Alternative Feeds for Beef Cattle

Dr. Matt Poore

Extension Ruminant Nutritionist

North Carolina State University

Forages are themost efficient feed we have for growing cattle, or cow/calf! Alternative feedsshould supplementa good forage program

What is an Alternative Feed?

A non-traditional source of energy or protein generally to reduce feed cost

NCBA SPA database indicates that feed accounts for over 50% of total costs, in 1992 total cow cost was $390 and feed was $185

Two Basic Types of Byproduct-Based Backgrounding Programs

Small cow/calf producers backgrounding calves after weaning, or producers with small numbers of stockers Forage-Based Programs Single Commodity Supplementation Programs

Mid to large sized commercial backgrounders Feedlot Programs with Total Mixed Rations Commodity Sheds with Complex Blends of

Byproducts

Example of how an alternative feed can impact feed cost

Example. Compare feeding a 14% CP commercial supplement to soybean hulls Commercial concentrate at $150/ton, soybean hulls at $85/ton, mineral at

$500/ton, hay at $60/ton. 84 day feeding, 2.18 lb/day gain Gain valued at $.50/lb Actual data from UMRS, Laurel Springs

Influence of Concentrate Source (6 lb/d) on Performance of Stocker Calves1

Item Corn/SBM Comm 14% Soyhulls Midds

ADG, lbs 2.33 2.17 2.19 2.31

Hay, lb/d 18.8 18.0 17.2 16.9

1 Calves were fed for 84 days on hay and 6 lb of concentrate at the Upper Mountain Research Station, Laurel Springs, NC

Feed Costs for Backgrounding Cattle Fed Soybean Hulls or a Commercial Concentrate

Feed amounts Comm Soyhulls

6 lb concentrate $.45 $.26

17.5 lb hay $.53 $.53

.25 lb mineral $.06 $.06

Total $/day $1.04 $.85

Total $/84 days $87.36 $71.40

Gross Return $92.40 $92.40

Return over Feed $ 5 $ 21

Classification of Alternative Feeds Co-products

Have attained primary ingredient value. Soybean meal, cottonseed meal.

Byproducts Great potential. Some factors may limit their use. Underutilized. Soybean hulls, corn

gluten feed.

Waste products Certain factors greatly limit their usefulness. Broiler litter, cotton waste, potato waste.

Factors Affecting Usefulness of Alternative Feeds

Moisture Content Nutrient Density Local Availability Seasonal Availability Limited Inclusion Rate Handling/Processing/Storage Health Side Effects Public Perception

Common Alternative Feeds in NC Soybean Hulls - Seed coat, high in digestible fiber, good source of energy and protein Wheat Middlings - Byproduct of flour production, good source of energy and protein Corn Gluten Feed - Wet is better than dry, results with dry are sometimes disappointing Whole Cottonseed - Good source of energy (fat) and protein, Gossypol limits use rate Grain Screenings - Quite variable, may contain mycotoxins and weed seeds Recycled Poultry Bedding (RPB) - Formerly known as “litter”. Low in energy, high in CP

(1/2 from NPN) and minerals

Example of a Mixed Byproduct Backgrounding Ration1

Ingredient % AsFed

% DryMatter

Cottonseed Hulls 23.5 26.3Wheat Middlings 9.0 10.0Soybean Hulls 9.0 10.0Corn Screenings 14.0 15.7Cookie Meal 13.5 15.1Cottonseed Meal 11.0 12.3Brewer’s Cond Sol 18.0 10.3Supplement 2.0 2.2

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___________________________________1 This diet has consistently given 2.5 to 2.9 ADG over 56 days

Simple shed for storing byproduct commodities

Many studies at NCSU and elsewhere have shown thatsoybean hulls, wheat middlings and corn gluten feed are equal or nearly equal to corn and soybean meal,or commercial feeds, when fed at 4-6 lbs/head daily,along with pasture or hay and a good mineral.

Recently we havebeen working withself-feeding programsutilizing byproducts.Soybean hulls seem very well suited to thisuse. Growing cattle will eat 10-18 lb of soybean hulls out of a self-feeder plus hay orpasture, and will gain between 2 and 3 lbs/day

Whole Cottonseed is a Great Supplement for Brood Cows

Whole cottonseed is very economical when purchased in October and November in North Carolina

The high level of protein and fat make it an ideal brood cow supplement

It can be fed off the sod, in bunks or on unrolled hay

Feeding cottonseed (or any fat source) before calving for 30-60 days improves calf vigor and cow reproduction

Cautions When Feeding Whole Cottonseed

Observe daily feeding limits. Cows 0.5% of body weight (6 lbs for a 1200 lb cow) Calves 0.33% of body weight (2 lbs for a 600 lb calf)

Spread out so all can eat at once Don’t feed to bulls except when they are with cows

during the breeding season (because of the toxin gossypol).

Feed every other day to brood cows works, but not more than 10 lb/cow/feeding

Storing Whole Cottonseed

Store under an open shed Don’t cover with plastic because it will

sweat Don’t put it on plastic either. Concrete is

ideal, but if floor of shed is dirt, then put down a layer of hay or straw.

If kept dry it will last at least one year in storage. Carrying over from one year to the next seems to work ok.

Any shed where you can back in a tractor trailer is a potential place to store whole cottonseed or other byproduct feed

Cottonseed can be fed out of bunks, off sod, oras shown here on top ofhay that has been unrolled

Safety of RPB? Is It An Issue?

Animal health issues Copper toxicity Hardware Salmonella and other pathogens?

Public concerns Heavy metals in food supply Potential for pathogen contamination of meat supply Others?

Over the many years broiler litter has been fed there have been few if any incidents that warrant banning RPB as a feed ingredient

Influence of RPB Stacking Method on Performance and Salmonella Shedding in

Beef Calves Calves were fed a control ration or RPB-based diets with or without

monensin RPB was from houses that tested positive for Salmonella Stacking was either deep (normal heat) or shallow (insufficient heat) Backgrounding diets fed for 84 days, then cattle were finished Fecal samples were taken every 2 weeks up until slaughter

Conclusions RPB was Salmonella positive at cleanout and when it arrived at the

research station, but was negative after stacking by either method Deep-stacking RPB improved gain and intake No Salmonella shedding was found throughout the backgrounding and

finishing phase RPB had no negative impact on finishing performance or carcass

characteristics

Future Work with Alternative Feeds

Further determination of the realized value of underutilized byproducts, and developing strategies to get more out of poorly performing products

Manufacturing value-added ingredients from various waste and byproducts common in the region

Improving public acceptance, especially of waste products as feed ingredients

Summary

Alternative feeds have great potential to reduce feed costs for producers in the Mid-Atlantic region

Increased management is almost always necessary to make alternative feed programs work

Byproducts can be used in very simple, one ingredient applications or in complex multi-ingredient rations