Effects of monensin withdrawal and subspecies of cattle on the utilization of bermudagrass hay (13.7% CP) were evaluated using ruminally cannulated steers (5 Bos indicus, BI and 5 Bos taurus, BT; 398 kg BW). Subspecies were concurrently subjected to a 2 period, 2 treatment crossover design. Each period consisted of a 42 d adaptation phase with treatments including 0 (CON) or 200 (MON) mg·hd⁻¹ monensin, fed in 0.91 kg DDGS daily. Withdrawal of monensin was then evaluated for a 28 d phase following adaptation. Hay, ort, and fecal grab samples were collected d 23–27 after the cessation of MON feeding for determination of intake and digestion. Steers were group housed throughout the trial, but moved to individual covered pens to facilitate sampling. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.3 (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC) with terms in the model including treatment, subspecies, subspecies × treatment and period, with animal as a random effect. No subspecies × treatment interactions were observed (P ≥ 0.15). A tendency for greater (P = 0.09) forage OM intake (FOMI; 21.2 vs 19.2 g/kg BW) and greater (P < 0.01) OM digestibility (OMD; 72.4 vs 63.0%) resulted in greater (P < 0.01) total digestible OM intake (TDOMI; 16.8 vs 13.2 g/kg BW) in BT vs BI steers. Previous monensin feeding had no effect (P ≥ 0.45) on FOMI, OMD, or TDOMI. Greater (P = 0.04) forage NDF intake (FNDFI; 16.68 vs 14.94 g/kg BW) and greater (P < 0.01) NDF digestibility (NDFD; 73.8 vs 65.6%) led to greater (P < 0.01) total digestible NDF intake (TDNDFI; 12.9 vs 10.3 g/kg BW) in BT vs BI steers. Previous monensin feeding had no effect on FNDFI, NDFD, or TDNDFI. Increased FOMI, FNDFI, OMD, NDFD, TDOMI, and TDNDFI by BT steers suggest they are better able to utilize the bermudagrass hay offered them than BI steers. Results also indicate that upon treatment withdrawal, no intake or digestibility differences are observed between steers previously fed monensin and control.