The OBT Diet has Been Improved in Recent Years!

Working in cooperation with Doug Davis of Gerber and Sons Feed in Baltic, Ohio, Dr. Francis Fluharty, OSU Research Scientist at OARDC, Wooster, has made significant adjustments in the rations at Ohio Bull Test in recent years. These adjustments have resulted in significantly reduced health problems, and, at the same time maintained performance. Many observers at OBT have commented that with the new rations and the addition on one more week off-test to 'cool down' the bulls have allowed bulls going back to the farm in ideal condition.

Last year (1999), for the first time, two different receiving diets were utilized as a transition from the farm diets these bulls were coming from as they entered the Belle Valley facility. The first diet is fed for the first few days, and is a 17.8% protein diet containing a high level of vitamin E (154 IU/lb). TDN is 70.6%, NEm is .75, NEg is .48, fat is 3.1%, fiber is 11%. An average total of 44 pounds of this diet was fed per bull.

The second receiving diet is similar to the first, but is only 15.8% protein; it is 3.3% fat, 11.5% fiber, 70.2% TDN, .74 NEm, .47 NEg and contains 102 IU vitamin E/lb. An average total of 73 pounds of this ration was fed per bull.

Both of these diets are medicated with rumensin and are coarse textured, being a blend of whole shelled corn, oats, and a pelleted supplement. These two receiving diets contain a small amount of liquid molasses; the final diet does not.

The third, and final diet is also medicated with rumensin and is the same texture as the two preceeding diets. It is 13.13% protein, 3.5% fat, 12.4% fiber, 17% ADF, 70% TDN, .74 NEm, .47 NEg. The bulls are fed this diet throughout the trial after each of the receiving diets have been consumed.