OAT MILL BY-PRODUCT AS A ROUGHAGE SOURCE
IN FEEDLOT FINISHING DIETS
C. P. Birkelo1 and J. ~ o u n s b e r y ~
Department of Animal and Range Sciences
One hundred forty-four yearling steers were fed
finishing diets containing either 8% alfalfa hay (8ALF),
8% oat mill by-product (80MB) or no roughage (OR).
Final weight, dry matter intake, feed efficiency and daily
gain were not affected by treatment (P>.I 0). Dressing
percent was .8 and .9 percentage units greater for OR
than BALF or 80MB, respectively (P<.05). OMB has
the potential for decreasing cost of gain in finishing
diets, but lack of a roughage response prevents valid
comparison to alfalfa as a roughage source in this
study.
(Key Words: Oats, By-Product, Roughage, Cattle.)
Introduction
Roughages are generally included in cattle
finishing diets at a level of 5 to 10% of the dry matter or
more. This is done primarily to minimize digestive
disturbances such as acidosis. The most common
roughages used are hays and silages; but, because
roughages are poorly utilized in high concentrate diets,
low quality, high fiber materials can also be used in
many cases without reducing performance. Oat hulls
are one such alternative. Oats have been a important
crop in South Dakota for many years and a portion of
this crop is processed within the state. Oat mill
by-product (OMB) is produced as a result of oat milling
and, as with most by-products, its composition varies,
but it generally consists of at least 80% oat hulls. The
balance is primarily groats. It is higher in fiber than
most conventional roughages, but particle size is small.
Because of its high fiber and low cost, it may be a
reasonable alternative when other roughages are
Its
relatively expensive and/or in short supply.
roughage value in high concentrate diets has not been
investigated, however.
The objective of this study was to determine the
roughage value of unground oat hulls in a high
concentrate finishing diet using OM6 as the source of
the oat hulls.
Materials and Methods
A group of 200 mixed crossbred yearling steers
were vaccinated (IBR, BVD, BRSV, Lepto and 7-way
clostridium), dewormed (Ivermectin), implanted
(Synovex-S) and ear tagged upon arrival at the feedlot.
From these, 144 steers were allotted within weight block
to one of the following treatments: 1) finishing diet
containing 8% ground alfalfa hay (8ALF), 2) finishing
diet containing 8% OMB (80MB) or 3) finishing diet
containing no roughage (OR). There were four pens
per treatment and 12 steers per pen. Initial and final
weights were taken after an overnight shrink off feed
and water. The BALF and 80MB cattle were worked up
to their finishing diets over a 23-day period. OR steers
were allowed an additional 16 days. The finishing diets
are shown in Table 1. The steers were fed for
117 days.
The OMB was purchased locally from an oat
processor and delivered to the feedlot as needed.
Several loads were required to complete the study.
Crude protein content ranged from 3.4% to 8.8% and
neutral detergent fiber from 56.9% to 61.4% of dry
matter. While some plants grind their by-product to
increase bulk density and reduce freight costs,
unground OMB was used in this study because
'~ssistantProfessor.
2~griculturalResearch Technician, Southeast South Dakota Experiment Farm, Beresford.
TABLE 1. COMPOSITION OF FINISHING DIETS CONTAINING 8% ALFALFA (8ALF),
8% OAT MILL BY-PRODUCT (80MB) OR NO ROUGHAGE (OR)
Treatment
Ingredient
8ALF
80M B
OR
% of dry matter
Rolled corn
85.00
Alfalfa hay
8.00
84.40
92.80
8.00
OMB~
Molasses
4.00
4.00
4.00
.14
.18
.I4
1.39
1.03
1.38
Potassium chloride
.36
.53
.36
Trace mineral saltC
.50
.50
.50
Urea
.61
.80
.82
supplementb
Dicalcium phosphate
Limestone
.56
Soybean meal
- -
- -
-
-
a Oat mill by-product.
Contained Rumensin and Tylan to provide 28 glton and 8 glton of diet DM, respectively.
Contained 97% NaCI, .007% 1, .24% Mn, .24% Fe, .05% Mg, .032% Cu, .I 1% Co, .032% Zn and
.5% Ca.
grinding results in very small particle size and would
have likely reduced roughage value.
Daily gains (ADG) were analyzed as a random
design with initial weight:height ratio as a covariate.
