Energy Feedstuffs
An Sci 320
Table 1. Estimates of origin and early cultivation of
cereals1
1 Source-McGee, 1984
CEREAL
Wheat
Barley
Rice
Maize
Millet
Sorghum
Rye
Oats
Triticale
TIME
7 000 BC
7 000 BC
4 500 BC
4 500 B.C
4 000 BC.
4 000 BC
400 BC
100 AD
1930 A.D.
LOCATION
Near East
Near East
Asia
Central America
Africa
Africa
Europe
Europe
USSR, Europe
Highlighted account for 70% of all feedstuffs fed to livestock
Energy Feeds Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
Less than 20% protein
Less than 18% crude fiber
Less than 35% cell wall
Often deficient in lysine and tryptophan
High in energy (TDN or NE)
• >70% TDN
• Energy from
• Readily available carbohydrates (sugars, starches)
• Fats, oils
• Low in calcium
• Moderate in phosphorus
• Composition less variable than roughages
High-Energy Feedstuffs
• Purpose of high energy feedstuffs in rations
– To provide dietary energy
– To increase energy density
– Provide substantial concentrations of additional
nutrients: amino acids, minerals, vitamins
– Increase palatability
• What species are consuming them
–
–
–
–
Poultry (33%)
Hogs (27%)
Beef cattle (24%)
Dairy cows (11%)
High Energy Feedstuffs
• Typically added to rations in high concentrations for
animals that are being rapidly grown or finished
• Can provide additional energy for higher energy
requirements: show, reproduction, lactation, exercise
• Long term management of animals (horses, exotic
hoofstock, etc…) should have lower concentrations
of high energy feedstuffs
– Health concerns such as obesity, laminitis,
acidosis if too much
– May be useful for animals not adapted for
cold climates
Examples of High Energy Feedstuffs
• Cereal Grains
– Corn, oats, barley, rye and wheat
• Sorghums
– Kafir, milo, hybrids
• Byproduct feeds
– Brans, midlings, shorts, mill run, cobs, molasses,
citrus pulp by-products, beet pulp, bakery waste
• Others
– Fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers, potatoes, fats and
oils
CEREAL GRAINS
• Cereal grains are produced by plants of the
grass family (Gramineae) grown primarily for
their seeds.
– They provide tremendous tonnages of harvested
grains for animal feed and human food.
• World coarse cereal grain production increased
by 35% from 1992 to 2011.
– 3-fold increase in price per bushel during that time
•
•
•
•
Corn: $2.07 - $6.15
Sorghum: $1.89 - $6.05
Barley: $2.04 - $5.35
Oats: $1.32 - $3.49
CEREAL GRAINS
• Corn used for human consumption; however,
the majority used for feed (45%) ethanol (30%).
• Wheat and rice are grown primarily for human
consumption.
– Moderate amounts of wheat used as animal feed.
• Barley & oats are becoming less important, as
they do not usually yield as well as other grains.
OTHER CEREAL GRAINS
• Millet and Rye = find only limited use in North
America, although they are more widely used in
Europe and Asia.
• Sorghum is primarily used as an animal feed
in the United States.
• A wheat-rye cross, triticale, is grown in limited
amounts for feed.
Nutrient Content of Cereal Grains
• Differences in nutrient contents among different
varieties of a cereal grain are relatively small,
and identifying them on the basis of their
chemical composition would be difficult.
• Factors such as soil fertility, fertilization, variety,
planting density, weather, pests, and disease all
affect crop production.
Name
IFN #
DM, %
CP, %
EE, %
CF, %
TDN, cttl
Oats
4-03-309
89.2
13.3
5.2
12.0
77.3
Barley
4-00-549
88.6
13.0
2.7
2.0
83.2
Sorghum
4-04-444
88.5
11.3
3.2
2.5
84.8
Wheat
4-05-211
89.0
14.7
2.0
2.8
88.3
Corn
4-02-935
88.0
10.4
4.1
2.5
88.7
Nutrient Content of Cereal Grains
• Most cereal grains are low in protein (Less than 15%)
– Most are deficient in lysine, tryptophan (monogastrics) &
threonine and methionine for poultry.
