• Production and Types
• Composition
• Receiving and Handling
• Feeding
• Feed Attributes
  • Benefits for feedlot cattle
  • Concerns for feedlot cattle
  • Feeding distillers’ grains to backgrounding cattle
  • Feeding distillers’ grains to cow-calf
• Canadian Research on DGS

Production and Types

Composition

There is considerable variation in the composition of distillers’ grains. Composition may be partially reflected by whether grain is processed by dry or wet milling before it is fermented. Because starch is almost completely removed in the process to distill ethanol, concentration of other components, except calcium, is enhanced significantly. For example, fat, protein, fibre, phosphorus and sulfur are roughly are three times as concentrated in DDGS than in the original grain.

Steer after consuming 40% corn DDGS diet. Photo credit: Lee-Anne Walter

*Encompasses both wet and dry distillers’ grains

** Corn and wheat distillers’ values from Lethbridge Research Station, University of Saskatchewan and Spiehs et al. Journal of Animal Science (2002) vol. 80, p.2639. Grain values from NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle (2000).

Dietary starch, fibre and protein levels can affect the pH of a ruminant’s digestive tract, which may in turn affect how well various microbes survive and compete in the animal’s rumen, intestine and manure. This can effect animal health and welfare, food safety and feed efficacy. The manner in which DDGS are dried can also affect nutritional value. Due to the various factors (grain type, moisture, solubles, milling and drying) that can influence composition, chemical analyses are recommended before using these by-products to feed beef cattle.

40% Wheat DDGS diet Photo credit: Lee-Anne Walter

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Receiving and Handling

DDGS can be transported and handled as any grain commodity. It is uneconomical to transport WDGS any great distance from a biofuel plant. WDGS may deteriorate quickly in the open. WDGS may be stored for many months with under 10% loss of nutrients if: In a bunker silo (either alone or in combination with wet processed grain or forage) With effective ensiling practice

40% Corn DDGS diet. Photo credit: Lee-Anne Walter

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Feeding

DDGS and WDGS are both very palatable when mixed into a complete feed, or fed as a supplement that is top-dressed onto the base diet.

DDGS and WDGS can be fed without mixing into a ration, preferably from troughs but also off frozen ground, as a forage supplement.

Feed Attributes

DDGS are widely used in feedlot rations throughout North America because it reduces feed costs. The expansion of North America’s ethanol industry has increased feed grain costs and subsequently increased the use of distillers’ grains as livestock feed.

DGs can be a valuable source of dietary protein or energy for cattle, depending how they are fed.

At levels up to 50% of the diet, dry basis, DGS is an excellent source of energy. Once the animals protein requirements have been met, excess dietary protein is used for energy instead.

Due to the high levels of fibre in DGs, there has been interest in using DG in place of dietary roughage. However, the DG fibre particles are too small to effectively maintain proper rumen function and health, and have been associated with increased incidence of rumen acidosis and liver abscesses.

A recent Canadian study found that 10% barley silage in a diet containing wheat DGS was a minimum to prevent a rumen pH drop (increased acidity) in calves fed barley diets supplemented with wheat DGS.

Benefits for feedlot cattle

Corn WDGS enhances feed efficiency of corn-based diets by up to 13% with response proportional to the level in the diet up to 50% (dry basis). Corn DDGS enhances feed efficiency up to 5%, with the maximum response from between 10 and 20% inclusion in the diet.

At dietary inclusion rates up to 20%, wheat DDGS gives similar feed efficiency to a barley-based control. Above 20% inclusion, wheat DDGS has had no effect or caused a slight decline in feed efficiency, by up to 9%.

Concerns for feedlot cattle

Feeding DGS to feedlot cattle does not consistently affect carcass grade and meat quality. However, there are two points worth noting:

• Some studies have shown that DGS inclusion decreases marbling of meat but this is not a consistent finding and it cannot be easily explained.
• Feeding DGS negatively affects meat colour and colour stability of beef in the retail case but significance of this in affecting consumer satisfaction is less clear. This effect of feeding DGS in feedlot diets can be counteracted by providing additional vitamin E.

There have been concerns that using DGS in feedlot diets may increase shedding of E. coli 0157.H7. However,  results have been conflicting and results of some studies, including a recent one in Canada, have not confirmed this finding. Many factors affect shedding of E.coli 0157.H7 by feedlot cattle. With quality control during processing, beef from cattle fed DGS is as safe as beef from cattle fed conventional diets.

Feeding distillers’ grains to backgrounding cattle

DGS is an excellent energy and/or protein feed to use in completely mixed rations for backgrounding cattle for the feedlot. Calves fed forage/barley grain diets in western Canada where wheat DDGS has replaced most of the barley grain have performed equally to calves on the forage/barley control.

DGS can be an ideal supplement for calves grazing summer pasture, stockpiled wheat or other forage in the late fall and early winter before being shipped to the feedlot.

Feeding distillers’ grains to cow-calf

DGS is an excellent energy source for supplementing any type of forage fed to cows and calves. Cows in mid-lactation have been fed as much as 15 kg of WDGS daily. Precautions noted for feedlot cattle regarding P and S must be noted in the feeding of DGS for cow-calf.

Canadian Research on DGS

Extensive research on distillers’ grains has been ongoing in the U.S. for decades. Canadian research work to determine if American results differ under Western Canadian conditions, since most Canadian feedlots are in the Western provinces, and to study the types of grains that are more typically used in finishing diets in Canada.

Recent Canadian research has studied the effects of wheat, barley and oat DGS, regional differences, and effects on nutrient value of manure.

Feedback

Feedback and questions on the content of this page are welcome. Please e-mail us at info [at] beefresearch [dot] ca.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dr. Jock Buchanan-Smith, retired University of Guelph professor and researcher of beef cattle nutrition and management for contributing his time and expertise in writing this page.