Comparison of canola meal versus soybean meal on growth performance and carcass quality of feedlot cattle

Canola meal (CM) or soybean meal (SBM) with or without wheat dried distillers’ grains with solubles (WDDGS) were evaluated in two trials. Trial 1 was a 95-day backgrounding program where 398 steers (288 kg) were fed a barley-based diet with either CM, SBM, CM + WDDGS, or SBM + WDDGS as protein supplements in a completely randomized design (CRD). Trial 2 had 300 steers (305 kg) fed barley-based diets in a 61-day backgrounding and 147-day finishing program evaluating same supplements in a completely randomized design. Final BW, ADG, and DMI did not differ ( p > 0.05) in Trial 1. In Trial 2, CM + WDDGS cattle had greater ( p = 0.01) backgrounding DMI than SBM cattle. Steers fed CM had the lowest finishing ( p = 0.03) and overall ( p = 0.05) ADG compared to steers fed SBM. WDDGS improved dressing percentage ( p = 0.05) but decreased number of Canada AAA carcasses ( p = 0.05). Cattle fed CM + WDDGS had the greatest ( p = 0.02) subcutaneous fat depth. WDDGS in the diet increased total PUFA concentration ( p = 0.01) and reduced trans-10: trans-11 ratio ( p = 0.02) but did not reduce the ratio to be biologically significant. The study suggests that CM, SBM, and WDDGS are effective protein supplements for beef cattle.