Effects of replacing corn silage with alfalfa haylage in growing beef cattle diets on performance during the growing and finishing period.

Corn silage is the predominant mechanically harvested forage source for feedlot cattle production in the United States because of high yield. Alternatively, because of multiple cuttings per year and lower annual cost, the use of alfalfa or other forages, may increase opportunities for manure spreading, perennial soil cover, pollinator habitat, and greater carbon sequestration. The objective of this trial was to determine the feeding value of alfalfa haylage when replacing corn silage in growing cattle diets. One-hundred-sixty-five Angus crossbred steers [326 ± 51 kg of body weight (BW)] were blocked by initial BW and randomly assigned to one of 28 pens at the University of Minnesota feedlot. Pens were randomly assigned to dietary growing treatments. The control diet was comprised of (DM basis) 50% corn silage, 19.25% rolled corn grain, 19.25% high moisture corn, 7% dried distillers grains plus solubles, and 4.5% liquid supplement (corn silage control, CS Control). For alfalfa haylage (AH) diets, AH substituted corn silage at 33% (AH 33), 66% (AH 66), or 100% (AH 100). Growth performance measurements [dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed (G:F) ratio] were assessed for 42 to 70 d depending on BW block. Afterwards, steers were fed a common finishing diet until harvested. There was a linear increase in DMI (P < 0.01) with increasing AH inclusion. Replacing CS with AH linearly decreased (P ≤ 0.05) ADG and G:F. No differences (P ≥ 0.10) were observed in finishing performance or carcass traits. Results from this study demonstrated that greater substitution of corn silage with alfalfa haylage in growing diets resulted in greater intake but reduced rate of gain and gain:feed. Despite slower rate of gain, cattle fed alfalfa haylage at increasing proportions during the growing period were able to compensate in BW gains during the finishing period and reached harvest weight and backfat thickness at similar days on feed than those fed corn silage. Based on these results the energy value of corn silage and alfalfa haylage were 3.05 and 2.39 Mcal ME/kg of DM, respectively, when included at 50% of the diet DM. The potential for growing systems in beef cattle operations depends on the development of cost-effective alternatives for adding value to cattle after weaning. Alfalfa provides several ecosystem services to beef operations through greater opportunities for manure spreading, longer soil cover, pollinator habitat, and greater carbon sequestration compared to corn silage, which is the predominant mechanically harvested forage source for intensive cattle production in the United States. Increasing alfalfa haylage use in growing beef cattle diets requires understanding the effects of replacing corn silage with alfalfa haylage on ADG and feed cost of gain and carcass quality. The objective of this study was to compare the feeding value of alfalfa haylage vs. that of corn silage in growing diets while examining carry-over effects on the finishing period in terms of animal performance and carcass traits.

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