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English × Continental heifers (n = 180) were sourced in 2 loads (219.3 ± 16.0 and 221.4 ± 16.4 kg, respectively) from commercial auction barns to study the effects of feeding dehydrated citrus pulp (DCP) on feedlot performance of newly received heifers. A completely randomized block design was used with BW nested within arrival load and blocked by BW into 3 dietary treatments (36 pens, 5 heifers/ pen, 12 blocks, 3 pens/block, and 12 pens/treatment). Treatment diets contained 1) 0% DCP (control diet [CON]), 2) 10% DCP, or 3) 20% DCP on a DM basis. Diets containing DCP were exchanged with steamflaked corn on a 1:1 basis. Cattle were fed a 63, 73, and 83% concentrate diet from d 0 to 28, d 28 to 42, and d 42 to 56, respectively. Over the 56-d trial period, as the amount of dietary DCP increased, DMI decreased (P = 0.01), ADG decreased (P < 0.01), and G:F decreased (P = 0.02). From d 0 to 28, there was no difference in the observed minus the predicted NEg of the diet (P = 0.73); from d 28 to 42, there was a linear increase in NEg favoring DCP treatments (P < 0.01); and from d 42 to 56, there was a linear decrease in NEg against the DCP treatments (P < 0.01). At the conclusion of the trial, a subset of heifers (n = 22; 307.89 ± 3.32 kg on d 63) were used to evaluate blood metabolite concentrations before and after a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. On d 63, heifers were fitted with jugular catheters and moved into individual stalls. On d 64, heifers were intravenously challenged with LPS (0.5 μg/kg BW), and blood samples were collected every 0.5 h from –2 to 8 h and at 24 h relative to the LPS challenge (0 h). Serum glucose, serum urea nitrogen (SUN), and NEFA concentrations were determined. Cattle lost less weight at both 24 and 72 h after the LPS challenge with increasing DCP percentage (P < 0.01). Glucose (P = 0.12) and NEFA (P = 0.13) concentrations did not differ before the LPS challenge; however, there was a treatment effect for SUN, with elevated concentrations