What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate if increasing dietary roughage equivalent affects rumen health and growth performance in feedlot steers.

Increasing dietary roughage equivalent from 7 to 12% during the final 28 days on feed does not impact growth performance but may improve ruminal health in feedlot steers

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Randomized trial evaluates dietary roughage effect on rumen health in feedlot steers, suggesting management benefits.

To investigate if increasing dietary roughage equivalent affects rumen health and growth performance in feedlot steers.
64 Charolais × Angus steers allocated to 2 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design.
Treatment groups: No diet change (7R) and increased roughage concentration (12R) for final 28 days of feeding.
Evaluated growth performance, efficiency, carcass traits, and rumen health parameters.
No significant differences in growth performance or carcass traits (P ≥ 0.19).
12R steers had 5% higher marbling scores (P = 0.04).
Increased daily rumination time observed in 12R on several days (P ≤ 0.05) but no change in liver abscess prevalence.

Francis et al. (2026) studied this question.

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