As a frequent feature in the Forage and Livestock eNews, "Spotlight on Our Sponsors" will highlight information provided by a Saskatchewan Forage Council sponsor.  The Saskatchewan Forage Council acknowledges the support of our sponsors, without whom publications such as this e-newsletter, would not be possible!

 

 

Viterra offers the best forage warranty in the industry! Sign up for the 50% forage re-plant guarantee by March 31, 2009 and seed your forage stand with confidence.  Mother Nature's Guarantee!!  No purchase required to sign-up.  Be sure to ask about available discounts on forage seed bookings as well. 
 
For more information on the forage re-plant guarantee or on Viterra's forage seed line, please contact:

Shawn Keyowski, Technical Forage Marketing Representative

 

Amanda Van De Kerckhove, Graduate Student, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Bart Lardner, Senior Scientist, Western Beef Development
 
Efforts to lower production costs have lead to the increased use of low quality forages in beef cow diets. These types of forages, which are characterized by high fibre and low protein content, require supplementation in order to meet cow requirements, especially during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. With expansion in the North American ethanol industry, there is an increasing supply of the distiller's co-products. Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), the most common co-product, has potential as a supplement for beef cows consuming low quality forages. DDGS are nutritionally dense and high in crude protein.  DDGS are also considered high in energy due to their highly digestible fibre and high fat content.
 
To compare DDGS to traditional protein and energy supplements, two experiments took place at the Western Beef Development Centre's Termuende Research Ranch.  Experiment 1 managed the cows on stockpiled crested wheatgrass pasture in the fall, while experiment 2 managed the cows in an extensive barley straw-chaff wintering system.  In addition to the field work, metabolic trials at the University of Saskatchewan's Livestock Research Barn looked at the effects on forage intake and digestibility as a result of DDGS supplementation.
 
Results from the first year of both experiments are in.  In experiment 1, while body weight change and condition score were not significantly different, cows supplemented with DDGS or a commercial range pellet gained 34 lbs and 26 lbs respectively, versus unsupplemented cows who gained only 12 lbs over a 35 day period grazing stockpiled crested wheatgrass.  Experiment 2 looked at cows wintering on barley straw-chaff piles.  Cow supplemented with DDGS or DDGS and rolled barley gained 26 lbs and 17 lbs respectively over a 46 day period.  Cow supplemented with only rolled barley, lost 5 lbs over the same period. 

 

These preliminary results suggest that there are no adverse effects on animal performance when wheat DDGS are used as a supplement for beef cows grazing low quality roughages and depending on the cost of this by-product, may be a viable alternative supplement for beef cows. 

For more information on this project, please contact Dr. Bart Lardner at the Western Beef Developemnt Centre (306) 682-3139 or blardner.wbdc@pami.ca.