PERFORMANCE OF STEERS RECEIVING EQUAL AMOUNTS OF DIGESTIBLE ENERGY FROM RATIONS DIFFERING IN PROPORTIONS OF HAY AND BARLEY

Abstract

Four rations differing in the ratio of barley to hay were given to four groups of steers in amounts that supplied approximately equal digestible energy (DE) intakes at equal body weights. The rate of gain of the steers increased and the amounts of DE required per unit of gain decreased as the proportion of barley in the ration increased. It is suggested that differences in the nature of the products of digestion were mainly responsible for the differences in DE utilization.