AU2015202824B2 - Use of brown midrib corn silage in beef to replace corn - Google Patents

Abstract

This disclosure concerns finishing rations for increasing the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal, and methods of using the same. In some embodiments, a corn silage produced from a corn variety exhibiting reduced lignin content (e.g., BMR corn) is 5 used to replace conventional silage in a finishing ration. In some embodiments, corn silage produced from a corn variety exhibiting reduced lignin content (e.g., BMR corn) is used to replace grain corn in a finishing ration.

Description

2015202824 25 May 2015 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 Australia

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

Invention Title:

Use of brown midrib corn silage in beef to replace corn

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1001116864 1001649366 - 1A- 2015202824 30 Nov 2016

USE OF BROWN MIDRIB CORN SILAGE IN BEEF TO REPLACE CORN

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a divisional of Australian patent application 2011253171, 5 which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial

No. 61/334,381, filed May 13,2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to animal feed compositions, animal 10 feed supplements, and methods for increasing meet production from animals. Particular embodiments relate to methods for improving animal performance, for example, by increasing the feed efficiency of a finishing ration fed to animals being prepared for meat production.

BACKGROUND 15 Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction.

Lignins are universal components in plants that form cross-links with carbohydrates, such as hemicelluloses in the cell wall. Lignin polymers lower fiber 20 digestion in ruminants, and the degree of lignifications may be inversely proportional to forage crop digestibility. Chemey etal. (1991) Adv. Agron. 46:157-98. Plants containing a brown midrib mutation exhibit altered lignin composition and digestibility. In com, at least four independent brown midrib mutations have been identified. Kuc et al. (1968) Phytochemistry 7:1435-6. These mutations, termed “bml, bm2, bm3, and 25 bm4,” all exhibit decreased lignin content when compared to control com. bm3 mutations include insertions and deletions within the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT, EC 2.1.1.6) gene. Morrow et al. (1997) Mol. Breeding 3:351-7; Vignols et al. (1995) Plant Ce//7:407-16.

Agriculturally important uses of com (maize) include silage. Silage is 30 fermented, high-moisture fodder that can be fed to ruminants. It is fermented and stored in a process called ensilage or silaging, and is usually made from com or other grass crops, including sorghum or other cereals, using the entire green plant. Silage may be made, e.g, by placing cut green vegetation in a silo, by piling it in a large heap 2015202824 25 May 2015 -2- covered by plastic sheet, or by wrapping large bales in plastic film. The ensiled product retains a much larger proportion of its nutrients than if the crop had been dried and stored as hay or stover. Bulk silage is commonly fed to dairy cattle, while baled silage tends to be used for beef cattle, sheep, and horses. Since silage goes through a 5 fermentation process, energy is used by fermentative bacteria to produce volatile fatty acids, such as acetate, propionate, lactate, and butyrate, which preserve the forage. The result is that the silage is lower in energy than the original forage, since the fermentative bacteria use some of the carbohydrates to produce the volatile fatty acids.

Com silage is a popular forage for ruminant animals because it is high in 10 energy and digestibility and is easily adapted to mechanization from the stand-crop to time of feeding. Com silage generally is slightly brown to dark green in color, and has a light, pleasant smell. Feeding brown midrib (BMR) com silage to lactating dairy cows has been shown to increase dry matter intake (DMI) and milk yield. Grant et al. (1995) J. Dairy Sci. 78:1970-80; Oba and Allen (2000) J. Dairy Sci. 83:1333-41; Oba 15 and Allen (1999) J. Dairy Sci. 82:135-42. However, BMR com silage reduced average daily gain and feed efficiency (G:F) in beef cows, compared to com silage from a conventional com variety. Tjardes et al. (2000) J. Anim. Sci. 78:2957-65.

