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Ethanol Byproducts May Enhance Calf Growth
Release
written by Robert Thomas of MU Extension, which provided the article.
2006
With the increase of ethanol
production in Missouri, University of Missouri (MU) researchers are looking
at the effectiveness of the industry’s byproduct, distillers’ dried grains
with solubles (DDGS), to enhance calf growth.
“Corn distillers’ dried grains
provide an excellent energy and protein source to enhance growth performance
in calves,” said Jim Williams, MU professor of animal science. “With the
increase in ethanol production, these grains should be available for
producers.”
Researchers are looking at the
optimal inclusion rate of DDGS in pellet form for preconditioned calves fed
a no-roughage diet. Finely ground distillers’ grains are being used as a
feed supplement, but many producers don’t know what levels to use, he said.
“I have quite a few producers
calling, wanting me to formulate diets because they do not know how much
protein and energy the DDGS is contributing,” he said.
In earlier research,
preconditioned calves were fed a control diet of 40% soyhulls and 20% wheat
midds in pellet form. Whole-shell corn was fed separately. DDGS was then
substituted for the corn, soyhulls and wheat midds. At this level,
performance of growing calves was optimized at 4.6 pounds (lb.) DDGS per
head per day, he said.
In current research, Williams
will feed Angus calves, with an average weight of 500 lb., one of eight
diets. The DDGS will be added to the control diet at rates of 1.7, 2.7, 3.5,
4.2, 5.2, and 6.2 lb. per day. These treatment diets will be fed to calves
for 40 days in order to calculate the optimal inclusion rate of distillers’
grains to meet the calves’ amino acid requirements.
“Such a supplement has
potential because we are taking the roughage out of the diet. The calves are
getting all the roughage from the byproduct, which is a new approach for
producers feeding byproducts to cattle. We think over a 40-day study that
you still can improve performance of the calves, reduce manure output, and
save money on the labor from not feeding hay,” he said.
Development of a DDGS pellet
would reduce handling and storage problems, Williams said.
http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/Thomas-Ethanol_Calves-0604.asp
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