Effects of Level of Dried Distillers Grain Supplementation on Native Pasture and Subsequent Effects on Wheat Pasture Gains

Crossbred steers (225 ± 16.8 kg) were stratified by BW, blocked by grazing group, and randomly assigned to treatment to determine the effects of level of dried distillers grain (DDG) supplementation on native pasture ADG, subsequent wheat pasture ADG, supplement efficiency, and economic return to supplement. One hundred twenty steers grazed dormant rangeland for 56 d and were supplemented 3 times/wk with the equivalent of 7 d of corn DDG at 0, 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75% of BW per day (DM basis). Average daily gain increased linearly (P < 0.001) with level of DDG. After grazing rangeland, supplementation ceased and 60 steers (1 grazing block) were moved to wheat pasture for 76 d. During wheat grazing, nonsupplemented steers compensated and final BW was not different between the nonsupplemented and 0.25% of BW groups. However, final BW tended (P = 0.08) to increase with level of DDG after wheat grazing. Supplement efficiency while grazing range was 0.427, 0.369, and 0.338 kg added ADG/kg supplement DM, respectively, for the 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75% of BW treatments. However, total system efficiency was reduced to 0.017, 0.218, and 0.171 kg added ADG/kg supplement DM, respectively, after grazing wheat pasture. Economic return was greatest for 0.75% of BW when steers were marketed after dormant range grazing. If marketing occurred after wheat grazing, returns were maximized by 0.50% of BW unless the delivered cost of DDG was low. If the delivered cost of DDG was $100/US ton, economic returns were maximized by 0.75% of BW supplementation after wheat grazing.