DISCLOSURE 20 Com co-products, mainly distillers grains and com gluten feed, are being used in feedlot diets in the Midwest. The production of meat requires large amounts of forage. To assure the availability of such forage, increasing amounts of arable land are being used for forage production, instead of producing food for humans. Furthermore, the total amount of arable land is limited, and continues to decrease due to the 25 increasing worldwide population. Successful methods for increasing the gain:feed ratio (G:F) of animals being fed a finishing ration in preparation for meat production will result in a desirable decrease in demand for arable land devoted to forage production.

Methods are disclosed for increasing the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal, 30 for example by increasing G:F for com silage. A beef finishing ration comprising com silage, wherein the com silage replaces the grain com in a conventional beef finishing ration is also disclosed. Also disclosed are meat and meat products produced from an 2015202824 25 May 2015 20 25 30 -3- animal fed a finishing ration according to the disclosure or according to a method the disclosure.

The foregoing and other features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments, which proceeds with reference 5 to the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 includes a table showing effects of feedlot diets containing BMR silage on animal performance and carcass characteristics according to an embodiment of the 10 invention. FIG. 2 includes a description of several feedlot diets according to particular embodiments of the invention. FIG. 3 includes an analysis of several diet samples according to an embodiment of the invention. 15 MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION I. Overview of several embodiments

Disclosed herein are methods for increasing the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal that take advantage of the surprising discoveries that silage from com varieties exhibiting reduced lignin content improves daily gain and feed efficiency when compared to conventional com silage in a finishing ration, and that com silage can effectively replace grain com in a beef finishing ration. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content, feeding the animal with the silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content, and producing meat or meat products from the animal. A decreased lignin content may be measured in comparison to com silage variety TMF2Q753, or another standard com silage variety. As such, com varieties exhibiting decreased lignin content are known in the art. In these and further embodiments, disclosed methods may be used in the feeding of any silage-fed animal, for example, cattle, sheep, swine, horses, goats, bison, yaks, water buffalo, and deer. In particular embodiments, the silage-fed animal may be a ruminant. 2015202824 25 May 2015 .4.

In some embodiments, silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content may be prepared by ensiling com plants with altered caffeic acid Omethyltransferase (COMT) activity, compared to wild-type com plants. Non-limiting examples of com plants with altered COMT activity include plants with a 5 brown midrib mutation, such as, brown midrib 1 (bml), brown midrib 2 (bm2), brown midrib 3 (bm3), and brown midrib 4 (bm4). One non-limiting example of a com plant with a bm3 mutation, wherein the com plant exhibits decreased lignin content, is F2F635. In these and further embodiments, the silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content may comprise at least about 15% of the dry 10 matter in the animal’s diet (for example, at least about 25%).

In some embodiments, methods provided for increasing the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal further comprise an act selected from the group consisting of: placing the silage in a container configured for shipping, and associating indicia with the silage, wherein the indicia is capable of directing an end-user on how to administer 15 the silage to the animal. Thus, kits comprising silage are provided, such that the kits allow an end-user to increase the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal.

Also disclosed are beef finishing rations, wherein the beef finishing ration comprises com silage, but the beef finishing ration does not comprise grain com.

Also disclosed are meat and meat products prepared from an animal that has 20 been fed silage according to the disclosure.

Abbreviations ADICP acid detergent insoluble cmde protein BMR brown midrib COMT caffeic acid O-methyltransferase DM dry matter DM % percent composition of the dry matter DMI dry matter intake G:F gain:feed ratio (inverse of F:G, or feed:gain ratio) HCW hot carcass weight KPH estimated percentage of kidney, heart, and pelvic fat LMA longissimus muscle area 1001649366 -5- 2015202824 30 Nov 2016 marbling score neutral detergent fiber energy needed for maintenance energy needed for body growth total digestible nutrient

MS

NDF NEm NEg

5 TDN III Terms

Com plant: As used herein, the term “com plant” refers to a plant of the species, Zea mays (maize).