Feed dry matter intake (DMI), feed efficiency (FIG) and
carcass data were analyzed as a randomized block
design,
Results and Discussion
-The feedlot performance data are presented in
Table 2. 8ALF and 80MB did not differ in final weight,
ADG, DM1 or FIG during the trial (P>.10). While ADG
for the OR steers averaged .IIb per day less than 8ALF
or 80MB as might be expected, this difference was not
significant (P >.10) and completely disappeared when
expressed as carcass gain per day (2.65, 2.65 and
2.67 Ib per day for 8ALF, 80MB and OR, respectively,
assuming 56% initial dress). It should be noted that
feedlot performance was very good for all treatments,
including OR, in spite of the fact that it contained rolled
corn, a substantial amount of molasses and no
roughage.
Carcass data are presented in Table 3. Only
dressing percent was affected by treatment, with OR .8
and .9 percentage units greater than 8ALF and BOMB,
respectively (P < .05). It is possible that the presence of
roughage in the diet resulted in greater bulk being
retained in the digestive tract, which would in turn
decrease live animal weight retained as carcass weight.
In spite of the fact that these cattle were challenged
with low roughage levels on all treatments, liver abscess
incidence was low, averaging only 3.1% across
treatments. Tylosin was included in the finishing diets
and likely helped control abscess occurrence.
TABLE 2. FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE OF YEARLING STEERS FED FINISHING DIETS
CONTAINING 8% ALFALFA (8ALF), 8% OAT MlLL BY-PRODUCT (80MB)
OR NO ROUGHAGE (OR)
Treatment
ltem
8ALF
80MB
0R
No. steers
47
48
47
Initial weight, Ib
802
808
800
3.6
Final weight, Ib
1234
1242
1221
9.8
Daily gain, Ib
3.69
Dry matter intake, Ib
3.71
22.7
22.3
3.60
22.2
SE
.068
.066
TABLE 3. CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF YEARLING STEERS FED FINISHING DIETS
CONTAINING 8% ALFALFA (8ALF), 8% OAT MlLL BY-PRODUCT (80MB)
OR NO ROUGHAGE (OR)
Treatment
Item
8ALF
Carcass weight, Ib
758
80MB
763
OR
766
Dressing percent
61.5a
61 .4a
62.3b
Fat thickness, in.
.54
.56
.58
Rib eye area, in2
SE
6.7
.22
,023
12.7
13.1
13.0
.21
2.0
2.0
2.1
.05
11.12
11.OO
10.86
188
Yield grade
3.05
3.00
3.1 1
105
Liver abscesses. %
7.1
0
2.3
KPH fat, %
Quality gradeC
a'b Means with different superscripts significant (P<.05).
10 = high select; 11 = low choice.
Diet costs and feed cost of gain were calculated
using feed prices listed in Table 4 and performance
data from Table 1. Based on these assumptions, the
80MB finishing diet cost $3.86 per ton DM less than
when using alfalfa hay as the roughage source or
formulating the ration with no roughage. 80MB had a
$1.82 per cwt advantage in cost of gain over 8ALF.
The major difference for the 80MB ration was in cost of
the roughage. The OMB used in this study cost $15.00
per ton as fed at the plant. At $21.50 per ton delivered,
freight obviously played an important role in
determining the relative value of OMB and being close
to a source would increase its competitiveness. The
economic advantage for using alternative feeds needs
to be evaluated for each operation using appropriate
feed costs and nutrient composition. Assuming no
difference in performance, OMB would need to cost at
least $15.00 per ton less than alfalfa to be competitive
using the feed costs in the example. This could
change substantially, however, if fed at higher levels in
the diet or if the OMB grain content was lower.
The data from this study indicate that even diets
that are likely to cause digestive problems (i.e., the OR
treatment) can be fed and result in acceptable
performance. However, good bunk management is a
must and was probably an important factor in the lack
of a roughage response in this study. When some
roughage is necessary to maintain feed intake,
including unground oat hulls from OM6 in finishing
diets can at least in some cases, reduce cost of gain
while maintaining performance comparable to diets
containing ground alfalfa hay. Effectiveness of oat hulls
in OMB as a roughage source in more difficult
circumstances (i.e., poor bunk management, etc.) can
not be determined from this study.
TABLE 4. DIET AND GAIN COSTS FOR FINISHING DIETS CONTAINING
8% ALFALFA (8ALF), 8% OAT MILL BY-PRODUCT (80MB)
OR NO ROUGHAGE (OR)
Treatment
Diet cost, $ per ton D M ~
93.58
89.72
93.58
Feed cost of gain, $ per cwt live gain
28.78
26.96
28.96
a Assumes the following feed costs (as fed basis): rolled corn, $2.20/bushel; ground alfalfa hay,
$80.00/ton; OMB, $21.50/ton ($15.00Iton at the plant + 50 mile delivery); molasses, $lOO.OO/ton;
supplements, 8ALF, $130.85/ton, 80MB, $1 58.57/ton, OR, $141. l O/ton.