Impacts of bunk management on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, hydrogen sulfide concentration and blood oxygen saturation in steers fed 25 or 50% modified distillers grains plus solubles

One hundred and twenty-six yearling angus steers (initial body weight 445.87 ± 7.13 kg) were utilized in a 2 x 2 factorial design to evaluate the impacts of bunk management and modified distillers grains plus solubles (mDGS) inclusion on feedlot performance, hydrogen sulfide concentrations and blood oxygen saturation. Treatments included bunk management strategy either control bunk management (CON; clean bunks at the time of next day's feeding) or long bunk management (LONG; feed remaining at time of next day's feeding), and two inclusion rates of mDGS either 25% or 50% (DM Basis). On d 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 rumen gas samples were collected via rumenocentesis, and arterial blood samples were collected on two steers from each pen. No differences (P > 0.09) were observed for dry matter intake, average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio for bunk management or mDGS inclusion. Hot carcass weight, ribeye area, marbling score and quality grade were not affected (P > 0.48) by either bunk management or mDGS inclusion. Back fat was greater (P = 0.04) for CON steers compared to LONG (1.30 vs 1.12 ± 0.05cm, respectively), but was not affected (P = 0.59) by mDGS inclusion. Steers on CON had greater (P = 0.03) yield grades compared to LONG (3.21 vs 2.96 ± 0.11, respectively). Bunk management strategy did not impact hydrogen sulfide concentrations or blood oxygen saturation (P = 0.82). Hydrogen sulfide concentrations increased (P < 0.001) with increasing mDGS inclusion. Blood oxygen saturation was influenced by day of sampling (P = 0.01). Blood oxygen saturation was not affected (P = 0.07) by mDGS inclusion. The fact that ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentrations increased while blood oxygen saturation remained similar raises questions about the quantity of hydrogen sulfide and metabolic fate of excess hydrogen sulfide in the blood of ruminant animals.