As used herein, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as 10 "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. BMR com: As used herein, the term “BMR com” refers to com varieties that contain a brown midrib mutation. BMR com varieties typically exhibit a reddish brown pigmentation of the leaf midrib. BMR com is also typically characterized by lower 15 lignin content, higher fiber digestibility, and higher dry matter intake. Non-limiting examples of BMR com varieties include F2F297, F2F383, F2F488, F2F449, F2F566, F2F610, F2F622, F2F665, F2F633, F2F682, F2F721, F2F700, and F2F797.

Dry matter: As used herein, the term “dry matter” refers to any feedstuff, including forage. 20 Meat: As used herein, the term “meat” refers to animal tissue used, for example, as food. The term “meat” typically refers to skeletal muscle and associated fat, but may also refer to non-muscle organs, including lungs, livers, skin, brains, bone marrow, kidneys, testicles, intestines, etc.

Neutral detergent fiber: As used herein the term “neutral detergent fiber” (NDF) 25 refers to a measure of slowly digested material across a wide range of feeds. NDF levels in forage increase as the plant matures. Average levels of NDF in grass silage may be approximately 55 percent DM (550 g/kg DM). The content of NDF in a total ration may be between 35-50% DM. Diets with less than 32 percent NDF may cause problems with acidosis. Diets that contain over 50 percent NDF may be restricted in 30 their intake potential.

Silage: As used herein, the term “silage” refers to a certain type of storage forage. Generally, silage is made from plants (e.g., com plants) in a process called ensilage. During this process, plants or plant parts undergo anaerobic fermentation 2015202824 25 May 2015 -6- caused by indigenous microorganisms (e.g., one or more strains of lactic acid bacteria, for example, Lactobacillus spec.) converting sugars to acids and exhausting any oxygen present in the crop material, which depletion of oxygen preserves the forage in conjunction with bacteria-generated volatile fatty acids, such as acetate, propionate, 5 lactate, and butyrate. Silage is widely used for feeding milk and meat producing animals, such as dairy cattle and beef cattle.

The term “producing silage” describes the process of how to obtain silage suitable for feeding to a meat-producing animal. Generally, silage is produced from plants, for example, com plants, by chopping the harvested plant biomass with a forage 10 harvester.

Fiber source: As used herein, the term “fiber source” refers to a material obtained from a plant or microbial source, which material contains edible fibers. Practical, but not limiting examples of fiber sources include, the hulls of agricultural seed products such as from soy beans, or from grains such as rice, wheat, com, barley; 15 the stalks from such grains (straw); vegetable/plant-based soap stocks, com stover, which typically includes the stalks, husks and leaves from a harvested com plant; processed component fractions of agricultural products that are enriched in fiber, for example com gluten feed; leaf material from any plant source, and distillers dried grains with or without solubles dried thereon. Thus, in particular examples, a fiber 20 source may include, for example, mixtures of the following: alfalfa, barley products (e.g., straw), beet pulp, soy hulls, switch grass, com fiber, soy fiber, cocoa hulls, com cobs, com husks, com stove, wheat straw, wheat chaff, rice straw, flax hulls, soy meal, com meal, wheat germ, com germ, shrubs, and grasses. For the purpose of clarity in the present disclosure, distillers dried grains (with or without solubles) and distillers 25 grains (with or without solubles) contain fiber, but are not considered “fiber sources.” Distillers dried grains (with or without solubles) and distillers grains (with or without solubles) are considered “com co-products,” as set forth below.

Com co-product: As used herein the term “com co-product” refers to products that remain following the wet milling or dry milling of com. Non-limiting examples of 30 com co-products include com gluten, distillers grains, distillers grains plus solubles, distiller dried grains, distillers dried grains with solubles, condensed distillers solubles, bran cake, modified distillers grains, modified distillers grain plus solubles. 2015202824 25 May 2015 -7-

Supplement: As used herein, the term “supplement” refers to any ingredient included in a feed mix to enhance the nutritional value of the feed mix. Commonly used supplements include protein (e.g., soybean meal or urea), minerals (e.g, bone meal), energy (e.g., animal fat), and vitamins. 5 IV. Use of brown midrib corn silage in a beeffinishing ration A. Overview

