Nutritional management plays a key role in maintaining optimum performance and profitability of cattle. A quality nutritional program not only meets nutrient requirements, but also minimizes feed cost and maximizes profitability. With proper nutritional management, the use of co-products offers beef producers the opportunity to lower feed costs resulting in better profitability.

ADM Alliance Nutrition has devoted considerable time and resources to analyzing optimal utilization of co-products and development of products and services to optimize their usage in grazing and feedlot cattle diets. Most currently available co-products are derived from the ethanol industry and include corn gluten feed, distillers grains with and without solubles, corn steep liquor, and distillers solubles.

 Corn Gluten Feed:

• Available in dry or wet forms

• Feeding value during the finishing phase varies depending on form (wet versus dry)

• Energy value ranges between 95 to 100% of corn

• Inclusion rate for wet corn gluten feed:

  • < 50% of the diet for dry-rolled corn diets

  • < 30% for steam-flaked-based diets

• Inclusion rate for dry corn gluten feed should not exceed 25% of the diet

Distillers Grains and Distillers Grains with Solubles:

• Optimal dietary inclusion rate is up to 30%

• Energy value ranges between 95 and 110% of corn

Corn Steep Liquor and Distillers Solubles:

• Corn steep liquor contains 50% dry matter and 1.5% fat

• Distillers solubles contain 33% dry matter and 10% fat

• Inclusion rate should not exceed 15% of the diet

• Energy value ranges between 95 and 105% of corn for steep liquor and 100-110% for distillers solubles

Specifically Formulated Nutritional Supplements for Balancing Co-Product Diets

53336AAA ADM Alliance Nutrition Range CBP Power Mineral
Designed to be fed free-choice to grazing cattle being supplemented co-products. It can also be mixed or top-dressed with a co-product. Thiamine and elevated copper in the mineral helps overcome nutritional challenges associated with feeding some co-products.

53495AAA ADM Alliance Nutrition Co-Product Balancer 0.5
Designed to be mixed into high-grain, confined cattle rations at 0.5 lb/hd/day. It is for use in diets high in co-products when additional protein is not needed. Thiamine and elevated copper in this product help overcome nutritional challenges associated with feeding some co-products.

53496AAA ADM Alliance Nutrition Co-Product Balancer 1.0
Designed to be feed at 1 lb/hd/day to cattle in confinement fed high-grain rations. It is formulated for use in diets that require additional crude protein, especially degradable intake protein. The thiamine and trace minerals levels address the nutritional challenges of feeding co-products.

53497AAA ADM Alliance Nutrition AminoGain® Co-Product Grower
Designed to be mixed into the ration and fed at the rate of 1 lb/hd/day to growing confined cattle consuming co-products. Formulated to meet the amino acid requirements of growing cattle consuming diets containing co-products.

AminoGain Performance: The effects of the AminoGain technology (incorporated into this product) on the performance of growing crossbred steer is summarized in Table 1. Fortification (AminoGain) of the feedlot supplement resulted in improved performance. Calves fed the AminoGain diet had 9.9% greater ADG and 8.9% improved feed efficiency. Feed cost of gain was reduced by $1.31/cwt. This decease in feed cost of gain resulted in an increased profitability of around $4/head during the growing period.

 

Table 1  Effect of AminoGain Technology on Growth Performance of Growing Feedlot Cattle
	ADG, lb/day	DMI lb/day	F/G
Control	1.52	22.44	6.71
AminoGain	1.67	22.57	6.14

 

Typical Nutrient Analysis of ADM Alliance Nutrition’s Co-Product Supplements
	53336AAA Range CBP Power Mineral	53495AAA Co-Product Balancer 0.5	53496AAA Co-Product Balancer 1.0	53497AAA AminoGain Co-Product Grower
CP, %		4.00	40.00	40.00
NPN, % CPE			27.00
RUP, %			2.29	25.06
Calcium, %	22.50	28.50	11.00	8.50
Phosphorus, %	2.20	0.16	0.40	0.50
Copper, ppm	2000	275	130	130
Zinc, ppm	4800	1000	500	500
Vit. A, IU/lb	120,000	60,000	30,000	30,000
Vit. E, IU/lb	270	90	45	45
Thiamine	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

To get the most out of the co-product advantage, high-quality, specifically formulated ADM Alliance Nutrition Co-Product Supplements are needed to realize better profitability from lower cost of gain.