Brewers grains for cattle can be beneficial to the livestock and can be used in several ways. One way is by adding it to the feed, or using it as a supplemental feed. It can also be used as a ginning by-product. It can be used as a substitute for distillers grain in a bermudagrass round bale silage. It can also be used as a supplement to growing heifers.
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Cotton ginning by-product
Cotton ginning by-products are important to beef feeding systems across the South. In addition to fiber, brewers grains are a big plus for cattle diets.
The best way to go about incorporating brewers grains into your feeding regimen is to submit them for nutrient analysis. This will give you a good idea of what you should be feeding your livestock.
Typically, a brewers grain contains a mix of barley, wheat, and corn. This makes it a nutrient rich feed, which is not uncommon for a farmer who is trying to meet the nutritional demands of his livestock. The good news is, it is a cheap feed and not something you would have to purchase in bulk.
Using a brewers grain is a good way to avoid paying a premium for corn and other feed crops. Its high fiber content makes it a good choice as a replacement hay in a growing cattle diet.
Dried distillers grain (DDG)
Distillers grain for cattle is a source of protein and energy. It can be used as part of a balanced diet for all types of cattle. However, some concerns about the nutrient content of the product and its storage have been raised.
As the production of fuel ethanol expands in the US, more distillers’ grains are available for feeding. In the past, these byproducts of corn fermentation were used as ruminant feeds.
But recent research has shown that the sulfur content of distillers’ grains can be toxic to animals. As a result, producers should be careful when using the products to feed their livestock.
In addition to its protein and energy values, distillers grains can provide phosphorus, a nutrient that is often lacking in the diets of dairy and beef cows. Depending on the source of the distiller’s grain, the phosphorus content can vary from a low of 0.09 percent to a high of 0.86 percent.
Experiments to evaluate dried distillers grains as supplements to bermudagrass round bale silage
In order to assess the effects of WDGS supplementation to Bermudagrass round bale silage, the effects of spoilage were studied. Various nutrient analyses were performed to calculate the nutrient losses from spoiled WDGS. The pH and % ash were measured as well as the fat content and rumen-degradable protein concentration. The result was a loss of 14.8% of DM, 8% NDF and 12% CP.
In the finishing trial, crossbred yearling heifers were fed two different DDGS-based diets. One of these contained 30% DM of DDGS and the other contained 0.33% DM of DDG. The resulting diets had similar polyunsaturated fats to saturated fats ratio.
In the trial, the inclusion of WDGS did not affect the amount of feed lot performance or the amount of retained energy. However, the use of glycerin-based diets resulted in a linear decrease in DMI. The fecal energy, retained energy, urinary energy, metabolizable energy, subcutaneous fat thickness, acetate:propionate and enteric CH4 emissions were all reduced.
Effects of supplementation with or without Rumensin on growing heifers
Monensin is a chemical that is used to increase milk production in beef cows. Studies have shown that the use of monensin results in improved feed efficiency, and a reduction in feed intake. However, the effects of monensin on developing heifers remain unresolved.
This paper presents a meta-analysis of the effects of monensin supplementation on growing heifers. The aim of the meta-analysis is to establish generalized effect sizes and provide direction for future research. The study focuses on the effects of monensin on the performance and body composition of replacement heifers and growing heifers. The data were gathered from 21 publications using searchable university research reports and PUBMED.
The results of the study indicate that monensin supplementation has a significant positive impact on the average daily gain (ADG) of growing replacement heifers. The ADG of heifers fed monensin was 5% higher. The age at puberty of heifers was lowered by eight days. In addition, the number of days to first estrus was shortened by 18 days. Compared to control heifers, monensin-treated heifers gained 0.36 kg/d more.