Described herein is a general strategy for increasing the quantity of meat or meat product obtainable from a silage-fed animal, as well as beef finishing rations 10 suitable for feeding to a silage-fed animal. Particular examples exploit the unexpected finding that BMR com silage can effectively replace grain com in a beef finishing ration. Also, particular examples exploit the unexpected finding that use of BMR com silage (instead of conventional com silage) in a beef finishing ration improves, e.g., the daily gain and feed efficiency of the finishing ration. For example, a beef finishing 15 ration containing BMR com silage, may have a higher feed efficiency than comparable finishing rations that do not contain BMR com silage. The feed efficiency may be reported as G:F (gain:feed ratio), or similarly as F:G (feed:gain ratio, which is the inverse of G:F). In particular examples, the average daily gains observed for silage-fed animals fed a BMR com silage-containing finishing ration are approximately 20 equivalent to the average daily gains observed for silage-fed animals fed a comparable finishing ration that includes grain com as an energy source. B. Brown midrib com

Brown midrib com plants are characterized by a brown pigmentation in the leaf 25 midrib at the V4 to V6 stage and a light brown coloration of the pith after tasselling. Brown midrib hybrid com contains a gene mutation that causes lower lignin content in com plant tissue, for example, a bm2 mutation, or a bm3 mutation. The brown midrib3 gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 4, and the bm3 allele is recessive. The brown midrib2 gene is located on the long arm of chromosome 1, and the bm2 allele is 30 also recessive.

Lignin polymers limit the digestibility of the fiber in the com plant. The reduced lignin in brown midrib com results in silage with fiber that is more digestible 2015202824 25 May 2015 -8- than normal com. Animal feeding trials have shown about 10 percent greater intake and increased milk production with brown midrib com silage (BMR silage), as compared to normal silage. However, BMR com silage is thought to lead to reduced average daily gain and feed efficiency (G:F), compared to normal com silage. Tjardes 5 et al. (2000) J. Anim. Sci. 78:2957-65. Additionally, many Brown midrib hybrid com hybrid lines (BMR com) frequently have been found to be low yielding. BMR com has also typically been associated with forage lodging and lack of standability. C. Production of silage 10 Ensilage compresses chopped silage. The cells of the com plant are still alive and metabolically active, and ongoing metabolism by plant cells and microorganisms in the compressed silage forms carbon dioxide and heat by using air trapped in the ensiled plant material. Anaerobic metabolic conditions develop as the level of carbon dioxide in the silage increases. Desirable bacteria begin the fermentation process when 15 plant respiration stops. If too much air is present, or if carbon dioxide escapes, an anaerobic condition may fail to develop. In this case, respiration may continue, and the respiring plant cells may use too much sugar and carbohydrates. This may waste nutrients needed by desirable bacteria to preserve the plant material as silage, and may yield an inferior silage. To avoid this undesirable effect, packing and covering of the 20 silage immediately after filling may be important.

Once respiration by the plant cells ceases, acetic and lactic acids are produced by bacteria that feed on the available starches and simple sugars in the ensiled com. To promote growth of desirable bacteria, the silage may contain a low amount of air, temperatures between 80° and 100° F, and starches and sugars for food. Fermentation 25 may continue until the acidity of the silage is high enough to stop bacterial growth. In some examples, the desired degree of acidity is a pH of about 4.2. This degree of acidity may occur within 3 weeks after the silo is filled.

Seepage may occur if moisture in the forage is excessively high. Seepage involves the drainage of leachate (excess moisture from silage and pulp) out of the 30 silage, which generally enters the environment as a serious pollutant. Through seepage, desirable components (e.g., nitrogenous compounds, such as protein; and minerals) of the silage may be lost. Seepage generally reaches its peak on about the 2015202824 25 May 2015 -9- fourth day after ensiling. Therefore to avoid, for example, the loss of desirable silage components from the silage, moisture content of forage going into the silo may be chosen to be sufficiently low to reduce or prevent seepage loss. However, silage that is too dry may not pack adequately, and may also exhibit a high loss of desirable 5 components from the silage as a consequence of excessive fermentation and molding.

