Increased availability of products from the soybean processing industry could provide opportunities for increased utilization of these products within the state of North Dakota as dietary supplements for cattle. This study will determine the feasibility of using pelleted products (cake) manufactured from soybean meal/soyhulls or corn distillers grains as a protein supplement for cattle fed forage-based diets. These products would be more convenient to handle and feed to cattle in grazing conditions or fed mixed diets as to compared to when in meal form. A nutrient utilization and energy balance study will be conducted to determine effects on nutrient and energy digestibility and utilization in cattle fed hay and supplemented with supplements in cake or meal form. Methane emissions and microbiota composition will also be examined to determine how feeding these supplements influences microbial function and greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, results from this research could result in production of value-added feed products that would be convenient and easy to provide as a supplement to cows or calves fed forage-based diets in North Dakota and the region.

Objectives are to determine the effect of supplementation with soybean meal or dried corn distillers grains (DDGS) with solubles as meal or extruded (as cake) on: 1) hay intake, 2) ruminal fermentation, 3) site of nutrient digestion, 4) nutrient excretion, 5) nitrogen and energy balance, 6) enteric methane production, and 7) ruminal microbiota composition in steers.

This project will determine if extruded soybean meal/soybean hulls or corn distillers grains with solubles can be utilized as effective protein supplements to increase nutrient supply and optimize forage utilization in cattle. These extruded products would be easier to handle and feed to grazing cattle or cattle fed forage-based mixed diets than if fed in meal form. Ultimately, this research could result in increasing markets for soybean products from the processing industry to North Dakota beef cattle producers.

This research could result in the development of a more convenient and easy approach for feeding protein and energy supplements to grazing cattle, which in-turn would increase the demand and use of soybean meal and other byproducts for use by cow/calf ranchers or calf backgrounders in North Dakota.