ChileanJAR

Three winter feeding tnals were carried out from 1967 to 1969 at Human Sub Experiment Station to study the effects of feeding sugar beet tops and leaves lo steers of different live weight.
Live weight gains were compared when sugar beet tops and leaves were fed alone or combioed with dried sugar beet pulp or wheat straw. The effects of adding a mineral supplement to tops and leaves was also measured.
In the three experiments the highest live weight gains were obtained with a ration of dried beet pulp plus tops and leaves. The gains of 0,62 and 0,72 Kg/day obtained with this ration for small (190 Kg) and medium (300 Kg) steers respectively, were considered satisfactory. With big steers (461 Kg) the gams were 0,60 Kg/day; these gains permitted to obtain market weight of 500-530 Kg at the end of the winter feeding period, but it may not be high enough for a faster fattening period.
The gains obtained withsugarbeet pulp wereconsiderably lower than those obtainedin previous trials.
With the rations of tops and leaves with or without mineral supplement the live weight gains were maintained or only slight gains obtained. The big steers showed the lowest performance. The use of tops and leaves as the ooly feedstuff did not produce problems in relation lo diarrhea, bloat orchoke even though decalcification was noted in the big steers, speciaIIy after 2 months feeding penod.
It was concluded that the sugar beet tops and leaves as only feedstuff would be of value in those cases where animals need only slight gains and for a period not longer than 50-60 days. For longer periods it would be advisable to include sorne other feeds in the rations.