Use of Sunflower Hulls as the Roughage Component of Finishing Diets for Yearling Steers

Sunflower hulls were substituted for grass-alfalfa hay as the roughage component of finishing diets for yearling steers. Feed intake was lower when sunflower hulls were fed, resulting in reduced rate of gain and increased feed conversion. When diets were formulated to contain 12% NDF rather than 10% roughage, performance of steers fed either roughage source was similar. Sunflower hulls because of low cost can be used in finishing diets at 5% of dry matter intake without affecting production costs. Feeding higher levels of unprocessed sunflower hulls is discouraged