Effects of source and level of dietary neutral detergent fiber on feed intake, ruminal fermentation, ruminal digestion in situ, and total tract digestion in beef cattle fed pelleted concentrates with or without supplemental roughage.

The effects of source and level of dietary NDF on intake, ruminal digestion in situ, ruminal fermentation, and total tract digestion were evaluated in Hereford steers using a replicated 5 x 5 Latin square design. Diets contained 62 to 64% TDN and included 1) 80% control concentrate (contained pelleted ground grains) and 20% timothy hay (traditional diet), 2) 80% control concentrate and 20% alfalfa cubes, 3) 90% control concentrate and 10% cubes, 4) a completely pelleted diet using corn cobs as the primary NDF source, and 5) 80% textured (rolled instead of ground grains) concentrate and 20% hay. Dry matter intake differed (P less than .05) between the traditional and cube diets due to limited acceptance of alfalfa cubes. Increased (P less than .05) ruminal osmolality, total VFA, and NH3 N and lower (P less than .01) ruminal pH in steers fed corn cob and cube diets relative to steers fed the traditional diet were due to preferential consumption of concentrate over supplemental roughage and the resultant rapid fermentation of concentrates. Potentially degradable DM in the traditional diet exceeded (P less than .06) all other diets, resulting in the increased (P less than .10) extent of DM disappearance despite a slower (P less than .05) rate of DM disappearance. Rate of NDF disappearance and all in situ starch disappearance parameters were similar between the traditional, corn cob, and cube diets. All ruminal digestion parameters involving NDF disappearance were similar between hay diets and between cube diets, whereas rate and extent of starch disappearance differed (P less than .05) between hay diets. Although formulation of diets with different sources of dietary NDF did not affect total tract digestion of nutrients, nutrient availability and ruminal fermentation were altered due to dietary differences in sources of dietary NDF and preferential selection of feedstuffs by steers.