bstract
Winter feeding of weaned calves is becoming more common due
to increasing amounts and diversity of feeds.
However, mitigating winter weather stress is required for good animal
husbandry and profitable enterprises.
This study was conducted during the winters of 2001-2 and 2002-3 to
evaluate steer performance, economic returns, and nutrient retention in
manure. Steer calves born and raised at
the Carrington Research Extension
Center (n=107) were
randomly allotted to three bedding treatments for two consecutive years and fed
a high concentrate diet (62 MCal/lb NEg) from November until ready for market in the
spring. The bedding treatments were no
bedding, modest bedding, and generous bedding.
Feed intake (Table 1) was not affected by bedding treatment
(P<.05). However, weight gain
responded positively (P<.05) to bedding in two of the four 28-day winter
feeding periods. Steers without bedding
gained 2.82 lbs/d, modestly bedded steers gained 3.68 lbs, and generously
bedded steers gained 3.53 lbs/d. Feed
efficiency tended to improve overall for bedded steers (P=.09). Carcass quality traits (Table 2) were
positively affected by bedding (P<.05).
Marbling score, the indicator for USDA carcass quality grade, improved
with bedding as did the percent of carcasses grading choice. Twenty three percent of carcasses from
non-bedded steers graded USDA Choice vs. 45 percent for modest and 63 percent
for generously bedded steers. Economic
return increased for bedded steers with a gross return of $756.92, $818.68, and
$838.53, respectively, for no bedding, modest bedding, and generous bedding treatments. With increasing amounts of bedding, nutrient
losses were reduced in composted manure (Table 3). Nitrogen losses were reduced from 65 percent
for no bedding to 32 percent for modest bedding and 19 percent for generously
bedded steers (Figure 1). Potassium (K20)
losses were also reduced with increased bedding, especially at the generous
bedding level (Figure 2). More work is
underway to explore other bedding materials and management methods for limiting
nutrient losses.
