Dental wear and growth performance in steers fed sweetpotato cannery waste

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 214; no. 5; p. 681
• Main Authors: Rogers, G.M. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.), Poore, M.H, Ferko, B.L, Brown, T.T, Deaton, T.G, Bawden, J.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.1999
• Subjects: ADVERSE EFFECTS; ALIMENTACION DE LOS ANIMALES; ALIMENTATION DES ANIMAUX; Ammonia - analysis; Animal Feed - adverse effects; ANIMAL FEEDING; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; BATATA; Blood Urea Nitrogen; BOEUF; BOVIN; BUEY; BULLOCKS; CALCIO; CALCIUM; CANNERIES; CATION; CATIONES; CATIONS; CATTLE; Cattle - growth & development; Cattle Diseases - etiology; CONSERVERIA; CONSERVERIE; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; DECHET; DENT; DESECHOS; DIENTES; EFECTOS SECUNDARIOS; EFFET SECONDAIRE; EPITELIO; EPITHELIUM; Fatty Acids, Volatile - analysis; FLUIDE DU RUMEN; FLUIDO DEL RUMEN; GANADO BOVINO; GROWTH; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Nutritive Value; PATATE DOUCE; RUMEN; Rumen - chemistry; Rumen - pathology; RUMEN FLUID; SIDE EFFECTS; Solanaceae - adverse effects; SWEET POTATOES; TEETH; Tooth - pathology; Tooth Attrition - etiology; Tooth Attrition - veterinary; WASTES
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.1999.214.05.681

To determine whether feeding sweetpotato cannery waste (SPCW) to cattle had adverse effects on dental wear, growth performance, or ruminal tissues. Clinical trial. 36 Holstein steers. Steers were assigned to 1 of 3 groups. All steers received ryegrass hay ad libitum. In addition, steers in group 1 were fed 3.2 kg of corn and soybean meal/steer/d, steers in group 2 were fed 0.45 kg of soybean meal/steer/d and SPCW ad libitum, and steers in group 3 were fed a mixture of SPCW and broiler litter ad libitum. Samples of rumen fluid were collected on day 56. Steers were slaughtered on day 84, and samples of rumen were submitted for histologic examination. Teeth from control steers were removed, and calcium ion loss in response to etching with 2.28% lactic acid solutions buffered to pH of 3.75, 4.0, 4.25, 4.5, and 4.75 was determined. Average daily gain was lower for steers fed SPCW than for steers in the other 2 groups. Steers fed the SPCW-broiler litter mixture had only mild increases in tooth wear and tooth color scores, compared with control steers, whereas steers fed unbuffered SPCW had substantial increases in tooth wear and tooth color scores. Histologic abnormalities were detected in rumens from steers fed diets containing SPCW. Calcium ion loss decreased as pH of the etching solution increased. Results indicate that feeding cattle unbuffered SPCW can cause dental erosion, ruminal epithelial changes, and poor growth; however, SPCW buffered with broiler litter can be used as a cattle feed.