Effects of corn silage inclusion in the finishing diet on performance, carcass characteristics, and liver abscess prevalence of Holstein and beef × Holstein steers

Lay Summary Dairy-influenced cattle, such as beef × Holstein and Holstein steers, commonly experience a longer feeding period consuming a grain-based diet to achieve a desirable slaughter endpoint compared with traditional beef cattle. Additionally, dairy-influenced cattle have a greater prevalence of liver abscesses at slaughter compared with traditional beef cattle breeds. Liver abscesses are believed to develop from bouts of ruminal acidosis that compromise the gut epithelial tissue and gut permeability and allow for toxin producing bacteria to colonize in the liver. This study investigated the effects of feeding beef × Holstein and Holstein steers finishing diets containing either 20 or 40% corn silage, on a dry matter basis, on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, liver abscess prevalence, and breakeven economics. Supplying an additional 20% corn silage increased dietary physically effective neutral detergent fiber by 39% and reduced liver abscess prevalence by 64% without affecting gain, feed efficiency, carcass weight, or cost of gain. Beef × Holstein steers had 21% greater gain, 9% greater dry matter intake, 15% improved feed efficiency, 32% greater longissimus muscle area, 56% less liver abscess prevalence, and 15% cheaper cost of gain compared with Holstein steers.