Project Number: 6209-12310-002-15
Project Type: Specific C/A

Start Date: Aug 01, 2003
End Date: Oct 01, 2006

Objective:
The objectives are to 1) evaluate the effects of the source (corn vs sorghum grain) and dietary concentration (0, 5, 10, or 15%) of dried distillers grains on the health and performance of finishing feedlot cattle; 2) determine the effects of dietary concentration (0, 25 or 50% of supplemental protein) of grain sorghum based dried distillers grains on the production of dairy cows; and 3) to determine the effects of dried distillers grains on in vitro digestibility, ammonia release and pH changes. 4) determine the effects of dietary degradable protein on utilization of distillers grains by beef cattle.

Approach:
1) In a beef cattle finishing trial, steers will be fed diets containing 0, 5,10, or 15% (of dry matter) dried distillers grains produced from sorghum or 10% distillers grain produced from corn. Feed intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, and carcass data will be determined. Fecal samples will be obtained for microbial analysis. Dairy cows will be fed diets containing three concentrations of dried sorghum distillers grain (0, 25 or 50% of supplemental protein) and feed intake and milk production will be measured. The diets fed will be tested in an in vitro system for digestibility, ammonia release and pH changes. Beef steers will be fed diets containing 0 or 10% distillers grains. Urea will be included in the diets to replace 50% or 100% of the degradable protein equivalent lost when the distillers grains are added to an isonitrogenous diet.

Project Team

Cole, Noel - Andy Rice, William - Bill Clark, Ray - Nolan Mike Galyean - Professor 8063565748

Related National Programs

Food Animal Production (101)   Manure and Byproduct Utilization (206)