Effect of Corn Silage or Ground Ear Corn Full Fed at Various Stages of Growth and Fattening upon Carcass Composition of Beef Cattle

Two 23 factorial experiments with two rations and three periods were conducted with growing-fattening steer calves. The rations consisted of a full feed of ground ear corn with limited corn silage or a full feed of corn silage and no additional grain. The periods were time constant in the first experiment and for a constant amount of gain in the second. A third experiment with the same rations and two time-constant periods was conducted with growing-fattening heifer calves. Results obtained were consistent in that cattle fed the ear corn ration gained significantly faster than those fed the silage ration, and these increased gains were similar whether the ground ear corn was fed in the first, middle or last part of the feeding period. Dressing percent was increased significantly when the ear corn ration was fed during the later periods. Some differences in carcass traits were noted; however, these were not significant and were not consistent in all experiments. Marbling scores were as high when ground ear corn was full fed early in the growing-fattening period as when fed prior to slaughter.