The effects of supplementing dried distillers grains to steers grazing cool-season meadow1

Two summer experiments were conducted with 28 (BW = 291 ± 22 kg; Exp. 1) and 48 (BW = 280 ± 22 kg; Exp. 2) steers to determine the effect of supplementing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) on growth when grazing subirrigated Sandhills meadow. Steers were stratified by BW and assigned randomly to a treatment. In Exp. 1, there were 2 treatments: nonsupplemented or 0.6% of BW (1.75 kg) DDGS supplementation daily. In Exp. 2, there were 3 treatments: 0, 0.6 (1.68 kg), or 1.2% of BW (3.36 kg) DDGS supplementation daily. In both experiments, steers were individually supplemented for the duration of the study (Exp. 1 = 92 d; Exp. 2 = 91 d). Both experiments were analyzed as completely randomized designs with individual steer as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1, ending BW (P = 0.52) and ADG (P = 0.16) were not different. In Exp. 2, ADG (P < 0.01) and ending BW (P = 0.02) increased linearly with increased level of DDGS supplementation. In Exp. 1, feedlot performance was not affected by previous supplementation (P > 0.06). However, in Exp. 2, supplementing DDGS to steers grazing subirrigated Sandhills meadow increased carcass weight (P = 0.02) with increasing level of DDGS supplementation. In Exp. 2, supplementing DDGS during summer grazing did not affect QG or YG. Results from Exp. 2 indicate that supplementing DDGS at levels greater than 0.6% of BW during summer meadow grazing increases ADG, with BW maintained through finishing.