BARLEY VARIETIES FOR FINISHING STEERS .1. FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE, IN-VIVO DIET DIGESTION, AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS

Eighty Angus x Hereford steers (average initial weight 287 kg) were us ed in a 168-d finishing study to evaluate the effects of barley variet y on feedlot performance, diet digestion, and carcass characteristics. The four treatments compared in this completely randomized design (fo ur pens/treatment) were high-concentrate diets based on 1) corn, 2) Gu nhilde barley (GUN), 3) Harrington barley (HAR), or 4) Medallion barle y (MED). Steers consuming corn gained 10% faster (P <.01) than steers fed HAR, and HAR resulted in 8% faster (P <.01) gains than GUN or MED. Dry matter intake was greater(P <.01) for steers fed corn than for st eers fed GUN, HAR, or MED, and HAR-fed steers consumed more than MED-f ed steers. Efficiency (kilograms of gain/100 kg of feed) was higher (P <.05) for steers fed GUN, HAR, and MED than for corn-fed steers. Esti mated NE(m) and NE(g) of barley varieties ranged from 2.32 to 2.51 Mea l of NE(m)/kg and 1.61 and 1.77 Meal of NE(g)/kg. Carcass weight was g reater (P <.01) for steers fed corn rather than HAR and greater (P <.0 1) for HAR-fed steers than for those fed GUN Or MED. Quality grade was higher(P <.05) for HAR-fed steers than for steers fed corn, GUN, or M ED. Steers fed corn had the highest(P <.01) digestible starch intake, followed by steers fed HAR, GUN, and, finally, MED, the same approxima te ranking as for ADG. A diet based on Harrington barley resulted in g reater DMI, ADG, and carcass quality grade compared with diets based o n Gunhilde or Medallion barleys.