Evaluation of Distillers Grains That Have Undergone a Fiber Separation Process on Performance and Carcass Characteristics in Finishing Diets

A 190-d finishing study was conducted using 300 crossbred steers (282 kg; SD=10) to evaluate the feeding value of the distillers grains that have undergone a fiber separation process on steer performance and carcass characteristics. Cattle were blocked by BW and assigned randomly within block to pen with 10 steers/pen. Pens were assigned randomly to 1 of 5 treatments with 6 replications/treatment. The treatments included a corn control (CON), traditional wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS; CP=32.2%, NDF=34.0%), traditional dry distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS; CP=29.3%, NDF=31.5%), high protein DDGS (HIPRO; CP=41.3%, NDF=35.1%), and a mixture of corn fiber and solubles (BRAN+SOL; CP=29.4%, NDF=38.2%). All byproducts were fed at 40% of diet (DM) and replaced a 50:50 blend of high-moisture and dry-rolled corn. All diets included 15% corn silage and supplement. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS as a randomized block design with pen as experimental unit and block as fixed effect. Intakes were not different between treatments (P = 0.62) averaging 9.68 kg/d. Treatment impacted final BW, HCW, ADG, and G:F (P < 0.03). Steers fed BRAN+SOL and HIPRO did not differ in ADG (P = 0.50) but were greater (P < 0.04) than steers fed CON and WDGS. Steers fed CON and WDGS had similar ADG (P = 0.96) but were the lowest (P < 0.05) of all treatments. Steers fed DDGS had ADG intermediate to cattle fed BRAN+SOL and HIPRO or cattle fed CON and WDGS, and not different (P > 0.14) from all treatments. Steers fed BRAN+SOL (0.193) and HIPRO (0.190) did not differ in G:F (P = 0.65) but were greater (P < 0.05) than steers fed CON (0.175) and WDGS (0.179; SEM = 0.004). Steers fed CON and WDGS did not differ in G:F (P = 0.60) but were the lowest (P < 0.05) of all treatments. Steers fed DDGS (0.183) had intermediate efficiency to steers fed BRAN+SOL and HIPRO or steers fed CON and WDGS, and was not different (P > 0.20) from HIPRO, CON, and WDGS. Feeding BRAN+SOL tended to increase (P = 0.09) G:F compared to DDGS. Carcass characteristics other than HCW were not affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.69). The fiber removal process concentrates CP and NDF in the two byproduct feeds. Based on G:F, feeding value of high protein distillers grains is 121% of corn and the isolated bran plus solubles is 126% of corn.