Using Calcium Oxide to Improve the Quality of Indigestible Feeds
Project Title
Further Exploration of Calcium Oxide to Improve the Quality of Indigestible Feeds
Researchers
Stephanie Terry (Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre) stephanie.terry@agr.gc.ca
Tim McAllister (Agriculture and AgriFood Canada), Lethbridge Research and Development Centre) Darryl Gibb, (Gowans Feed Consulting) Emma Stephens (Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre) Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein (Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre)
| Status | Project Code |
|---|---|
| In progress. Results expected in March, 2024 | FDE.01.21 |
Background
In previous work this team has observed that adding calcium oxide to low quality feed sources for example, straw, can result in increased digestibility of the product. In previous studies they found that animals fed calcium oxide treated low quality forages had similar ADG and feed efficiency as those fed higher quality feeds.
Objectives
- Assess the impact of including calcium oxide in backgrounding and finishing feedlot diets on weight gain, feed efficiency and feed digestibility.
- Evaluate the effect of calcium oxide on beef cattle indicators of health and stress
- Evaluate the economic benefit of replacing barley silage with barley straw and calcium oxide.
What they will do
This team wants to test top dressing feed with calcium oxide and evaluate the effects on animal health and performance. Researchers will individually feed 60 steers one of 4 different rations. They will feed either a barley silage ration, dry calcium oxide added to barley silage, untreated barley silage and straw, dry calcium oxide added to barley silage and straw. They will look at animal performance, stress, and economics of beef steers fed throughout a backgrounding and then finishing diet. They will record animal welfare indicators, carcass characteristics, and cost benefit analysis of substituting barley silage with straw mixed with calcium oxide.
Implications
This research will help determine if feeding calcium oxide to feedlot cattle is a viable solution to increase digestibility of low quality forages.