Effects of distillers’ dried grains with solubles from corn, wheat or a 50:50 corn:wheat blend on performance, carcass characteristics and serum sulphate levels of feedlot steers

Amat, S., Hendrick, S., McAllister, T. A., Block, H. C. and McKinnon, J. J. 2012. Effects of distillers’ dried grains with solubles from corn, wheat or a 50:50 corn:wheat blend on performance, carcass characteristics and serum sulphate levels of feedlot steers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 343–351. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of corn (CDDGS), wheat (WDDGS) or a 50:50 corn:wheat blend (BDDGS) dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS) on performance (Trials 1 and 2), carcass traits (Trial 2) and serum sulphate level (Trial 2) of steers. In Trial 1, 396 steers (281.1±19.6 kg) were fed one of three backgrounding diets. The control diet was 34.3% barley grain, 26.0% grass hay, 10.3% barley straw, 22.8% barley silage and 6.7% supplement [dry matter (DM) basis]. For the two treatments, 17% of the barley was replaced with CDDGS or WDDGS. In Trial 2, 288 steers (273.9±18.5 kg) were backgrounded and finished. Backgrounding diets were identical to Trial 1, with a third treatment where 17% of the barley grain was replaced with BDDGS. The control finishing diet was 86.8% barley grain, 7.4% barley silage and 5.8% supplement (DM basis). Treatments included replacement of 40% of the barley grain (DM basis) with CDDGS, BDDGS or WDDGS. In Trial 1, there was no effect of DDGS on dry matter intake (DMI) (P=0.49), average daily gain (ADG) (P=0.64), feed efficiency (P=0.06), ultrasound fat (USFAT) (P=0.90) or longissimus dorsi (USLD) (P=0.071) area. In Trial 2, overall, DMI of cattle fed WDDGS was higher (P=0.03) than control or CDDGS cattle, with BDDGS intermediate. In contrast, ADG was higher (P<0.01) for the CDDGS and BDDGS than either the control or WDDGS fed cattle. The CDDGS and BDDGS cattle were more efficient (P<0.01) than those fed WDDGS with the controls intermediate. Cattle fed CDDGS or WDDGS exhibited higher (P<0.01) serum sulphate levels compared with BDDGS or control cattle, reflecting differences in sulphur intake. The results indicate that CDDGS is a superior energy source to WDDGS and that both sources of DDGS can be used as a partial replacement for barley in backgrounding and finishing diets for cattle.