Use of animal fats in rations for beef cattle

Summary Choice yearling Hereford steers were fed pellets containing 5.53% edible beef tallow, 68.14% ground corn cobs, 14.73% soybean oil meal, 9.20% blackstrap molasses, 1.31% urea, and 1.08% feeding bonemeal. In addition to the pellets, the steers received ground ear corn, brome hay, vitamin A supplement, and trace minerals. The steers receiving this ration gained 300 pounds in a total feeding period of 150 days for an average daily gain of 2.0 pounds. Comparable steers on a standard ration consisting of ground shelled corn, soybean oil meal, brome hay, vitamin A supplement, and trace minerals gained 317 pounds with an average daily gain of 2.11 pounds. Another group of steers were fed corn oil pellets. These steers gained 261 pounds per head or an average daily gain of 1.74 pounds. No digestive disturbances were observed throughout the feeding period in Lot 2 fed the beef tallow pellets. There were no apparent differences in carcass quality when the animals were slaughtered. The beef tallow pellets were prepared to have approximately 75% as much energy as corn, assuming that one pound of fat contributed 2.25 times more energy than a pound of carbohydrates. In this feeding test the economy of gain was in favor of the group of steers fed the beef tallow pellets.