Plants may be ensiled at a dry matter content of about 30-40% to enable an optimal fermentation process, and to minimize losses during fermentation. To reach a dry matter content of about 30-40%, it may be desirable to let the plant material dry down in a field after mowing and before chopping with, for example, a forage 10 harvester. When preparing com silage, the grain may be harvested together with the rest of the plant. To increase the availability of nutrients in the silage for uptake in the intestinal tract of a silage-fed animal, it may be desirable to crush the grain during the chopping process.

Harvested plant material may be transferred into a silo. Non-limiting examples 15 of silos that may be useful for silage preparation include: a bunker silo, a silage heap, a concrete stave silo, or a tower silo. The plant material is compacted in the silo to remove air from the plant material, and enable anaerobic fermentation. It may be desirable to seal the silo with a plastic silage film, depending on the type of silo used. Use of a plastic cover on a trench silo, a bunker silo, or a large-diameter tower silo, 20 may materially cut feed losses. Typically, the cover is applied immediately after the last load of plant material is packed in the silo, and the plastic covers are weighted to hold them firmly on the surface of the silage. Alternatively, the plant material may be prepared for fermentation during ensiling by baling the plant material, and wrapping the bales in silage film for sealing. On trench or bunker silos, it may be desirable to 25 mound or crown the forage. This may facilitate drainage of rain water off the silo.

Additives may optionally be added to the plant material to improve fermentation. Examples of plant material additives that may be desirable in particular applications include microbial additives, such as Lactobacillus spp. and other inoculants; acids such as propionic acid, acetic acid or formic acid; or sugars. As will 30 be readily understood by those of skill in the art, other methods for producing silage other than those specifically recited herein may also be used. 2015202824 25 May 2015 -10-

One advantage of silage production is that the process may have no influence on the composition, the amount, or availability of nutritive substances contained within the plant material used for producing the silage. On the contrary, purposes of the process itself are generally to both keep the quality of the plant material as it was prior 5 to using such material for producing silage, and to preserve the positive properties of the plant material for an extended period of time. In this way, the plant material can be used as forage long after the plant material has been harvested.

Com may be harvested for silage after the ear is well-dented, but before the leaves dry to the point that they turn brown. At this stage of growth, the ear may have 10 accumulated most of its potential feeding value, but there may also have been little loss from the leaves and stalks. Thus, the quantity and quality of com silage may be at its peak when the plant material is harvested during this stage. Ears usually will be well-dented when the ears are between 32- 35% moisture. As time elapses after the ear has become well-dented, the feeding value of the plant material may decrease while 15 field losses may increase. Com harvested for silage at the milk stage (grain head releases a white liquid when opened) or dough stage (grain head begins to turn a doughy consistency) may yield less feed nutrients per acre than if it was harvested later. Plant material from com may also ferment improperly in a silo if it is harvested too soon. 20 Maturity usually refers to the time when the ear has accumulated nearly all of its dry matter production potential. Temperatures during growth may influence the maturity rate of the grain, particularly during the autumn. For example, the ear’s full dry matter potential may not be achieved if there are excessively cool temperatures and/or cloudy weather. Com silage that is cut late and has brown and dead leaves and 25 stalks may make adequate silage, but total production per acre may be sharply reduced. Significant field losses have been found when silage is made late into the fall or early winter. Also, a reduction in the amount of dry matter stored in the silo may be found with respect to silage that is cut late.

Com that has been damaged, for example, by drought, high temperatures, 30 blight, frost, or hail, may be salvaged for silage. However, the quality of such salvaged silage may not be as high as silage produced from undamaged com that has reached the dent stage. The feeding value of the silage may depend upon both the state of the 2015202824 25 May 2015 -11 - corn’s development, and how the com is handled after it has been damaged. Common observations of silage from immature com include: higher moisture; fermentation in a different manner than mature com; sour odor; and increased laxative effect. Com that has experience from frost typically has a low carotene content. It will dry out quickly 5 and lose leaves. Thus, it may be desirable to add water to com that has frosted and become too dry. It may also be desirable to add water to drought com.

