Harvesting maturities of corn silage hybrids on the performance of finishing beef cattle

Abstract

The corn harvest point for silage production can influence nutritional composition, nutrient availability, and ensiling efficiency. Corn hybrids may have characteristics that differentiate them and modulate the quality of the silage produced. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate whether the interaction between maturity and type of hybrid influences intake, intake behavior, and performance of finishing beef cattle fed diets containing whole-plant corn silage. The treatments were defined by the combination of maturity and types of hybrids: 1) hybrid A harvested with 105 DAS; 2) hybrid A harvested with 114 DAS; 3) hybrid B harvested with 105 DAS; and 4) hybrid B harvested with 114 DAS. For harvesting, a self-propelled harvester with a grain processor was used. For 103 days, sixty male Nellore cattle (402 kg ± 29 kg, and 20 months old) were used and housed in individual pens. In silage samples, analyses of chemical composition, pH, fermentation products, microbial count, particle distribution, and grain processing were carried out. The dry matter intake (DMI) of the bulls was determined daily. Animal-related variables were measured at the beginning of the experimental period and every 30 days. Harvesting WPCS with 114 DAS resulted in a higher variation in daily dry matter intake (105 DAS = 7.3 vs. 114 DAS = 8.7%). The hybrid and maturity interaction showed a tendency to influence DMI and average weight gain in the animals. Hot carcass weight and carcass yield were similar between treatments. Harvesting with 114 DAS resulted in less fat deposition on the rump (105 DAS = 11.5 mm vs. 114 DAS = 9.7 mm). Animals that received silage harvested with 105 DAS showed a higher preference for particles between 8 and 4 mm. In conclusion, late harvesting of whole-plant corn silage increases the variation in finishing beef cattle intake. Corn silage harvested with 114 DAS reduces rump fat deposition and the selection of small roughage particles. The consumption and weight gain of the animals indicated that the effects of advancing corn plant maturity may depend on the type of hybrid.