Corn Distiller's Grains with Solubles Derived from a Traditional or Partial Fractionation Process: Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Finishing Feedlot Heifer

¹ Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506
² Poet Energy, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jdrouill{at}ksu.edu.

	Abstract

Six hundred ten crossbred-yearling heifers (347 ± 5 kg initial BW) were obtained and used in a randomized complete-block design finishing study. Finishing diets were based on steam-flaked corn and ground alfalfa hay. The control (CONT) treatment contained no distiller's grains with solubles (DGS), the second diet was formulated to contained 13% (DM basis) dried corn DGS derived from a traditional dry-grind ethanol process (TRAD), and the third diet was formulated to contained 13% (DM basis) dried corn DGS derived from a partial fractionation dry-grind process (FRAC). Dry matter intake, ADG, and gain efficiency were not different (P 0.48) for yearling heifers fed CONT when compared to heifers fed DGS. Heifers fed TRAD consumed more (P = 0.01) feed than heifers fed FRAC. However, ADG and feed efficiency were not different (P 0.07) for heifers fed DGS. Moderate inclusion levels of DGS in finishing flaked corn diets yielded satisfactory performance. Growth performance was not different for heifers fed distiller's grains with solubles originating from either ethanol processing method.

Key Words: distiller's Grains, partial fractionation, feedlot, heifers