Dried distillers grain | Corn DDGs have been well studied, so researchers focused on wheat
Dried distillers grain made from wheat is a suitable livestock feed substitute, researchers have determined.
Corn DDGs have been well studied, but researchers with the Feed Opportunities from Biofuel Industries program (FOBI) wanted to know how wheat DDGs would work as a feed substitute for cattle, hogs, poultry and fish.
The wheat did not perform the same way as corn in the studies, and researchers determined that more information is needed to create nutrient profiles and recommendations on byproduct use.
The study included 24 projects worth $6 million at the universities of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Calgary, Agriculture Canada, Feedlot Health Services at Okotoks, Alta., and livestock industry partners.
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John McKinnon, a lead researcher from the U of S, said one of the largest research components monitored backgrounder and feedlot cattle, first at the university level and later at large commercial feedlots and dairies.
Wheat based DDGs were fed to backgrounder cattle whose normal ration is 50 percent grain. The intent was to monitor them from the time they were weaned until they were placed in a feedlot. Different trials replaced the barley ration with 50 and 100 percent of DDGs.
McKinnon told the recent Renewable Fuels Association annual conference in Calgary that DDGs provided cattle with superior performance to a certain level, but then feed efficiency fell.
“The wheat distillers grain was an excellent source of energy as well as protein source for these growing cattle.”
He said cattle in the feedlot phase probably ate more DDGs because it tasted good, but they didn’t gain as well as rates increased. Comparisons were made between traditional barley based diets and corn and wheat based DDGs.
Marbling levels dropped when the ration included 23 percent wheat DDGs.
“That is because the energy concentration in wheat distillers grain is less than it is in corn. The higher fat level in the corn is a superior source of energy for these cattle,” he said.
“It costs more money to get the same rate of gain.”
Researchers learned that 20 percent rates for wheat DDGs was adequate, while corn DDGs could go as high as 40 percent.
Feeding DDGs, either corn or wheat, had minimal effects on animal health.
Meat carcass studies at Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Lacombe, Alta., found minimal impact on the eating quality of beef. There was no difference in flavour or tenderness, and there was a higher level of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the marbling fat of the muscle tissue, which has human health benefits.
Hogs were studied for feed conversion and feed efficiency.
They do not digest high fibre well, but new generation ethanol plants are producing a better quality of byproducts. The drying process is not as severe so the products should be better.
“We are finding with the new generation plants, the fibre is more digestible so they are able to get higher inclusion rates in growing pigs as well as finishing pigs,” McKinnon said.
Researchers also found fractionation of the DDGs resulted in a higher value protein concentrate for a hog diet.
Weaned pigs did well with diets containing 15 percent DDGs, but levels of 20 percent or more affected gain and intake. The pigs seemed to eat more but gained less compared to traditional rations.
“At the higher level at 30 percent, much like the cattle, there was a decrease in gain and the intakes were pretty constant, so the feed conversions were not as good at the higher levels,” he said.
Researchers also looked at integration of an ethanol plant, a feedlot and biodigester to create a closed loop on the farm.
Another component of the study looked at ways to improve ethanol yields from wheat and find ways to reduce viscosity of the mash to make it a more competitive feedstock for the ethanol industry.