• The fat content in cereal grains may vary greatly,
ranging from less than 1% up to nearly 10%.
– Most of the fat is found in the seed embryo.
– Increases with grain maturity or variety (high oil corn)
– Fatty acids in high concentrations:
• Palmitic acid
• Linoleic acid
• Oleic acid
Dent Kernal Corn
Cross Section
•
Outer hull
• High fiber (structural carbohydrates)
• Bran
• High fiber, protein
• Endosperm
• High in starch, sugars
(non structural carbohydrates)
• 85% of the seed/kernal
• Germ
• Protein, fat, vitamins
Courtesy of USDA.
Nutrient Content of Cereal Grains
• Starch = long polymers made of glucose
subunits connected by alpha linkage.
– Amylose
– Amylopectin
• Other carbohydrates in grains include sugars &
oligosaccharides.
• Cellulose is the principal constituent of the cell
wall of the kernel and the hulls.
Nutrient Content of Cereal Grains
• Hulls of seeds have a substantial effect on
feeding value.
– Because of their heavy hulls, barley and oats
are sometimes known as rough grains.
– Rice hulls are almost totally indigestible because
of their very high silica content.
– Hulls can be valuable fiber additions to exotic and pet
diets.
• Cereal grains are generally highly digestible,
although the extent varies with species & grain
quality.
Corn
Corn
• 92% of all US feed grains produced.
• 65% of all US feedstuffs consumed.
• Corn is usually referred to as maize in countries outside
North America.
• Corn will produce more digestible energy per unit of land
than any other grain crop.
• It is a very digestible, highly palatable feed.
• Corn is commonly classified into seven groups based on
kernel characteristics and starch content:
• Dent; Flint; Flour; Sweet; Pop; Waxy; Pod.
• Many different hybrids and varieties
Corn
• The chemical composition of corn has been
studied in great detail.
– About 73% of total protein is in endosperm, and most
of the remainder, 24%, is in the embryo.
– The protein in the embryo is made up of a mixture
of glutelin, globulins, albumins, and others.
– This protein is low in several essential amino acids.
– Yellow corn has notable content of cryptoxanthin.
• Carotenoid: precursor of vitamin A.
– Yellow corn also contains xanthophylls,
• Contributes to desirable color in poultry skin & egg yolks.
Corn
• Yellow corn is generally preferred for feeding;
consequently.
– White corn is often used for preparation of corn
meal for human consumption.
• Several genetic mutants of corn with unique
nutritional characteristics have been isolated.
– Opaque-2: high lysine corn
– High oil
– High amylose
– Brown midrib
– Waxy Corn
Grain Sorghum
• Several different sorghum varieties (all Sorghum vulgare) are used
for seed production.
– Milo; Various kafirs; Sorgo; Sumac.
– Hegari; Darso; Feterita; Cane.
• Non-grain types include forage sorghums, Sudan grass, and
broomcorn.
• The various sorghum varieties are able to stand heat and drought
better very well, and are also resistant to pests (root worm and corn
borer)
• Chemical content similar to corn
– Feeding value is almost as good as corn
Barley
• Barley is widely grown in Europe and the cool, dry climates of North
America and Asia.
• Most barley is used for animal feeding. Also for human consumption:
brewing as malt.
– Pearled barley (hull and bran removed) has high feed value but is primarily
used in human foods and petfoods
• More total protein and higher levels of amino acid levels than corn.
• Feeding value for ruminants is lower than corn
– Lower starch
– Higher fiber (typically too high for inclusion in poultry diets)
– Lower digestible energy (will not support
maximum gains or efficiency for swing as the
sole grain source)
Oats
• Oats do not yield as much as the other grains.
