Best feed mix for mainly a DDG feed

[WoodwardAngus]

Sorry if this topic has already been started somewhere else, and if my post is scatterbrained or nieve. My Granddad and Uncle have been considering using DDG in a mix as a replacement for the more expensive cake pellets they have been feeding. We are looking to feed 200 head of 8-900 pound angus calves coming off of wheat, as a maintenance feed, not for finishing. They will be pastured on a pasture that has been heavily grazed and fed grass hay roundbales as necessary. We need to know what a good mix of other inputs is best for a situation like this, when the cost is the main concern. We are also concerned about how well the mix will flow, as we will be augering the mix out of either an angular silo or the semi-truck we haul with, into cakers on the back of our trucks. I understand that the DDG we will be using has a high protien content, I don't know whether the DDG is with or without solubles. My pa and Uncle were thinking of mixing in 1/8th rolled corn and 1/8th alfalfa. The corn for the flowability and I don't know why the alfalfa. has anybody had to come up with a custom mix with DDG? Does the DDG have enough nutrients that we could use the rolled corn and a filler to save on cost? What are the most necessary supplementary minerals and is there a danger of having too much of a certain type of mineral. It sounds like to me that the feed supplier has a wide variety of other feeds and fillers that we can choose from. Any wisdom and experience would be much appreciated. If it makes a difference we are located in north-western Oklahoma.

Aaron

 

[TexasBred]

You could always mix corn with the DDG...3:1 would work and use the hay as your filler (pretty good quality filler). Adding anything as a filler that has no real nutritional value is a total waste. Since you're only wanting to maintain them just limit the amount of the grain ration and give them all they hay they want.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Aaron

I feed 40%ddg/60% soyhulls plus free choice hay to stocker calves. It flows pretty well out of overhead hopper bin. With this particular ration, calcium is the only mineral that shows deficient.

Here's a link to a OSU ration spreadsheet that will figure rations and tell you what minerals are needed, adg, conversion, etc:

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/software/

I use the 3rd one from the top (osunrc2002.xls). You probably should download the instructions also.

hope this is helpful.

 

[TexasBred]

TPP that's a lot an awful lot of protein. Feeding some low quality hay? The corn/ddg mix I gave him should dollar out well and give about a lb. per head per day gain if you feed about 8 lbs. along with the free choice hay. More energy for mainentance and gain.

Aaron do you folks have hominy feed in your neck of the woods??

 

[Stocker Steve]

TPP that's a lot an awful lot of protein. Feeding some low quality hay?

I fed DDG with straw to cows. Seemed to work OK.
I fed DDG with hay to stockers. Too much protein.
I think there was a reason the old timers fed alfalfa hay and corn grain.

 

[TexasBred]

Steve there are times when straw if the best think you can add to the ration. Mixing with ddg would be one of them.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Steve there are times when straw if the best think you can add to the ration. Mixing with ddg would be one of them.

Spoke to a Nebraska rancher last night. He said the local ethanol plants have ruined their alfalfa hay market. Now folks just buy "junk hay or straw" and add distillers.

I like to winter pairs on good grass hay but it is hard to find.

 

[vclavin]

I must be the only one that doesn't use ddg's. TB, I understood the DDG's were partly responsible or the ecoli breaks in feedlots - true?
Anyway, I use the corn gluten due to better marbling ability.
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

I must be the only one that doesn't use ddg's. TB, I understood the DDG's were partly responsible or the ecoli breaks in feedlots - true?
Anyway, I use the corn gluten due to better marbling ability.
Valerie

E coli bacteria are always present at some level. Some tests have shown that the numbers can be higher in animals fed a diet containing DDG...don't know if it was involved or responsible for any outbreaks in feedlots or not....probably really hard to isolate the culprit in a feedlot situation anyway. Nothing wrong with corn gluten feed but day in and day out DDG is a much higher quality product.

 

[vclavin]

I must be the only one that doesn't use ddg's. TB, I understood the DDG's were partly responsible or the ecoli breaks in feedlots - true?
Anyway, I use the corn gluten due to better marbling ability.
Valerie

E coli bacteria are always present at some level. Some tests have shown that the numbers can be higher in animals fed a diet containing DDG...don't know if it was involved or responsible for any outbreaks in feedlots or not....probably really hard to isolate the culprit in a feedlot situation anyway. Nothing wrong with corn gluten feed but day in and day out DDG is a much higher quality product.

TB, I've been told that the DDG's interfere with marbling and giving the corn gluten to growing calves can help improve the marbling scores.
Please explain how DDG's are a higher quality product? (I hadn't heard this info)
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

Without going into great detail higher crude protein, higher crude fat, higher energy, greater digestibility and more by-pass protein. Great product to use in a finisher ration.

 

[vclavin]

Without going into great detail higher crude protein, higher crude fat, higher energy, greater digestibility and more by-pass protein. Great product to use in a finisher ration.

TB, as it has higher energy does that make it better suited for the "high energy" feed rations and maybe the corn gluten is better for the "high fiber" rations? Or does it make a difference.
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

Without going into great detail higher crude protein, higher crude fat, higher energy, greater digestibility and more by-pass protein. Great product to use in a finisher ration.

TB, as it has higher energy does that make it better suited for the "high energy" feed rations and maybe the corn gluten is better for the "high fiber" rations? Or does it make a difference.
Valerie

It really doesn't matter Val...just raises the overall energy in the ration a bit. Sort of like comparing a Toyota Camry and a Lexus...both are made by Toyota, one just has a little more "bling" than the other. Although both products are high protein they actually are also "fiber" as they are the remains of the corn after removal of the starches, germ etc. Recently it seems "availability" has been the determining factor in the use of either.

 

[vclavin]

TB..interesting info. Thanks