Evaluation of Dry Distillers Grains Plus Solubles Inclusion on Performance and Economics of Finishing Beef Steers

Abstract

A 167-d feedlot study was conducted to evaluate feeding increasing levels of dry distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) to finishing cattle and the impact on performance and profitability. Crossbred steer calves (n = 240, BW = 306 ± 24.5 kg) were used in 30 pens with dietary treatments of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% DDGS dietary inclusion (DM basis). Quadratic relationships (P < 0.05) were observed for final BW and ADG as dietary DDGS increased, with the greatest ADG observed at 20% inclusion. The DMI was not affected (P > 0.15) by DDGS level, but G:F tended to be quadratic (P = 0.10) as 20% DM inclusion had the greatest value, although steers fed all levels of DDGS had numerically greater G:F compared with steers fed no DDGS. Carcass characteristics, other than hot carcass weight, were not affected by DDGS treatment. Energy value of DDGS at 10 to 40% dietary inclusion resulted in a quadratic trend (P = 0.10) and remained above corn, with the highest values at 10 and 20% inclusion averaging 127% of corn. When DDGS was priced equally to corn, all levels of DDGS from 10 to 40% inclusion resulted in higher profits compared with a dry-rolled corn based diet regardless of corn price. The greatest returns were observed when cattle were fed 20% DDGS. These data indicate that DDGS can be fed up to 40% DM to improve cattle performance and result in economic profits, with optimum levels at 20 to 30% diet DM.

Evaluation of wheat or corn dried distillers’ grains with solubles on performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers

“…This is in contrast to Ham et al (1994) and Buckner et al (2008) who noted higher gains on cattle fed corn DDGS relative to those fed a corn-based ration. The lack of response in ADG is consistent with the reduced DMI of the corn DDGS fed cattle as discussed above.…”

“…However, this theory does not explain why DMI is not reduced when corn DDGS is fed in corn-based rations. For example, Buckner et al (2008) did not find any effect on DMI when corn DDGS replaced corn grain at levels up to 40% (DM basis).…”

“…In finishing rations, corn DDGS has been successfully fed up to 40% of dietary DM; however, recent studies have suggested that inclusion at 20 to 25% of the ration DM is optimal for finishing cattle (Benson et al 2005;Buckner et al 2008).…”

Effects of replacing barley grain with triticale-based dried distillers’ grains with solubles on nutrient digestibility, lamb growth performance and carcass traits

“…a, b Within a row, means lacking a common letter differ (PB0.05). (Buckner et al 2008) and WDDGS up to 60% DM did not alter DM intake of beef cattle. Although palatability of TDDGS did not appear to be a factor in the present study, Schauer et al (2005) proposed that palatability issues may reduce the intake of CDDGS when it exceeds more than 20% of the diet.…”

“…In contrast to findings with lambs, CDDGS has been shown to increase ADG when fed to cattle. A trend toward a quadratic response in ADG was observed by Buckner et al (2008) when steers were fed CDDGS in place of dry-rolled corn at 0, 10, 20, 30 or 40% of diet DM, with ADG highest at 20% CDDGS. Other researchers have reported that replacing dry-rolled corn with CDDGS at 30% (Al-Suwaiegh et al 2002) or 40% (Ham et al 1994) of diet DM increased ADG by finishing cattle.…”