The quantities of by-products from processing wheat, soybeans, and corn are predicted to increase dramatically within a few years. The new method of diet formulation based on minimum potentially fermentable fiber levels and maximum nonstructural carbohydrate levels will provide a rational way to incorporate these ingredients into diets for cattle, sheep, and goats. Diets using these ingredients will improve animal health and productivity. Feeding such diets to specific classes of livestock will enable cattle, sheep, and goat farmers to make more productive use of pastures and forages that provide the basis of livestock farming in New York.
impact statement issue
Grains and their by-products often are more economical than forage to feed to young, growing ruminants. Frequently, there are years when preserved forages are so expensive that concentrate feeds are a comparatively economical source of nutrients for breeding and lactating animals; however, the feeding of concentrates can result in metabolic disturbances that lead to acidosis and a reduction in feed intake. These metabolic disturbances can be eliminated by including a minimum dietary concentration of fermentable fiber. Many grain by-product ingredients, such as soy hulls, dried distiller's grains, and wheat midds, offer the opportunity to increase the concentration of fermentable fiber, so that concentrate feeds can better replace a large portion of the forage in ruminant diets.
impact statement response
Experimental results have shown that ingredient composition, primarily fermentable fiber level, alters maximum dry matter intake. In response, a new concept was developed to balance diets for the carbohydrate fractions (potentially fermentable fiber and nonstructural carbohydrates) that provide energy, rather than balancing on energy values. Based on concepts taken from the scientific literature, fermentable fiber values were assigned to feed ingredients, and minimum fermentable fiber levels and maximum nonstructural carbohydrate levels were suggested for several classes of cattle, sheep, and goats. A diet formulation software tool was developed to implement these recommendations. Diets formulated for several commercial cattle, sheep, and goat farms resulted in healthier animals and improved feed intake and production.
Recent work has shown that digestibility of the fiber in by-product ingredients can decline much more rapidly than expected for animals that consume high daily quantities of feed. We have revised our recommendations about feeding byproduct ingredients based on these new studies.
impact statement summary
Feeding grains and their by-products to young, growing ruminants and, under certain conditions, to breeding and lactating animals is often more economical than it is to feed forage. Experimental results have shown, however, that the ingredient composition of grains and their by-products, primarily their fermentable fiber level, alters maximum dry matter intake. Low levels of fermentable fiber lead to metabolic disturbances. In response to these findings, a new concept was developed to balance diets for the carbohydrate fractions (fermentable fiber and nonstructural carbohydrates) that provide energy, rather than balancing on energy values, per se.
Fermentable fiber values were assigned to feed ingredients, and minimum fermentable fiber levels and maximum nonstructural carbohydrate levels were suggested for several classes of cattle, sheep, and goats. A diet formulation software tool was developed to implement these recommendations. Diets formulated for several commercial cattle, sheep, and goat farms resulted in healthier animals and improved feed intake and production.
The new method of diet formulation provides a rational way to incorporate the projected large increases of by-product ingredients from ethanol production into diets for cattle, sheep, and goats. Diets using these ingredients will improve animal health and productivity. Feeding such diets to specific classes of non-grazing livestock will enable farmers to make more productive use of pastures and forages that provide the basis of livestock farming in New York.