• ~85% of the feeding value of corn – primarily due to high fiber hull and
lower starch.
– Good for starter diets
• Oat grouts (without hulls) have comparable or better feeding value than
corn – not cost effective.
• Most of the world production is concentrated in northern Europe and
North America.
– Only about 10% of production goes into human food.
– Three varieties of oats dominate the US market (white, red, gray).
• Oats are relatively deficient in methionine, histidine, tryptophan, and
lysine.
Wheat
• Mostly grown for human consumption.
– Developed for flour milling properties not feed value.
– World tonnage similar to rice.
• Divided into Types (Hard/Soft) and Classes (Winter/Spring)
– Soft = Protein ranges from 8 – 11%
– Hard = Protein ranges from 13 – 16%
• More favorable amino acid profile than corn.
• Very palatable.
• Animals should be adapted to wheat to prevent acidosis
• Research indicates slower gains but often more efficient gains compared
with corn.
Triticale
• Triticale is a cereal grain derived from
crosses between wheat and rye.
– Nutrient content similar to that of hard wheat or rye.
– But not particularly good distribution of amino acids.
• The feeding value is similar for non-ruminant species to
that of wheat.
• With supplemental lysine, some cultivars can be equal to
a corn-soy diet for pigs.
• Feeding value and efficiency for finishing cattle appears
to be lower than that of wheat.
– At present, triticale is not grown widely as a feed grain.
Rye
• Rye is an important bread grain in northern Europe.
– Composition is similar to that of hard wheat.
• Rye is generally less palatable than other cereal grains
• More susceptible to ergot (most common host).
• Studies with poultry indicate rye contains at least two antiquality factors.
– Decrease appetite and growth.
• Rye is considered unpalatable and difficult for ruminants to
masticate in large amounts.
Rice
• Rice is grown in many areas of the world.
– Most varieties of rice are flooded after planting.
– Dryland varieties of rice are grown.
• Rice is always used as a human food grain, and more
than 40,000 types of rice are grown.
– Rice is normally too expensive to use as a feed grain.
– Used widely in petfoods.
• The hulls make up about 25% of the kernel weight and
greatly reduce the energy value.
– Rice hulls are almost totally indigestible.
Millet
• Several types of millet are grown, primarily in
Asia and west Africa, for human food.
– They include a variety of small-grain cereal plants.
• In the U.S. proso (Panicum milliaceum), a plant
resembling sorghum, is sometimes grown for a
feed, with feeding value between oats & corn.
– Others varieties are grown for forage or such
products as birdseed or beer.
– Millet is not an important source of animal feed
(except for seed-eating birds).
Summary of Cereal Grains:
RELATIVE FEEDING VALUES OF CEREAL GRAINS
• Corn is generally used as a standard against
which the others are compared.
– If the relative value of corn is set at 100, the value
of the other grains is usually lower, as a result of lower
digestibility of those grains having higher fiber levels.
• Fat content will impact energy values.
• Differences in utilization of the amylose and
amylopectin in the different grains will affect
energy values.
Relative Feeding Values: NRC
ME
Grain
CP
Ruminants
Swine
Poultry
Corn
100
100
100
100
Barley
124
96.2
88.6
74.5
Millet
118
96.2
89.0
86.5
Milo
114
98.8
96.3
96.7
Oats
122
87.1
80.9
75.0
Triticale
161
96.2
91.2
92.2
Rye
127
96.2
89.3
78.6
Wheat
132
101.5
97.4
94.8
Other Energy Feedstuffs
ROOTS AND TUBERS
• Root crops for feed are used in northern Europe (turnips,
mangolds, swedes, fodder beets, carrots, and parsnips.)
– Frequently dug up and left in the field to be consumed as desired by
animals.
– The bulky nature of these feeds limits use to cattle or sheep.
• Beets and mangolds have high sucrose content
– Ruminants not adapted to beets or mangolds (both Beta vulgaris) are
subject to G.I. distress.
