This year’s drought has many livestock producers worried about the cost of feed this winter. So they’re looking to alternative sources of protein and energy for their cattle diets.
One of these is sugar beet byproducts, which can be used to replace corn and other feedstuffs in a diet. However, it is important to evaluate the nutrient composition of sugar beets before feeding.
Nutrients
Nutrients are the lifeblood of the beef industry and a key factor in sugras cattle feed price. The nutritive properties of a given feedstuff will vary depending on the source, quality, and intended use.
The best way to determine the nutrient value of any given feedstuff is to analyze the resulting nutrient data using laboratory analysis (see ANR-70, “Research on Feeding Cattle”). The calorie count and energy density are of primary interest when evaluating a feedstuff’s nutritional worth, and a comparison between a feedstuff and a standard base diet will provide an indication of its overall nutrient performance.
One of the most cost-effective and practical means of boosting nutrient efficiency is to develop solid working relationships with reliable suppliers of specific commodity feeds. For example, a reliable supply of corn is essential to efficient grazing of tall grasses. A well-stocked hay rack is also necessary for efficient utilization of the short season. The most economical means of obtaining corn, for example, is through a cooperative marketing program with an existing coop.
Digestibility
In animal nutrition, the digestibility of raw materials is important for assessing the quality of their use as a feed ingredient. This is done by determining the digestibility coefficient, which represents how much of an ingredient can be absorbed by animals.
The digestibility of a food is affected by many factors including the chemical composition, processing, and treatment of the ingredients. During these processes, some nutrients are damaged while others may become more available.
For example, heat treatment may damage proteins and make them less digestible. However, moderate heating can promote digestibility by inactivating trypsin inhibitors and promoting peptide cross-linkages.
Proteins of varying purity and origin also have differing digestibility values due to the presence of additional dietary factors. These factors include dietary carbohydrates, oxidized lipids, and enzymatic inhibitors (Friedman, Gumbmann, & Masters, 1984).
Digestibility of raw feedstuffs is often very low, but this can be improved through the use of process and treatment. These methods include heat treatment, partial denaturation, and the addition of lysine to damaged proteins.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is a major concern for any feedlot operator. This is because gaining body weight can help the cattle produce more fat to deposit on their bodies. Calves should be offered enough diet energy to meet their desired weight gain goals, so they need to consume the proper amount of dry matter. Sugar beets are a great way to provide this extra dry matter for cattle at a relatively low cost in feedlot production. However, it is important to consider transportation costs for supplying sugar beets to the feedlot. These costs include the fuel to transport the feedstuff, storage costs, and the time it takes to process the sugar beets into a usable feed product.
