DRIED APPLE POMACE WITH SILVACEL IN STEERS DIETS

Two experiments were conducted with beef steers to determine the potential of dried silvacel apple pomace (DSAP) as roughage sources in both maintenance and growing finishing diets.;There were no differences (P > .05) between the DSAP diets and the control in DMI, OMI, CPI and GEI. As the proportion of DSAP to alfalfa hay was increased, there was a linear decline in DMI (P < .01), CPI (P < .01), OMI (P < .05) and GEI (P < .05). Higher (P < .01) NDFI and ADFI were observed with DSAP diets compared to the control.;Digestibilities of DM, OM, GE (P < .01) and NDF (P < .05) were lower with DSAP than the control diet. Digestibilities declined as the proportion of DSAP:alfalfa hay increased. Intake of DE (P < .05) and TDN (P < .01) were lower with DSAP than control diets. Digestible energy and TDN intake declined linearly (P < .01) with the increasing DSAP:alfalfa hay.;The second experiment was an 112-day finishing trial with 24 yearling steer in a randomized complete block design. The diets were 50:50, 65:35 and 80:20 DSAP:alfalfa hay compared with a control 65:35 corn silage:alfalfa hay as 20% of total diet DM. Diets were balanced with a barley-based concentrate to provide an isonitrogenous (10.4% CP) and isocaloric (80% TDN) diet.;The first experiment was a replicated Latin square design with eight long yearling steers. The diets were a 50:50, 65:35 and 80:20 DSAP: alfalfa hay compared with a control 74:26 corn silage:alfalfa hay diet. These mixture were included as 50% of total diet DM. Diets were balanced with wheat straw, ground barley grain, soybean meal and urea to provide isonitrogenous (8.50% CP) and isocaloric (55% TDN) diet.;Steers fed DSAP diets consumed more (P < .01) NDF and ADF and equal amount of DM, OM, CP, Ca, P and GE to the control diet. Increasing the DSAP:alfalfa hay did not affect (P > .05) the intakes of these nutrients, except for a decrease (P .05) between DSAP and control diet in DMD, OMD, CPD, NDFD, ADFD and GED. Digestibility measures were not affected (P > .05) by the increasing DSAP:alfalfa hay except a linear decline (P < .05) in CPD. Average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency and carcass characteristics showed no differences (P > .05) between DSAP and control diets.;The Conclusions. (1) DSAP diets were well accepted by steers and (2) a ratio of DSAP:alfalfa hay of 50:50 in maintenance diets and up to 80:20 in growing finishing diets successfully replaced corn silage:alfalfa hay.