Effects of Increasing Supplementation Rates of Extruded Distillers’ Grains Cubes on Stocker Steer Production Grazing Native Range in Western Oklahoma

Lay Summary Growing stocker steers grazing native range pastures in two locations in western Oklahoma were supplemented with increasing rates of a cubed dried distillers grains supplement. Steer weight gains increased with increasing supplementation rate, but at a marginally decreasing rate which resulted in reduced efficiency of supplementation at higher supplementation rates. Calculated nitrogen excretion increased with the increasing supplementation rates which might prove beneficial to pastures through increased nitrogen uptake by plants. These data suggest that supplementing extruded dried distillers’ grains cubes to growing steers grazing native range is a viable option to intensify production by stocker operations. If forage quality and availability is adequate to support weight gains higher supplementation rates are likely not economically efficient, however if forage availability is limiting improved weight gains may be adequate for positive economic returns. Lastly, the weight gain response curves observed in relation to increased supplementation rates in this research will allow producers to make supplementation decisions based on market conditions.