USE IN FORAGE-FED CATTLE
Feeding strategies

An experiment was conducted with 120 crossbred heifers to determine the value of DDGS in high-forage diets, and to evaluate the effect of supplementing daily compared to three times weekly (Loy et al., 2003). Heifers were fed to consume grass hay ad libitum and supplemented with DDGS or DRC. Supplements were fed at two levels, and offered either daily or three times per week in equal proportions. Heifers supplemented daily ate more hay, gained faster (1.37 vs. 1.24 lb per day), but were not more efficient than those supplemented on alternate days (Table 14). At both levels of gain, DDGS heifers gained more and were more efficient than DRC fed heifers. The calculated net energy values for DDGS were 27% greater than for DRC.

Ten ruminally-cannulated heifers received no supplement, DDGS daily, DDGS on alternating days, DRC daily, or corn on alternating days (Loy et al., 2004). Hay intake was higher for non-supplemented than for supplemented heifers (Table 15). No intake differences were observed between DDGS and corn-supplemented heifers. Heifers supplemented daily had higher and more consistent intakes than those in alternate-day treatments, particularly within corn-supplemented heifers. Ruminal pH and hay fiber disappearance were greater in non-supplemented heifers. Corn-supplemented heifers had slower rates of fiber digestion than DDGS-supplemented heifers.

Dry DGS contain approximately 65% UIP (% of CP), consequently forage based diets that include dried distillers grains fed as an energy source are commonly deficient in DIP but contain excess MP. Cattle convert excess MP to urea, which is potentially recycled to the rumen and can serve as a source of DIP. Many factors influence urea recycling, and the amount of urea that is recycled when DDGS is included in a forage-based diet is not known.

Two experiments evaluated supplemental DIP requirements when DDGS were fed as an energy source in forage-based diets (Stalker et al., 2004). Diets were formulated to be greater than 100 g/day deficient in DIP but with excess in metabolizable protein. In both experiments, no response in performance was observed when urea was added to the diet (Table 16). Sufficient urea was probably recycled to correct the DIP deficiency.These studies indicate adding urea to meet the DIP requirement is not necessary when DDGS are fed as an energy source in forage-based diets.

Given recent drought conditions in many areas of the U.S. and the price of pasture and hay, these co-products may be very competitive as energy supplements for use by ranchers. When forage quality is poor (winter) or quantity is limiting (drought), co-products may fit. Research has been initiated at the University of Nebraska to address the usefulness and value of dry co-products in cow-calf situations.

Loy et al., (2004) concluded that DCGF decreases feed costs compared to conventional hay feeding when fed over the winter for developing heifers on a commercial Nebraska ranch in the Sandhills. In their study, a treatment system (TRT) was compared to their conventional management using more than 550 heifers in each group across two years. The TRT utilized only grazed winter forage and DCGF supplementation compared to some winter grazing, with hay and protein supplementation. Performance differences are presented in Table 17; however, no differences were observed in developing heifer performance by design.The major implication was reduced costs ($6.71 per heifer) through the winter while maintaining excellent performance and reproduction.

A similar experiment was conducted using DDGS (Stalker et al., 2006a). Because of the higher energy content of DDGS, a smaller amount was needed to meet protein and energy requirements of these bred heifers (1,353 heifers were used). Feeding DDGS and grazing winter range with heifers led to slightly better winter gains and changes in body condition compared to the hay-fed, control heifers. Pregnancy rates were 97% for both treatments. Most important, $10.47 per heifer was saved in feed costs by using DDGS and winter range versus a conventional system of hay, supplement, and range.

Feeding DDGS as a supplement to calves grazing winter range results in similar performance and is less expensive than feeding corn and soybean meal supplement. In a two year study, Stalker et al.(2006b) fed steers grass hay (6.6% CP) and 4.4 lbs/day of a corn-soybean meal based supplement in a dry lot (CON), or fed 6.0 lbs/day of the same corn/soybean meal based supplement 6 days/week (CSM), or the daily equivalent of 4.2 lbs/day of a dried distillers grains based supplement either 6 days/week (DDG6) or 3 days/week (DDG3) to steers grazing native winter range.Treatments were designed to result in similar ADG and the trial lasted 62 days.A partial budget was used to compare costs and calculate cost of gain associated with each treatment.The CON, CSM, and DDG6 steers performed similarly but performance was decreased when dried distillers grains was fed 3 d/week (Table 18). Steers in the DDG3 treatment were offered twice the amount offered to DDG6 on alternate supplementation days however DDG3 fed steers only consumed the daily equivalent of 3.9 lb/steer (DM) supplement over the course of the experiment. These results may be related to the fat content of DDGS because the reduction in gain is not completely accounted for by incomplete consumption of the supplement.This conclusion is supported by the results of Loy et al. (2004). These results verify previous research which has shown dried distillers grains has about 125% the energy of corn in forage based diets (Loy et al., 2003) since the DDGS calves were supplemented with 70% as much dry matter as CSM calves to provide equivalent energy intake. Cost of gain was greatest for CON treated steers primarily because of costs associated with feeding hay.Total costs were least but gain was also least for DDG3 steers making their cost of gain greatest among steers grazing range. Feeding dried distillers grains 6 days per week resulted in the lowest cost of gain.

A two-year study (Martin et al., 2007) evaluated DDGS compared to a control supplement that provided similar CP, energy, lipid, and fatty acids.The protein degradability of the supplements differed such that UIP exceeded requirements for heifers consuming the DDGS supplement. The heifers were program fed to gain 1.5 lb/day and reach 60% of mature weight at the time of breeding. Heifer pubertal development and overall pregnancy rate were not affected by supplement type and averaged 89% for each treatment. However, Artifical Insemination (AI) conception rate and AI pregnancy rate were improved by feeding DDGS in the heifer development diet. The proportion of heifers detected in estrus that conceived to AI service was higher for the DDGS treatment than for the control treatment.These data indicate that utilizing DDGS as a protein and energy source in heifer developing diets to promote moderate gains gives highly acceptable pregnancy rates and may enhance AI conception and pregnancy rates.

For more information or to request additional copies of this manual, contact the Nebraska Corn Board at 1-800-632-6761 or e-mail k.brunkhorst@necorn.state.ne.us.

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For more information on the feeding of corn milling co-products to beef cattle
and information contained in this manual, contact:
Dr. Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Animal Science Room C220, Lincoln, NE 68583-0908, 402-472-6402

Date published: August, 2007