typical roughage concentration.

Strategies to improve the efficiency of beef cattle production

Globally, there are approximately one billion beef cattle, and compared with poultry and swine, beef cattle have the poorest conversion efficiency of feed to meat. However, these metrics fail to consider that beef cattle produce high-quality protein from feeds that are unsuitable for other livestock species. Strategies to improve the efficiency of beef cattle are focusing on operational and breeding management, host genetics, functional efficiency of rumen and respiratory microbiomes, and the structure and composition of feed. These strategies must also consider the health and immunity of the herd as well as the need for beef cattle to thrive in a changing environment. Genotyping can identify hybrid vigor with positive consequences for animal health, productivity, and environmental adaptability. The role of microbiome–host interactions is key in efficient nutrient digestion and host health. Microbial markers and gene expression patterns within the rumen microbiome are being used to identify hosts that are efficient at fibre digestion. Plant breeding and processing are optimizing the feed value of both forages and concentrates. Strategies to improve the efficiency of cattle production are a prerequisite for the sustainable intensification needed to satisfy the future demand for beef.

Brown-midrib corn silage in finishing steer diet: effects on animal performance, in vivo digestibility and ruminal kinetics disappearance

Lower lignin content in brown-midrib corn silage (BMRCS) than in conventional corn silage results in greater digestibility and dry-matter intake. Despite this advantage, the use of BMRCS has not been widely evaluated in beef cattle. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of BMRCS chopped at 22-mm as the main component (79% DM basis) for finishing steer diet on digestion, animal performance and ruminal kinetics disappearance. In a first trial, 56 Angus and crossbred steers (339 ± 18 kg initial bodyweight) were divided into 14 pens that were randomly assigned to one of the following two treatments: BMR total mixed ration (BMRT) or conventional total mixed ration. Data were analysed under a completely randomised design using pen as the experimental unit (n = 7). In a second trial, BMRCS and conventional corn silage were incubated (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 72 and 120 h) in the rumen of three ruminally cannulated cows. Data were analysed under a completely randomised block (cow) design. The inclusion of BMRCS in 79% corn silage diet for finishing steers improved total diet neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility, but did not improve DM digestibility. While there was no significant improvement in animal performance, carcass yield was improved in BMRT. Future studies are needed to evaluate the improvement of carcass weight in steers fed BMRT.