Effects of salt level on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and manure salinity of finishing beef steers
Flatt, W.R.; Stanton, T.L.; Schutz, D.; Davis, J.; Engle, T.E.
Professional Animal Scientist 19(3): 239-243
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 1525-318X DOI: 10.15232/s1080-7446(15)31411-x
Accession: 004137399
Two hundred ninety-six British and Charolais crossbred beef steers (average BW=305+or-20.4 kg) were fed for 163 d at the Eastern Colorado Research Centre in a randomized block design to evaluate effects of four dietary levels of salt (NaCl) on growth performance, cost of gain, morbidity/mortality, carcass characteristics and manure nutrient content. Calves were stratified by breed, randomized by BW, and assigned to one of four supplemental NaCl treatments (6 pens per treatment; containing of 11 to 13 head/pen): 0.0, 0.125, 0.25% or block salt. Average daily feed intake, ADG, feed efficiency, and feed cost of BW gain were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary salt level. Neither mortality nor morbidity was influenced by dietary salt level.