Beet fed as such or ensiled with maize and fresh potatoes in diets for finishing bulls.

The use of beet for beef production after ensiling together with maize was studied in two experiments involving 112 and 114 White-blue bulls. In the first experiment maize silage (I) was compared with mixed silage of maize and fodder beet (II) or sugar beet (III) (ratio: 2/1, DM-basis). In the second experiment maize silage (I) was compared with mixed silage of 0.67 maize and 0.33 sugar beet (II) or maize silage and fresh sugar beet (ratio: 2/1, DM basis) (III) or fresh sugar beet and potatoes afterwards at 4% of the live weight and maize silage (IV). From day 113 onwards, mixed silage was also fed to group III and sugar beet were replaced by raw potatoes in group IV. The basic diet was always supplemented with concentrate at 0.75% of the live weight. In experiment 1 live weight gain was slightly but not significantly higher for the mixed silages, although daily net energy intake per kg metabolic weight was higher. Feed efficiency was not significantly different among groups. Mixed silages yielded more fat in the carcass. In the second experiment initial growth rates were not significantly affected by the use of sugar beet or mixed silages. Afterwards, they were increased in comparison with maize silage. Also in this experiment, daily net energy intake was increased by sugar beet, or by potatoes. Energy efficiency did not differ among groups. This experiment did not show significant differences for the carcass composition. However, EUROP fatness score was higher for diets containing one third sugar beet. Most meat quality parameters were not affected by the diets. Only the lightness was different between III and IV.