ARS | Publication request: 35% corn wet distiller's grains plus solubles in steam-flaked and dry-rolled corn based diets: Effects on animal performance

Submitted to: Experiment Station Bulletins
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: September 1, 2008
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The availability of distiller's grains (DGS) has increased rapidly as the ethanol industry has grown. Current projections suggest that annual ethanol production will reach 15 billion gallons by 2022. This level of ethanol production could result in a annual production of approximately 40 million tons (DM basis) of DGS. The U.S. feeds approximately 27 million cattle in feedlots each year that consume approximately 50 million tons of finished feed (DM basis). Although the feedyard industry will not utilize all of the DGS produced in the U.S., it is likely that DGS will be included in the diets of many of the fed cattle in the U.S. in the future. To date, most of the research with DGS has been done in the Northern Great Plains using diets based on dry-rolled corn (DRC). Little data is available using steam-flaked corn (SFC)-based diets similar to those fed in the Southern Great Plains. Therefore, we conducted a feeding trial to determine the effects of feeding 35% wet DGS (WDGS) in diets based on DRC or SFC on performance and carcass characteristics of finishing steers. Fifty-four crossbred steers were individually fed dry-rolled corn (DRC) and steam-flaked (SFC) based diets with and without 35% corn-based WDGS. In contrast to other studies, no interactions were detected for corn processing method and WDGS inclusion. Steers fed SFC-based diets consumed less feed and were more efficient than steers consuming DRC-based diets. Compared to steers fed diets containing no WDGS, steers consuming diets containing 35% WDGS were more efficient and produced carcasses with lower percent kidney-pelvic-heart fat and with smaller ribeye area. Serial ultrasound measurements indicate cattle consuming diets with WDGS deposited marbling at a slower rate than control steers late in the feeding period. These data indicate that WDGS have energy values similar to DRC, but may impact carcass characteristics.

Technical Abstract: Fifty-four individually fed crossbred steers were fed dry-rolled corn (DRC) and steam-flaked corn (SFC) based diets with and without 35% wet distiller's grains plus solubles (WDGS) derived from corn to determine impacts of corn processing method and WDGS inclusion on animal performance and carcass characteristics. No interactions were detected for corn processing method and WDGS inclusion (P >/= 0.19). Steers fed SFC-based diets consumed less feed (P < 0.01) and were more efficient (P < 0.01) compared to steer consuming DRC-based diets. Steers consuming diets containing 35% WDGS were more efficient (P = 0.03) and produced carcasses with reduced percent KPH fat (P = 0.02) and loins with smaller LM area (P < 0.01). Serial ultrasound measurements indicate cattle consuming diets with WDGS deposit intramuscular fat at a reduced rate late in the feeding period. These data indicate that WDGS have energy values similar to DRC, but may impact carcass characteristics.