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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406377
Research Project: Strategies to Manage Feed Nutrients, Reduce Gas Emissions, and Promote Soil Health for Beef and Dairy Cattle Production Systems of the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock Nutrient Management Research

Title: Effects of the degree of steam flaking of corn and concentration of dietary wet distillers grains on energy metabolism of feedlot cattle

Author
item PONCE, CHRISTIAN - West Texas A & M University
item COLE, N - Retired ARS Employee
item Meyer, Beverly
item JENNINGS, JENNY - Texas A&M Agrilife
item BROWN, MICHAEL - West Texas A & M University

Submitted to: Applied Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/30/2023
Publication Date: 8/1/2024
Citation: Ponce, C.H., Cole, N.A., Meyer, B.E., Jennings, J.J., Brown, M.S. 2024. Effects of the degree of steam flaking of corn and concentration of dietary wet distillers grains on energy metabolism of feedlot cattle. Applied Animal Science. 40(4):511-525. https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2024-02546.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2024-02546

Interpretive Summary: Wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS) are a byproduct of the bioethanol industry and are a common feed ingredient used in cattle finishing diets. However, the energy values of WDGS, used by nutritionists to predict animal performance, have not been clearly established, especially when fed in finishing diets based on steam flaked corn (SFC). Scientists from USDA-ARS-Bushland, West Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M University AgriLife evaluated the energy values of WDGS and assessed possible associative effects between WDGS and SFC on energy and nitrogen utilization. Steers were fed one of four diets. Nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion, methane and carbon dioxide production and heat production were measured. Dietary and ingredient (WDGS and SFC) energy values were determined. Our results suggest that the energy values used for WDGS in the latest "Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle" tables overestimate their relative net energy value (by about 15%) when fed in diets based on SFC. Thus, nutritionists need to adjust the tabular values when formulating diets containing SFC.

Technical Abstract: Wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS), a byproduct of the bioethanol industry, is a common feed ingredient used in cattle finishing diets. However, the net energy values of WDGS have not been clearly established, especially when fed in diets based on steam flaked corn (SFC). This study was conducted to evaluate the relative net energy values of WDGS and to evaluate possible associative effects between WDGS and SFC on energy and nitrogen utilization. Four steers were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with four diets: 1) basal 73% concentrate diet fed a 1 x maintenance (B), 2) B+ SFC fed at 1.5 x maintenance, 3) B + WDGS fed at 1.5 x maintenance, and 4) B + a 50:50 blend of SFC:WDGS fed at 1.5 x maintenance (BLEND). Nutrient digestibility, nutrient excretion, methane and carbon dioxide production and heat production were measured using respiration calorimetry. Dietary and ingredient (WDGS and SFC) energy values were determined. Digestible energy, metabolizable energy, and energy retention were greater for B+SFC than B+WDGS, with BLEND being intermediate. There were negative associative effects (-1 to -8%) between SFC and WDGS for energy values. The actual digestible energy:total digestible nutrient ratio was 4.11 Mcal/kg (vs the 4.4 used by the National Research Council). The digestible energy to digestible organic matter ratio averaged 4.54 Mcal/kg and the digestible organic matter: total digestible nutrient ratio averaged 90.2%. Our results suggest that the net energy values used for WDGS in the latest "Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle" tables may overestimate their relative net energy value (by about 15%) when fed in diets based on SFC.