Impact of Feeding Syngenta Enogen(®) Feed Corn Compared to Control Corn in Different Diet Scenarios to Finishing Beef Cattle

SIMPLE SUMMARY: A pooled statistical analysis of seven experiments and 200 pen observations was performed to determine the impact of feeding Enogen(®) corn compared to conventional corn grain in beef cattle finishing diets. When the corn was compared as dry-rolled corn in diets with lower inclusion rates of distiller grains plus solubles (less than 20% of the diet), feeding Enogen(®) corn improved the efficiency of beef production. That response was a 4.8% improvement due to feeding Enogen(®) in a corn-based diet without distiller grains but was 1.8% in diets with 18 to 20% distiller grains. Feeding Enogen(®) corn improved the efficiency by 4.5% in diets with another common byproduct, Sweet Bran(®). Cattle performance was similar for Enogen(®) and conventional hybrids when processed and fed as high-moisture corn. Feeding Enogen(®) corn improves the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when fed as dry-rolled corn in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran(®) feeds. ABSTRACT: The objective of this pooled statistical analysis was to evaluate Syngenta Enogen(®) Feed Corn (EFC) versus conventional corn (CON) when fed as either dry-rolled corn (DRC) or high-moisture corn (HMC) for effects on finishing beef cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Corns were evaluated in diets with byproduct inclusion rates of 0, 15, 18, 20, and 30% distiller grains or 25 and 35% Sweet Bran(®) (a commercial corn gluten feed product). Seven trials (n = 1856) consisting of 200 pen means comparing 26 diet treatments were analyzed using regression in a pooled analysis. When EFC was processed as DRC, the gain efficiency (G:F) improved compared with CON, but the response to feeding EFC decreased from a 4.8% improvement to no improvement compared to CON as distiller grains increased from 0 to 30%, but was significantly improved due to feeding EFC in diets with 0 to 18% distiller grains. Feeding cattle EFC as DRC increased the average daily gain (ADG) and G:F by 4.5% compared with CON corn in diets containing Sweet Bran(®). No improvements in animal performance were observed when cattle were fed EFC compared to CON when processed as HMC in any situation. Feeding Enogen(®) corn improved the gain efficiency of finishing cattle compared with conventional corn when processed as dry-rolled corn and fed in diets with less than 20% distillers or diets that include Sweet Bran(®).