@article{MAKHILLJAVA2004381095,
    title = {Influence of Dietary Forage Level on Digestive Function and Growth Performance in Cattle Fed Steam-flaked Corn-based Growing-finishing Diets},
    journal = {Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances},
    volume = {3},
    number = {8},
    pages = {506-512},
    year = {2004},
    issn = {1680-5593},
    doi = {javaa.2004.506.512},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1680-5593&doi=javaa.2004.506.512},
    author = {E. G. Alvarez,J. F. Calder?n,M. F. MontaZo,R. A. Ware and},
    keywords = {},
    abstract = {Four Holstein steers (189 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to evaluate the influence of forage level (5, 10, 15 and 20% sudangrass hay, DM basis) on characteristics of digestion of a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet. Increasing forage level decreased ruminal digestion of OM (linear effect; P < 0.05), and increased ruminal digestion of ADF (linear effect, P < 0.05), ruminal microbial efficiency (grams MN/ kg OM fermented, linear effect, P < 0.01), and ruminal N efficiency (non-ammonia N entering the small intestine/ N intake; quadratic effect, P < 0.10). Forage level did not affect (P > 0.10) ruminal starch digestion. Increasing forage level decreased postruminal digestion of OM (linear effect, P < 0.01), ADF (linear effect, P < 0.01), N (linear effect, P < 0.10), and starch (linear effect, P < 0.01). Increasing forage level decreased total tract digestion of OM (linear effect, P < 0.05), starch (linear effect, P < 0.05), N (linear effect, P < 0.05), DE (linear effect, P < 0.01), and ME (linear effect, P < 0.01). Forage level did not affect (P > 0.10) total tract ADF digestion. Increasing forage level increased (linear effect, P < 0.01) ruminal pH, but did not affect (P > 0.10) ruminal VFA molar proportions and estimated methane production. Ninety six medium-framed yearling crossbred steers were used to evaluate treatment effects on growth-performance. Increasing forage level increased ADG and DMI, being maximal (quadratic effect, P < 0.05) at the 15% forage level. Dietary NE decreased (linear effect, P < 0.05) with increasing forage level, although the ratio of observed versus expected dietary NE was not affected (P > 0.10). There were no treatment effects (P > 0.10) on dressing percentage and carcass characteristics.}
    }