It may be desirable for immature com that has been damaged by extremely high temperatures to not be ensiled immediately. Immature, heat-damaged com may never produce ears, but some additional stalk growth may result from delaying harvest. 10 Additional stalk growth will result in additional feed. If com is harvested for silage too soon after the plants have been extensively damaged by heat, the stalk may have too much moisture to produce a high-quality silage. Com harvested too soon after extensive heat damage that has too much moisture may also lose nutrients through seepage. 15 Silage may also be produced from com that has been damaged by leaf diseases such as the Southern Com Leaf Blight. The Blight organism does not survive the ensiling process, and is further not believed to be toxic to silage-fed animals. However, in severe and unlikely cases, a secondary mold infection on damaged areas of the plant may produce a harmful toxin. 20 Possible problems with silage made from salvaged com include its lack of energy content due to reduced grain formation, and improper fermentation resulting from excessive dryness of the damaged plant. As is known by those of skill in the art, these problems may be corrected, at least in part, by supplementation with an additional energy source, and addition of moisture, respectively. 25 Com silage may be cut into particles that are 1/2” to 3/4” in length. Particles of this size may pack more firmly, and may additionally be more palatable to silage-fed animals. Very finely cut silage that is shorter than 1/2” in length may be made with a recutter. Use of very finely cut silage increases the amount of dry matter that can be stored, e.g., in a silo. However, very finely cut silage may be less palatable to an 30 animal that is to be fed the silage.

If silage is too dry, it may be desirable to add water, for example, to establish airtight conditions. Generally, four gallons (15.14 liters) of water may be added per ton 2015202824 25 May 2015 -12- (0.90 tonnes) of silage for each 1 percent desired rise in moisture content. It is understood that more or less water may be required, and measurements may be taken during the ensiling process to ensure that enough, but not too much, water is added.

The water may be added as the silo is being filled. If the water is added after the silo is 5 filled, it may seep down the silo walls, and therefore not permeate the silage mass.

This seepage may cause leaching of silage nutrients, and may break the air seal and lead to improper fermentation.

Frozen silage may present a problem, particularly with respect to trench silos or bunker silos. While freezing does not impair the preservation of undisturbed silage, 10 frozen silage may cause digestive disturbances when eaten by a silage-fed animal.

Thus, it may be desirable to thaw silage before feeding it to an animal.

High-quality silage may be made without the addition of any additives or preservatives. However, additives may be added to silage to increase one or more characteristics of the silage. For example, molasses and grain may be added to com 15 forage at the time of ensiling.

With large-capacity silos and high-speed filling methods, distribution and packing of silage in silos should be monitored. Improper distribution and packing may cause excessive seepage, poor fermentation, and/or losses in storage capacity. Half the capacity of a cylindrical silo is in the silo’s outermost edge. For example, for a 20 cylindrical silo that is 14’ in diameter, half its capacity is in the outermost 2’ of its diameter. If material in this outside area is packed too loosely, the capacity of the silo may be significantly reduced. Thus, tower silos may be equipped with a distributor that facilitates proper silage distribution and packing. A loss of nutrients occurs in all silage during the ensiling process, due to the 25 presence of living microorganisms that carry out the fermentation process. The amount of nutritional value lost during the ensiling process depends upon, inter alia, the exclusion air during filling, and the prevention of carbon dioxide loss. Carbon dioxide is necessary to arrest respiration of the ensiled plant cells; and to prevent seepage loss, undesirable fermentation, and/or spoilage due to exposure of the plant material surface. 30 Therefore, good ensiling practices generally lead to higher quality silage with a maximal nutrient content. 2015202824 25 May 2015 -13- D. BMR silage in finishing ration BMR com silage may be chopped into longer particles than normal com silage, whether it is processed or not. NDF digestibility of BMR silage may be approximately 10 percentage points higher than with normal silage. The composition of freshly made 5 silage is not necessarily reflective of the composition of feed that the silage-fed animal will eat. Therefore, fermented samples may be analyzed after a period of time in the silo. For example, samples may be analyzed after at least two weeks, or at least two months, in the silo.

