MANHATTAN, Kan. — Some cattlemen may find it challenging to find adequate supplies of distillers grains as ethanol plants have either slowed or suspended production during reduced demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“One thing we like about distillers is it has been a lower cost protein supplement, and it also offers a pretty high amount of energy, so it’s a dual-purpose type of feed,” said Jaymelynn Farney, beef systems specialist at Kansas State University Extension.
“There are a lot of commodities that can replace it,” Farney said during a Troubleshooting Uncertain Times in the Beef Industry webinar hosted by Kansas State University.
“You will be making your decisions on protein sources based on discussions with your nutritionist,” she said. “You always want to evaluate the commodities you have and cost on a per pound for protein or for energy on a dry matter basis.”
Farney provided a couple of examples of feedstuffs that can replace distillers grain including corn gluten or whole soybeans.
“For crude protein relative to distillers, for every 1 pound of distillers, you should feed 1.2 pounds of corn gluten feed,” she said. “For whole soybeans, feed 0.7 pounds to replace 1 pound of distillers grains.”
Extruded soybean meal, Farney said, offers a similar amount of protein as soybean meal along with a little extra fat.
“Make sure especially with whole soybeans that are very high in fat that the inclusion levels are appropriate,” she said.
Alfalfa can be an alternative protein to replace distillers grains.
Essential Nutrients
“One of the biggest challenges is the crude protein can be quite variable from 14% to 25%,” said Justin Waggoner, beef systems specialist at Kansas State University Extension. “And alfalfa will dry out the ration.”
Alfalfa is not a one to one substitution for distillers grains, Waggoner said.
“You need to take in account the energy factor, as well, so it will be difficult to meet 100% of the protein need without some degree of energy dilution in the ration,” Waggoner said.
“Urea is the most common source of non-protein nitrogen, and it contains 42 to 45% nitrogen,” he said. “Urea is rapidly converted to ammonia in the rumen, so we need to be careful on how we utilize the product.”
Inclusion levels can be from 0.5% to 1% of the total diet on a dry matter basis, Waggoner said.
“Limit the use of urea in lightweight cattle at the 0.5% range,” Waggoner said.
“Urea should always be included via a premix to facilitate mixing,” he said. “It should not be topdressed on a ration.”
As cattlemen evaluate different feedstuffs for rations, Waggoner said, there is going to be a wide variation in availability by region. In addition to cost, he said, evaluate management and logistical factors.
Chain Of Events
“This virus is having cascading impacts in terms of market disruptions at meat processing plants, extended feedlot delivery dates, shortage of pen space in feedyards and backlog of feeder cattle,” said Dale Blasi, beef cattle specialist at Kansas State University Extension.
It is important to know the average weight of calves, Blasi said, to develop a marketing strategy.
“If you’re going to take calves to pasture, it will cost you about $90 per head for a 90-day grazing period,” he said.
Another option is to put calves in a drylot for cattlemen who have home-raised hay or silage available.
“You need a good estimate of the existing inventory of home-raised forages and a good representative of the nutrient analysis of the feeds so you can do a good job of projecting performance on the calves,” Blasi said.
Limit feeding calves can reduce the cost of gain from 27% to 29%, Blasi said.
“You need to adapt calves to limit feeding for one to two weeks with mostly corn as the energy source,” Blasi said.
“Limit feeding requires two times a day feeding with a two-hour interval between the feedings to allow the more timid calves an opportunity to have a fair share of the bunk,” he said. “Bunk space is essential because you have to have adequate space to allow all calves to obtain the feed at once when it is presented.”
If a cattleman is using drier roughages in the ration, Blasi said, it is important to accommodate for increased mixing time and also be careful of potential mixer overload.
“As the energy content in the feed increase, the ruminal pH goes lower,” Blasi said. “Corn is highly digestible so be careful you don’t create sub acute acidosis.”
“Take stock of your existing situation including your available feedstuffs, equipment and labor,” he said. “Sort your calves by size and evaluate your marketing options.”
For more information about beef management strategies, go to www.KSUbeef.org.