Project Number: 6209-31630-002-25
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Sep 01, 2007
End Date: Aug 31, 2009

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to 1) evaluate the potential effects of feeding distiller's grains to finishing beef cattle on air and water quality and 2) evaluate the effects of feeding distiller's grains on pre-slaughter shedding of pathogenic microbes.

Approach:
A series of beef cattle performance studies and nutrient metabolism trials will be conducted by cooperating scientists at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Amarillo/Bushland, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, and Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. These studies will examine the effects of distiller¿s grain concentration and source on animal performance (daily gain, feed intake, feed efficiency) and nutrient metabolism (nutrient retention, site and extent of nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation processes). Samples of fresh feces, fresh urine, air-dried pen manure, and feed ingredients will be obtained and analyzed by ARS scientists at the CPRL, Bushland, TX. Nutrient excretion will be determined from the chemical composition of the diets and fresh feces. Nitrogen volatilization losses will be determined from changes in the Nitrogen:Phosphorus ratio of the diets and air¿dried manure. Microbial characteristics of fresh fecal sample will also be determined.