Once BMR silage has been prepared, and the BMR silage has been determined 10 to be ready to be fed to an animal, the BMR silage may be included in a finishing ration to be fed to an animal that will be used for meat, or meat product, production. In some examples, the finishing ration comprising BMR silage may not comprise grain com, for example, dry rolled com, or ground com. Typical finishing rations comprise at least about 11% protein, about 60 MCal of Net Energy, about 0.5% Calcium, about 15 0.35% Phosphorous, and about 0.6% Potassium. In some examples, it is an advantage that a finishing ration exhibits a higher feed efficiency (G:F). In particular examples, a finishing ration that does not comprise grain com may result in average daily gains in an animal fed the finishing ration that are comparable to the average daily gain that would result from a normal finishing rations that uses grain com as an energy source. 20 In some examples, a finishing ration is produced using silage from com having a reduced lignin content, wherein the finishing ration comprises between about 15% and about 30% com silage. Thus, a finishing ration may comprise, for example, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, or 33% com silage. In particular examples, a finishing ration is 25 produced using BMR com silage. In some examples, a finishing ration comprising at least one fiber source is produced. Thus, a finishing ration may comprise, for example, one, two, three, four, or more than four fiber sources. In some examples, a finishing ration comprising at least one com co-product is produced. Thus, a finishing ration may comprise, for example, one, two, three, four, or more than four com co-products. 30 In some examples, a finishing ration comprising less than 60% dry matter is produced. In further examples, a finishing ration comprises less than 55% dry matter. In some specific examples, a finishing ration comprises less than 50% dry matter. Thus, a 2015202824 25 May 2015 -14- fmishing ration may comprise, for example, 59%, 58%, 57%, 56%, 55%, 54%, 53%, 52%, 51%, 50%, 49%, 48%, 47%, 46%, 45%, 44%, 43%, 42%, 41%, or 40% dry matter. In some examples, a finishing ration comprises silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content (e.g., BMR com silage) in amounts 5 greater than about 15% of the dry matter in the animal’s diet. In some specific examples, a finishing ration comprises silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content in amounts greater than about 25% of the dry matter in the animal’s diet. Thus, a finishing ration may comprise, for example, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, or 10 30% com silage produced from a com plant variety exhibiting a decreased lignin content (DM %). EXAMPLES Example 1 15 Materials and Methods

The effects of feeding control and BMR com silages at 15 or 25% of a feedlot diet were evaluated. Both com varieties were harvested when they reached approximately 30% DM and were stored in bunker silos. The com silage was chopped to a theoretical one-half inch (1.27 cm) cut and both were run through a kernel 20 processor. The bunkers were covered with plastic and weighted with tires. The silages were then allowed to ferment approximately 60 days before the trial began.

Three hundred eighty-three head of Simmental X Angus steers were delivered from three ranches from Montana and one from Virginia. Steers were vaccinated for Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Vims, IBR, BVD, PI3, and Pasteurella prior to shipping. 25 Steers were implanted successively with Component TE-IS (80 mg trenbolone acetate, 16 mg estradiol, 29 mg tylosin tartate; VetLife, Overland Park, KS) and Component® TE-S (120 mg trenbolone acetate, 24 mg estradiol, 29 mg tylosin tartate; VetLife, Overland Park, KS). Steers were randomly allotted to pens and stratified by weight. Two diets with differing energy sources were compared (Table 2). Diets 2 and 6 30 contained the control com silage variety, TMF2Q753, at 15 and 25% of the diet DM, respectively. Diets 4 and 7 contained a BMR com silage variety, F2F635, at 15 and 25% of the diet DM, respectively. Steers were housed on slatted floors in feedlot pens. 2015202824 25 May 2015 - 15-

In each pen, there were 5 Growsafe® units (GrowSafe® Systems Ltd., Airdrie, Alberta, Canada) used for recording daily feed intake. There were 39 or 40 steers in each pen, which therefore provided 8.0 steers per GrowSafe® feeder. 5 Data Collection

Steer weight, hip height, and ultrasonic measurements of backfat thickness, marbling score, and longissimus muscle area (LMA) were recorded approximately every 42 days throughout the feeding period to evaluate live animal performance.

