1) Research data on changes in blood NEFA and glucose concentrations in beef cows fed diets containing soybean hulls.
2) Research data on calf performance of calves resulting from cows fed soybean hulls on a long-term basis.
3) Publication and presentation of results at scientific meeting.
4) Presentation of research to local constituents at field days and other events.

Update:

View uploaded report

Use of soybean hulls in rations for drylot beef cows

Bryan Neville, Animal Scientist, Carrington REC


Goals/Objectives:
The purpose of this project was to evaluate feeding options including soybean hulls for the management of drylot cow/calf pairs.
Our specific objectives included:
1) To evaluate performance of beef cows fed either soybean hull-based rations or corn/corn silage-based rations under drylot management throughout an entire production cycle.
2) To evaluate milk production and quality during lactation and performance of beef calves resulting from cows fed either soybean hull- or corn/corn silage-based rations under drylot management.
3) To provide a demonstration of feeding soybean hull-based rations to beef cows under drylot management.

Results:
At the initiation of the project cows were sorted in to pens and placed on respective treatments. Rations were developed for lactation, mid-gestation, and late gestation. Soybean hulls were included at a rate of 26-27% replacing portions of corn silage, straw, and MDGS in the diet. There were no differences in cow performance during this study due to dietary treatment. Concentrations of NEFA and glucose were not affected by treatment. Colostrum protein content tended to be greater in control cows compared with soybean hull cows. Calf birth weights, weaning weight, and carcass ultrasound measurements were largely unaffected by the inclusion of soybean hulls in the diet. Similarities between treatments were expected as diets were formulated to contain similar NEm fed between treatments throughout the study.

Presentations/Deliverables:
1) 2020 Carrington REC Virtual Field Day Presentation.
2) Data presented at National American Society of Animal Science Meetings.
3) A manuscript detailing results of this project has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Key Benefits for Producers:
The lack of differences in dam performance could likely be caused by meeting energy and protein demands throughout gestation with the use of soybean hulls. This is not unexpected as nutrient composition between the control and soybean hull diets were similar. Jointly the present and previous data appear to indicate that soybean hulls can be used effectively in beef cow diets at rates up to 27% of dietary DM. More research is necessary to measure dam performance at various soybean hull inclusion rates to define the use of soybean hulls in drylot beef cow diets.