Range Cattle Station *
r/3,. RCS71-1 September 16, 1970
P C 7-1 BAGASSE PELLETS IN BEEF CATTLE FATTIING RATIONS!
H. L. Chapman, Jr.2/
Bagasse is the fibrous residue remaining after the sugarcane
stalk has been crushed and the juice pressed out. During 1970-71
over 700,000 tons of bagasse will probably be produced in South
Florida. Bagasse contains approximately 355 fiber. This material
has been shown to be a good source of roughage in beef cattle
rations2, but its bulky nature has limited its commercial use for
this purpose.
The purpose of this study was to compare pelleted bagasse to
cottonseed hulls as a source of roughage in completectle--
rations. HUME LIBRARY
Experimental Procedure JUL 1. 1972
Forty-eight two-year-old crossbred Brahman l.1tihoiSnk. of Florida
Charolais steers were divided into four equal groups of 12
animals each, on the basis of weight and grade, and the groups
randomly allotted to the experimental feed mixtures presented in
Table 1. The bagasse material was obtained by passing whole bagasse
through a series of rotary screens to remove the larger, harder
pieces of sugarcane barrel. The portion falling through the screens
was sugarcane pith plus the smaller pieces of the stalk barrel.
./Bagasse pellets were furnished by United States Sugar Corporation,
Clewiston, Florida.
JAnimal Nutritionist and Head, Range Cattle Station, Ona, Florida.
2/Kirk, 1. G., H. L. Chapman, Jr., F. M. Peacock, and G. K. Davis.
1969. Utilizing bagasse in cattle fattening rations. Fla. Agr.
Exp. Sta. Bul. 641R.'
This material was treated with steam at the pellet mill to soften
the fibers, mixed with six to seven percent of cane molasses
and made into a 3/8 inch pellet. The pellet contained 3.5% crude
protein, 37% crude fiber and weighed about 42 pounds per cubic foot.
Table 1. Ration Composition (lbs).
Feed Treatment number
ingredient 1 2 3 4
Dried citrus pulp 500 500 500 500
Corn hominy 245 170 245 170
17% dehydrated alfalfa 50 50 50 50
Millrun blackstrap 100 100 100 100
Cottonseed hulls 75 150 0 0
Bagasse pellets 0 0 75 150
Urea 20 20 20 20
DIKA 5 5 5
Mineral mix2 5 5- 5
Total 1000 1000 1000 1000
Furnished by Borden Chemical Co., Coronet, Fla.
?2Mineral mixture contained 12% phosphorus, 12% calcium, 251% salt,
1.0% iron, 0.13% copper, 0.03% cobalt and 200,000 U.S.P. units of
vitamin A per lb.
Complete fattening rations (Table 1) were used, containing
either cottonseed hulls or bagasse pellets as the roughage material.
The feeds were full-fed, once per day, for 91 days. Before the
beginning of the experiment the steers had been receiving pangola-
grass hay as their roughage and the hay was gradually replaced with
the cottonseed hulls or bagasse pellets.
The cattle were shrunk 14 hours before the initial and final
weights were taken, to minimize the effect of fill on live weights.
. I I
At the conclusion of the 91-day feeding period the cattle were
shipped to Lykes Brothers Packing Co., Plant City, for carcass
evaluation. /
Experimental Results
Average gain and carcass data for the experimental cattle are
presented in Table 2. The cattle receiving the lower level of
cottonseed hulls or bagasse pellets had an average daily gain per
steer of 2.97 and 2.85, respectively. The amount of feed eaten per
pound of gain was approximately the same for the two groups of
steers. The cattle receiving 7.5% bagasse had a slightly lower
carcass grade, slightly less kidney fat, fat over the rib-eye and
marbling, and had a higher dressing percent and estimated percent
yield, than the cattle receiving the 7.5% cottonseed hull ration.
The cattle receiving 7.5% bagasse were easier to keep on feed than
those eating the 7.55/ cottonseed hulls. There were no apparent
harmful effects of bagasse on the rumen, although the rumen contents
were darker for the steers eating the bagasse rations as compared
to those eating cottonseed hulls.
Cattle receiving the rations containing the 15fa level of cotton-
seed hulls or bagasse had a lower average daily gain and a lower feed
efficiency than those receiving the 7.5i/ levels of the two feeds. The
steers receiving the higher level of bagasse out performed the cattle
receiving the higher level of cottonseed hulls. Fifteen percent of
either material woa too high for optimum steer performance on
fattening rations. The 7.55 level was satisfactory, but experience
4Carcass measurements and evaluation were done by Dr. A. Z. Palmer
of the Meats Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville.
was needed to keep cattle on feed. It may be necessary to
provide a temporary supply of additional roughage to keep the cattle
from going off feed on lower levels of these roughages, but both
materials were satisfactory sources of roughage in these fattening
rations.
Table 2. Average gain, feed utilization and carcass data.
Treatment number
1 2 3 4
Initial wt., lb 827 825 825 825
Final wt., lb. 1097 1045 1084 1055
Total gain, lb. 270 220 259 230
Daily gain, lb. 2.97 2.27 285 2.53
Daily feed intake, lb. 25.72 26.26 24.94 24.12
Feed/lb. gain, lb. 8.66 11.57 8.75 9.97
Hot carcass wt., lb. 648 609 653 632
Dressing f 60.90 60.06 62.13 61.78
Federal grade G G- G- G-
Kidney fat, % 3.5 2.8 2.9 2.6
Fat over rib-eye, in. 0.22 0.16 0.13 0.17
Marbling S1- Sl- Tr+ S1-
Estimated yield 51.03 51.56 52.94 51.80
1 Hot carcass weight
ssing percent Final weight 3
RCS
9/16/70-100
.*
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