Feed intake and digestion in cattle consuming diets containing broiler litte

Effects of substituting broiler litter for supplemental corn on feed intake and digestion were determined. Eight growing calves (176 kg) were used in two simultaneous 4 x 4 Latin squares. Dietary treatments were bermudagrass or bromegrass hay alone, supplemented with corn (0.75% BW), or corn (0.56% BW) and broiler litter (0.26% BW), or corn (0.38% BW) and broiler litter (0.52% BW). Six Holstein steer calves (189 kg) in a 6 x 6 Latin square consumed bromegrass hay alone or with 0.75% BW of corn, 0.75% BW corn plus 0.13% BW of peanut skins, 0.5% BW of corn plus 0.35% BW broiler litter, or 0.5% BW of corn plus 0.13% BW peanut skins mixed with 0.35% BW of broiler litter at feeding or before deep-stacking. Digestible organic matter intake declined when litter was substituted for corn. Mixed broiler litter-corn supplements decreased consumption of grass hay less than did all-corn supplements, that partially compensated for low digestibility of litter. Mixing litter with peanut skins improved feeding value of litter by increasing nitrogen retention during deep-stacking. Mature beef steers (529 kg) were used to determine effects of supplementing corn or corn:wheat mixture with or without broiler litter on intake and digestion. Supplement treatments were prairie hay and soybean meal alone or with 0.3% BW corn, 0.15% BW of corn plus 0.15% BW wheat, corn plus 0.3% BW of broiler litter or the corn-wheat mixture plus 0.3% BW broiler litter. Ruminal fluid ammonia nitrogen concentration early after feeding was increased by supplementation and was greater for litter diets supplemented with corn than mix of corn and wheat. Neither duodenal microbial nitrogen flow nor efficiency of microbial growth was affected by treatment. Nutritive value of deep-stacked and composted broiler litter for growing cattle was compared. Sixteen Holstein heifers (158 kg) consumed 0.5% BW bermudagrass hay, 1.0% BW corn, and bermudagrass hay, alfalfa hay or stacked or composted litters ad libitum. Live weight gain was highest for alfalfa, higher for bermudagrass than litter diets and tended to be higher for deep-stacked than composted litter. Nutritive value of composted litter for growing cattle may be lower than that of deep-stacked litter.