Cattle were harvested in two groups to optimize carcass value. All cattle were 10 slaughtered at the same commercial packing facility (Tyson™ Fresh Meats, Joslin, IL). Carcass measurements were assessed by trained personnel, and included: hot carcass weight (HCW), marbling score (MS), longissimus muscle area (LMA), estimated percentage of kidney, heart and pelvic fat (KPH), and 12th rib fat. Diet samples were sent to Dairy One Forage Test Laboratory (Ithaca, NY) for analysis (Table 3). Data 15 were analyzed as a one-way analysis of variance using the GLM procedure of

Statistical Analysis Software (SAS® Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina). Main effect means for all analyses were separated using the respective F-tests, and were significant (PO.05). 20 Example 2

Finishing rations comprising BMR silage

The control com silage (TMF2Q753) averaged 30.1% DM, and had a pH of 4.1 coming out of the silo. The BMR silage (F2F635) averaged 29.0% DM and had a pH of 3.8 coming out of the silo. 25 As expected, initial weights for animals in the control and BMR silage groups were not different (Table 1). Adjusted final body weights were also not different for any of the comparisons. Average daily dry matter intake was higher for cattle consuming diet 2 compared to diet 4. When the two silages were fed at 25% of the diet DM, intakes were almost identical (diets 6 vs. 7). There was a tendency (P=0.10) for 30 ADG to be different between diets 6 and 7. Feed conversion was improved for diet 7, compared to that observed for diet 6 (P<0.01). While not intending to be tied to any particular theory, this improvement may be due to higher fiber digestibility. 2015202824 25 May 2015 - 16-

Percentage of pelvic, kidney, and heart fat was lower for steers fed diet 6, compared to that observed for diet 7. These results indicate that control and brown midrib com silages fed as 15% of diets resulted in similar feedlot performance and carcass merit. However, improved feed conversion was observed when brown midrib com silage was 5 fed as 25% of the diet.

While the present invention has been described herein with respect to certain preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that it is not so limited. Rather, many additions, deletions, and modifications to the preferred embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention 10 as hereinafter claimed. In addition, features from one embodiment may be combined with features of another embodiment while still being encompassed within the scope of the invention as contemplated by the inventors.

Claims (6)

1. The claims defining the invention are as follows:

   1. A beef finishing ration for increasing the gain:feed (G:F) of a silage-fed animal, the beef finishing ration comprising: silage produced from a BMR com plant variety exhibiting decreased lignin content, wherein the silage is present in an amount that is at least 25% of the dry matter in the beef finishing ration, wherein the beef finishing ration does not comprise grain com, and wherein the G:F ratio of an animal fed the beef finishing ration is increased, compared to the G:F ratio of an animal of the same species being fed a finishing ration comprising an equivalent amount of silage produced from a com plant having a wild-type lignin content.
2. 2. The beef finishing ration of claim 1, further comprising: at least one fiber source; at least one com co-product; and at least one supplement.
3. 3. The beef finishing ration of claim 1 or 2, wherein the beef finishing ration comprises the silage produced from a BMR com plant variety in an amount of more than 25% but less than about 30% of the diy matter in the beef finishing ration.
4. 4. The beef finishing ration of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one fiber source comprises soybean hulls.
5. 5. The beef finishing ration of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one com co-product comprises a com co-product selected from the group consisting of wet com gluten feed and wet distiller’s grains with solubles.
6. 6. The beef finishing ration of any one of claims 1, 2,4 or 5 comprising less than 60% dry matter.