– J. Bittner, B. L. Nuttelman, C. J. Schneider, D. B. Burken, L. J. Johnson, L. Mader, T. J. Klopfenstein, and G. E. Erickson, published in The Professional Animal Scientist 32 (2016):777–783 and condensed by Steve Boyles, OSU Beef Extension Specialist
The soybean hull represents 8% of the total weight of a soybean’s dry matter. As an alternative energy source to cereal grains in forage diets, soybean hulls have been shown to have an energy value similar to corn. Animal performance between soybean hulls and cracked corn can be similar when included in backgrounding diets for beef cattle. Feeding soybean hulls with a combination of wet corn gluten feed and wet distillers grains plus solubles to steers resulted in average daily gain and feed efficiency being poorest in finishing diets replacing corn with soybean hulls.
To their knowledge, no data existed evaluating the effects of replacing corn with SBH in finishing diets containing wet distillers grains plus solubles. Therefore, 2 experiments were conducted to determine the optimum concentration of soybean hulls in a feedlot finishing diet with distillers grains. Dietary concentrations of soybean hulls were 0,12.5, 25, and 37.5% of diet dry matter.
In first experiment (Table 1.), 167 crossbred yearling steers (871 lbs. average) were fed for 117 days in which pelleted soybean hulls replaced dry-rolled corn. All diets contained 25% modified distillers grains plus solubles, 15% corn silage, and 5% liquid supplement. As soybean hull concentration increased, dry matter intake decreased (P = 0.04). Gain and Gain to Feed decreased (P < 0.01) in response to increasing concentrations of soybean hulls. Hot carcass weight decreased (P < 0.01) by 53 lbs. as soybean hulls increased.
| Table 1. The effects of pelleted soybean hull inclusion on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics when fed with modified distillers grains plus soluble. | |||||
| Soybean Hull Inclusion Rate | |||||
| Feedlot Performance | 0% | 12.5% | 25% | 37.5% | Probability |
| Initial Weight, lbs. | 869 | 871 | 873 | 873 | 0.23 |
| Final Weight, lbs. | 1365 | 1343 | 1332 | 1279 | <0.01 |
| Dry Matter Intake, lbs. | 26.9 | 26.7 | 26.9 | 25.8 | 0.04 |
| Average Daily Gain, lbs. | 4.21 | 4.03 | 3.92 | 3.48 | <0.01 |
| Gain to Feed | .158 | .152 | .146 | .134 | <0.01 |
| Carcass Values | |||||
| Hot Carcass Weight, lbs | 860 | 847 | 840 | 807 | <0.01 |
| Marbling (see below) | 591 | 585 | 564 | 566 | 0.07 |
| Yield Grade | 3.48 | 3.29 | 3.30 | 2.98 | 0.54 |
| Marbling Score: 400 = Slight (Select), 500 = Small (Low Choice), 600 = Modest (Average Choice), and so on | |||||
In experiment 2 (Table 2) 160 backgrounded steer calves (800 lb average weight) were used in a 138-day finishing study with 0, 12.5, 25,or 37.5% soybean hulls in the meal form. Basal ingredients consisted of a 1:1 ratio of high-moisture corn and dry-rolled corn, 40% wet distillers grains plus solubles,8% sorghum silage, and 4% dry meal supplement. Feeding 12.5 to 25% SBH with 40% wet distillers grains plus solubles had little effect on performance.
| Table 2. The effects of meal form soybean hull inclusion on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics when fed with wet distillers grains plus soluble. | |||||
| Soybean Hull Inclusion Rate | |||||
| Feedlot Performance | 0% | 12.5% | 25% | 37.5% | Probability |
| Initial Weight, lbs. | 792 | 792 | 794 | 794 | .20 |
| Final Weight, lbs. | 1325 | 1347 | 1325 | 1303 | .12 |
| Dry Matter Intake, lbs. | 22.7 | 23.2 | 22.1 | 22.1 | .18 |
| Average Daily Gain, lbs. | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | .09 |
| Gain to Feed | .171 | .175 | .174 | .168 | .45 |
| Carcass Values | |||||
| Hot Carcass Weight, lbs | 834 | 849 | 833 | 820 | .12 |
| Marbling (see below) | 580 | 573 | 573 | 565 | .57 |
| Yield Grade | 3.58 | 3.43 | 3.33 | 3.19 | .06 |
| Marbling Score: 400 = Slight (Select), 500 = Small (Low Choice), 600 = Modest (Average Choice), and so on | |||||
The energy value of soybean hulls in finishing diets with wet distillers grains plus solubles is estimated to be 99 to 106% of that of corn when included in the diet at concentrations of 12.5 to 37.5%. In diets with modified distillers grains plus solubles, the energy value was poorer, 79 to 91% that of corn. Evaluating the price of soybean hulls relative to corn and the relative energy value is critical for economics and optimizing use. Additional information about soybean hulls can be found at the OSU Beef Team website: http://agnr.osu.edu/sites/agnr/files/imce/pdfs/Beef/SoybeanHulls.pdf