Impact of using reduced-fat distillers grains in beef feedlot diets on carcass and meat quality

Abstract

Purebred Jersey steers (n=12) and Limousin X Jersey Crossbred steers (n=24) were blocked by breed. Nineteen purebred Jersey steers (initial BW 455 ± 49 kg) and 29 Jersey-Limousin crossbred steers were individually fed in Calan gates for 93 d. Four dietary treatments were evaluated in this experiment. A dry rolled corn-based diet served as the control treatment. Distillers grains treatments consisted of feeding reduced-fat distillers dried grains dietary inclusion at 20% with corn oil, to represent full fat distillers grains, reduced-fat distillers dried grains dietary inclusion at 20%, or reduced-fat distillers dried grains dietary inclusion at 47% of dietary DM. This study found the following results, Jersey X Limousin Crossbred steers had greater REA and HCW but no differences in the carcass or meat quality attributes evaluated. Feeding reduced-fat distillers grains in replacement of dry-rolled corn did not substantially affect the carcass or meat quality attributes evaluated.