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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #416300
Research Project: Optimizing Nutrient Management and Efficiency of Beef Cattle and Swine

Location: Nutrition, Growth and Physiology

Title: Effects of inclusion of urea and wet distillers grains with solubles in diets based on dry-rolled corn on heifer performance and carcass characteristics

Author
item BOYD, BRAD - University Of Nebraska
item Neville, Bryan
item HALES, KRISTIN - Texas Tech University
item FOOTE, ANDREW - Oklahoma State University
item Shackelford, Steven
item ERICKSON, GALEN - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Applied Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/6/2024
Publication Date: 4/1/2025
Citation: Boyd, B.M., Neville, B.W., Hales, K.E., Foote, A.P., Shackelford, S.D., Erickson, G.E. 2025. Effects of inclusion of urea and wet distillers grains with solubles in diets based on dry-rolled corn on heifer performance and carcass characteristics. Applied Animal Science. 41(2):85-92. https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2024-02612.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2024-02612

Interpretive Summary: Distillers grains are a good source of crude protein for feedlot cattle; however when included at lower rates, distillers grains may not supply enough protein for rumen microbes. Adding urea to the diet is one potential way to help meet the rumen microbe’s need for a nitrogen source. The current study evaluated the addition of urea to diets containing either 10 or 20% WDGS, and evaluated performance and carcass characteristics of beef heifers. Our data would suggest that the conservative approach would be to include some urea in a 10% WDGS diet although no performance benefit was observed in the current trial for added urea. When feeding diets with 20% WDGS inclusion, there appears to be no need for supplemental urea.

Technical Abstract: Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of urea and wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS) inclusion on heifer growth performance and carcass characteristics. Materials and Methods: Crossbred heifers (n = 96) were used to study the effects of 2 inclusion levels of both WDGS and urea in a finishing diet based on dry-rolled corn on performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers were individually fed using a Calan gate system with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors were inclusion of WDGS at either 10 or 20% of diet dry matter (DM) and dietary urea at a concentration of either 0.2 or 1.2% DM basis. Cattle were stratified by body weight (BW) and assigned randomly to treatment. Blood samples were collected at 3 time points during the feeding period and analyzed for plasma urea nitrogen content. The statistical model included urea and WDGS inclusions and their interactions as fixed effects. Results and Discussion: There were no interactions between WDGS and urea inclusion for any performance or carcass characteristics so only main effects are discussed. There were no differences for final BW, ADG, and G:F on a live or carcass adjusted basis for either urea or WDGS inclusion in the diet. Dry matter intake was less with increased urea inclusion; however, WDGS inclusion did not influence DMI. No differences were observed for any carcass characteristics because of urea or WDGS inclusion. Plasma urea nitrogen was greater for cattle as either urea or WDGS inclusion increased. Applications: These data would suggest that when feeding diets based on dry-rolled corn, adding urea beyond that of the 0.2% treatment is not necessary when at least 10% WDGS is included in the diet.