Feeding value of Brewers' grains for ruminants
- Publication Type
- Contribution to conference
- Authors
- Seifried N, Steingass H, Leberl P and Rodehutscord M
- Year of publication
- 2012
- Published in
- 21. International Scientific Symposium on Nutrition of Farm Animals
- ISBN / ISSN / eISSN
- 978-961-90951-8-8
- Page (from - to)
- 17-21
- Conference name
- Zadravec-Erjavec Days 2012
- Conference location
- Radenci (Slowenien)
- Conference date
- 8.-9. November 2012
- Keywords
- in situ-Methode, in vitro, nutzbares Rohprotein
Brewers’ grains are the major by-product of the brewing industry and can be generally referred to as a material rich in protein and fiber. Because of their specific protein properties they can contribute significantly to an appropriate protein supply in the feeding system of ruminants. While the variation in nutrient composition and energy value has been described by a series of studies in recent years, there are still incomplete and divergent data about the protein value. An in situ and in vitro approach was used to determine the ruminal degradation of dry matter and crude protein of a representative sample population (n=10). The degradation parameters in situ averaged for a=5 %, b=54 % and c=6.6 % for dry matter (DM) and a=3 %, b=79 % and c=8.0 %/h for crude protein (CP). Thus the samples show a very low soluble fraction of crude protein and a high potential total degradability. In both cases, the low degradation rate c results in a low effective degradation of 29 % and 41 % for DM and CP at a passage rate of 8 %/h (P8). With the in vitro method the utilizable crude protein (nXP) was determined with 189 g/kg DM at P5 and 224 g/kg DM at P8. The estimated UDP in % of CP was, compared with feeding tables, relatively high with 61 % (P8) and agreed well with the value determined in situ. Feeding tables indicate a higher CP degradation in the rumen. This study confirmed that brewers’ grains are a valuable feedstuff with high contents of nXP and UDP.