INTEREST IN STEAM-FLAKED CORN CONTINUES IN RESEARCH REPORTS AND FARM PRESS
1997 Cornell Nutrition Conference p. 104 Oct. 22, 1997
J. L. Firkins - Ohio State Univ.
Sugar and starch relationships and requirements of the high producing cow
"Ruminal starch degradability of different grains should be combined with careful management of dietary starch concentration because dietary starch likely will need to be diluted more with other fibrous or more slowly digestible byproducts to avoid low pH or depressed feed intake.
...."additional benefits seem likely with maximizing digestibility of starch in the rumen so long as ruminal pH and DMI are not depressed."
"So long as total dietary starch or NFC levels are monitored, feeding TMR should generally improve or not change fat percentage and FCM. Dairy farmers should consider a fresh cow group to maximize the benefits of TMR with highly processed grains because these cows are most susceptible to laminitis, etc."
"Increasing starch fermentability in the rumen often increases propionate production, which is the major glucose precursor."
"Steam flaked or steam rolled corn (Owens. et. al. 1997 beef cattle summary) had a higher estimated ME than high moisture corn... NRC lists NEl for steam flaked corn of .93 Mcal/lb. (Chen et. al. 1994) estimated NEl of 1.01 and .95 for steam-flaked ....for lactating dairy cows"
Feedstuffs Oct. 13, 1997
Studies show steam flaked- corn may be superior to steam-rolled
"Research has shown, they said, that the increased moisture, temperature, and pressure in this process consistently increases the proportion of starch digested in the rumen and total starch digestibility."
"Steam flaking of corn or sorghum grain with careful quality control consistently improves most lactation parameters including milk and milk protein yields."
"Lactating dairy cows fed steam flaked compared to dry - rolled corn digested 50% more starch in the rumen and increased digestibility of starch in the intestines 50%, total tract 25% and microbial protein flow to the intestines 30%."
"Steam flaked corn improved the amount of liver synthesis and mammary uptake of glucose"
"Steam flaking ... apparently increased mammary uptake of amino acids, which could account for the greater milk protein concentrations in lactation trials."
"... this improved performance occurs with steam- flaking, which increases starch utilization and estimated energy and amino acid uptake by mammary tissues."
Dairy Herd management October 1997
Steam-flaking Corn
"In comparison trials at the University of Arizona involving 92 lactating cows, steam-flaked corn outperformed steam-rolled corn in the following respects:
- Increased total starch digestion by 10%
- Increase milk yield by 6.5 lbs. (83.6 vs. 78.8 pounds per day)
- Increased milk protein content by .07 percentage units
Dairy Today September 1997
Steam-flaked corn : More protein, same fat
"Steam-flaked corn continues to swell in popularity among Southwestern and some Northeastern dairy producers..."
"Steam flaking is a more extensive process than dry or steam- rolling."
"Quality of steam-flaked corn is measured by density or flake thickness."
"Grain is steamed for 30 to 60 minutes to increase grain moisture to 18% to 20% moisture and then flaked between large rollers (18-24 inches in diameter) to the desired flake density ( usually 24 to 28 lb./Bu)."
"... steam-flaked corn increased starch digestion by 10%, milk yield by 6% and protein yield by 8% when compared to steam rolled corn. Percent milk fat decreased 4%, fat yield and dry matter intake were not affected."
"Using component pricing for Wisconsin, steam flaking increased the daily milk value per cow by $0.48 per day"
Journal of Dairy Science 80:2087-2097 September 1997
M. T. Joy, E. J. DePeters, J. G. Fadel and R. A. Zinn - U of CA, Davis
Effects of corn processing on the site and extent of digestion in lactating cows
Rumen pH was not significantly changed, however rumen propionate increased and acetate decreased resulting in significantly lower Ac:Pr ratio with steam-flaking
There was significantly more starch digested in the total tract with steam flaked corn.
There were trends for more Non-ammonia, Non-microbial protein;more microbial protein; and more amino acids in the intestine of cows fed steam-flaked corn
Lysine delivered to the small intestine was 175 g/d higher and Methionine was 4 g/d higher when fed properly steam flaked corn
Hoards Dairymen Sept. 10, 1997
Randy Shaver
Getting the most from your grain
"Steam processing has received a lot of attention. Steam-rolling .... to a flake density of 38 lb./Bu. Steam- flaking.... flake density is critical. Arizona workers recommend 25 to 30 lb./Bu."