• Turnips can be effectively grazed by ruminants with
supplemental feed.
– Animals quickly learn to pull out the underground root portion.
ROOTS AND TUBERS
Potatoes
• White potatoes (cull or surplus) are often used for
feeding cattle or sheep in areas of commercial
potato production.
– High in digestible energy (dry basis) = primarily starch.
– Potatoes and, particularly, potato sprouts contain a toxic
compound, solanin, which is problematic if fed raw or
ensiled.
• Potato by-products are often more available for
feeding livestock in areas of potato production.
• Used to hold kibble together (starch) during
processing of grain-free petfoods (also use tapioca).
HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE LIQUID FEEDS
Molasses and Similar Liquids
• Molasses is a major by-product of sugar production.
– The major source is sugarcane, but other sources include sugar beets,
citrus fruits, starch, and wood.
– Various molasses types are standardized in terms
of degrees Brix (corresponds to percentage of dry matter).
• Sweet taste of molasses makes it palatable for most species.
– Cost is often attractive as compared with grains.
• Molasses may be dried for mixing into dry diets, although at
appreciably higher costs.
– Cane or blackstrap molasses is utilized widely as a feedstuff,
particularly for ruminants.
HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE LIQUID FEEDS
Liquid Milk By-Products
• Several liquid by-products are associated with
the production of cheese and/or derived from
whey.
– fresh whey, acid whey, condensed whey, and
dehydrated (dried) whey.
• Whey is the liquid fraction of milk remaining after
the curd has been formed in the cheese-making
process.
• Most of the lactose, minerals, and water-soluble
protein present in milk remain in whey.
DRY BY-PRODUCT FEEDS
Beet Pulp
• Beet pulp = residue remaining after sugar is extracted
from sugar beets.
• Most is dried, frequently with beet molasses added
before drying.
– It may be sold in shredded or pelleted form.
– Feeders near processing plants may feed wet pulp.
• Physical texture resembles a roughage, but it is more
digestible (fermentable) than roughages & very
palatable.
• Crude fiber content is high for a concentrate (highly
fermentable)
– Partly because the lignin content is low.
DRY BY-PRODUCT FEEDS
Citrus Pulp and Meal
• Citrus by-products are derived from the residue
resulting from citrus juice processing.
– Residue is shredded or ground, pressed to remove juices,
and dried.
– Dried citrus meal is composed of the finer particles
obtained by screening dried citrus pulp.
• Data on ruminant animals indicate citrus pulp is
relatively palatable, the fiber quite digestible, and
energy value approaches that of some cereals.
– May alter flavor of milk fat products.
DRY BY-PRODUCT FEEDS
Dried Bakery Product
• Dried bakery product is produced from bakery
items past their "consume by" date, and removed
from grocery store shelves.
• Dried bakery waste often variable because of
variation in products.
• Excellent feed because of its highly digestible
energy content (primarily starch), sucrose, and
high-quality fats.
– Well utilized by pigs, a preferred ingredient in starter
rations, and highly favored for lactating dairy cows.
FATS AND OILS
• Most essential fatty acids for animals are
supplied in sufficient amounts from natural
feedstuffs.
• Supplementation often not required except when
low-fat energy feedstuffs are used.
• Fats included in commercial feed formulations,
for several reasons:
– As an unequaled, highly digestible energy source.
– Reduce dustiness.
– Improve palatability.
– Increase digestibility of diet (carnivores including dogs/cats)
– Increase absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.
FATS AND OILS
• Sources:
– Slaughterhouses and rendering facilities – animal fats.
– Restaurant fats.
– Seed and high grade oils are typically too expensive for feed use.
• Considerations:
– They are unstable and rapidly oxidize, producing rancidity.
• Depends on fatty acid composition.
• Need to add antioxidants.
– Must make sure they are free from toxic substances.
– Moisture is a dilutent, and detrimental because it contributes to
instability of the fat.