The Effect of Drying Distillers Grains on Nutrient Metabolism

Ruminally cannulated steers were used in a 4 x 6 unbalanced Latin square. Treatments consisted of a corn-based control (CON), wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS), modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS), or dry distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) included at 40% of the diet DM. There were no differences (P > 0.73) observed for DMI, or for DM, OM, or fat digestibility. Steers fed diets containing distillers grains had greater NDF intake compared to CON (P < 0.01). There were no differences in NDF digestibility between WDGS, MDGS, and DDGS (P > 0.37); however, CON diets had lower (P < 0.06) NDF digestibility than WDGS and DDGS. Average ruminal pH tended (P = 0.14) to be impacted by dietary treatment with steers fed DDGS having a greater pH than steers fed CON, MDGS, and WDGS, which were not different from one another.