"Arizona workers reported a 5 lb. (76 vs. 71 lbs.) and 0.2 lb. boosts in milk and milk protein yield respectively for steam flaked over steam rolled corn."
"High moisture corn is inherently more digestible than dry corn and requires less processing."
" We recommend fine processing for dry corn and for high moisture with less than 25% moisture. The exception to this is with component feeding systems in which palatability may be a problem. "... we're seeing much more finely processed corn with use of TMR's because of less concern over palatability and the slug feeding of starch that we can get with component feeding."
"Michigan State workers reported a 3 pound advantage for ground over cracked, dry shelled corn. Milk protein was 0.1 percent units higher, and milkfat was 0.2 percent units lower for ground corn."
NOTE: Shaver reports 2 studies with steam flaked versus fine ground corn. Other researchers only reference the study with higher milk production with steam flaked. When I contacted Dr. Shaver and investigated it was determined that the study in which fine ground corn yielded more milk, the steam flaked corn was stored without drying for 50 days. The researchers became concerned about possible molding in this steam flaked corn and no longer reference that trial. They repeated this trial and found steam flaked corn to be superior to fine ground. This will be reported in a subsequent Hoards Dairymen notice to clear up any confusion.
Four State Nutrition Conference Aug. 1997
C. Brent Theurer, J. T. Huber, A. Delgado-Elorduy - Univ. of Arizona
Steam-Flaked vs. Steam-Rolled Corn for Dairy Cows
"Only 1 study with lactating cows has been reported comparing flake density vs. coarseness of grinding corn."
"...steam flaking compared to steam rolling doubled urea recycling to the gut, increase net liver synthesis (7%) and output (10%) of glucose, and improved mammary uptake of glucose (19%) and amino acid N(42).
"Steam-flaking of corn or sorghum grain alters partitioning of nutrients by gut, liver and mammary tissues. Greater transfer of urea synthesized by the liver to the gut conserves loss of dietary protein, since recycled urea can be used by rumen microorganisms to increase microbial protein synthesis and flow of high quality protein to the small intestine. Steam-flaking did not increase output of amino acids from the liver, but apparently increased mammary uptake of amino acids, which could account for greater milk protein concentrations in lactation trials.
"Starch digestibility in companion feedlot trials by the same researchers indicated that starch digestibility was more efficient than in the rumen than in the small intestine, this is contrast to an often quoted statement that starch digestibility in the small intestine is 42% more efficient than in the rumen. The latter values were determined from average from digestion trials compared to average values for feedlot trials..."
Journal of Dairy Science 80: Suppl. 1 p212 June 1997
Santos, et. al. - U of AZ
Response of lactating Dairy cows to steam-flaked sorghum, steam- flaked corn, or steam-rolled corn and protein sources of differing degradability and quality
Treatments were Steam-rolled corn with Soybean meal, Steam-rolled corn with Prolac animal protein blend, Steam-flaked corn with Soybean meal, Steam-flaked corn with Prolac animal blend.
Journal of Dairy Science 80: Suppl. 1 p212 June 1997
Sadik, et. al. - U of AZ
Net absorption and mammary uptake of VFA, BHBA, and energy by lactating dairy cows fed diets containing 40% corn or sorghum grain processed as steam-flaked, steam-rolled, or dry rolled
"Mammary uptake of energy... was greater for cows fed Steam-flaked than Steam-rolled corn"
"These changes in partitioning of nutrients and energy across...tissues may partially explain increased milk protein synthesis in longer term lactation studies by dairy cows fed more extensively processed corn..."
Journal of Dairy Science 80: Suppl. 1 p212 June 1997
Crocker, et. al. - U.C., Davis
Influence of corn grain processing in dairy cattle diets on digestion of nutrients in the rumen and milk yield and composition.
"Increasing dietary proportion of SF corn produced a linear increase in ruminal starch digestion..."
"... post-ruminal starch digestion also increased linearly with increased quantities of SF corn in the diet"
"Patterns of ruminal VFA changed in accordance with starch digestion, resulting in linear increases in propionate and linear decreases in acetate.
"Milk yield was not affected by treatment. "
"With increasing proportion of SF corn in the diet, milk fat percentage linearly decreased from 3.9% to 3.6%."
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