Feeding beet pulp to cattle can benefit both you and your livestock. Beets are primarily grown for the enlarged bulbous root, though the greens can be used as well. Beet byproducts include beet pulp and molasses. These products are available to producers as beet tailings in late fall. Beet pulp is dry throughout the year and can be stored in quonsets or bins, while wet pulp is stored in bunker or trench silos.
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Storage of beet tops
Beet tops contain a high amount of moisture. During the early feeding period, the moisture content of tops can be as high as 50 per cent. In contrast, the moisture content does not change much during cold weather. As a result, the silage produced from beet tops remains relatively stable. It also develops a tobacco brown color and is highly palatable to sheep and cattle.
Beet tops can be stored as whole crop. This means that the entire beet root and top are used for making silage. However, many producers prefer molasses or pulp to feed their cattle. In this case, they should work with commodity brokers to secure enough byproducts to feed their cattle throughout the winter.
Beet tops are a high-value feed. One acre of beet tops can replace up to 1.5 tons of alfalfa hay. Depending on the feed prices, an acre of beet tops can be worth as much as $30.
Nutritional value of sugar beet pulp
Sugar beet pulp is a highly digestible source of carbohydrates for cattle. It can be included in finishing rations at levels of 5 to 15 percent. Its nutritional value is equivalent to approximately ninety percent of the energy content of corn. In addition, a single-ton serving of pressed beet pulp contains less than one percent of the animal’s body weight.
Sugar beet pulp can be pelletized, flakes, or dried. It is a valuable source of dietary fiber for livestock. It is highly digestible and provides long-term energy. It also contains little protein that is degraded in the rumen, making it a valuable addition to a cattle’s diet. Additionally, it increases production of acetate, a nutrient essential to the rumen’s condition.
In addition to sugar beet pulp, whole sugar beets can be fed to cattle. The process involves separating the juice from the molasses. The resultant molasses contains forty to fifty percent residual sugar. It is then refined by molecular exclusion chromatography, which removes most of the residual sugar. This concentrates the remaining nutrients.
Efficacy of beet pulp as a fiber supplement
Beet pulp is a byproduct of the sugar beet industry and is a high-fiber feed. It is highly digestible and can be fed as a wet or dried pellet to cattle. It can replace a portion of grain or forage in a cattle diet. Its low lignin content makes it easy to mix and use in feed.
Beet pulp increases milk protein concentration and yield. It also increases DM intake. A recent study in Belgium found that the physical structure of fodder beets increased chewing time. However, the total amount of time spent chewing was similar in both types of beets. However, beets have lower fiber than beet pulp.
The study concluded that the beet pulp could replace half of the wheat in cattle feed. The same results were obtained with half the molasses-beet pulp mix. The researchers also found that beet pulp was easy to handle and could be stored for many months.
Health benefits of beet pulp
Feeding beet pulp to cattle provides several health benefits, and it is beneficial for cattle in several ways. Beet pulp has a low sugar content, which is good for the digestive system. It can be either plain or with molasses added to it. Before feeding the beet pulp to cattle, make sure it is thoroughly washed. This process can reduce beet pulp’s sugar content and improve its taste.
Beet pulp can replace a portion of grain in cattle diets. It provides about 85 to 90 percent energy, similar crude protein, and more digestible fiber than grain. It also contains molasses, which increases its palatability and energy value. The recommended amounts for feeding beet pulp to cattle range from eight to fifteen pounds per day, depending on the diet. Dry sugar beet pulp can make up to 30% of the diet.
Beet pulp is the fibrous portion of the sugar beet that is left after the beets are processed. It contains a high moisture content and is prone to mold. The fiber is highly digestible, making it an excellent non-starch energy source for cattle. Beet pulp is also commonly used in pet food production and dairy farmers use it as a structural carbohydrate. Beet pulp pellets are available in a variety of forms. Midwest Agri sells beet pulp pellets throughout the world, with the largest export markets being Europe and Asia.
