A 150-day study conducted by University of Missouri-Columbia Professor Monty Kerley has found that when glycerol is added as 10 percent of feedlot cattle’s rations, it improves the animal’s feed-to-weight-gain, or feed efficiency ratio.
“For maximum results, feed efficiency on a 10 percent diet inclusion of glycerol produced a 12 percent improvement in feed efficiency and equal weight gains to a diet with no glycerol,” Kerley said. He noted that glycerol, a co-product of biodiesel production, has been fed to cattle in Europe for years. The study was conducted from May to October 2007.
Feed efficiency in cattle is determined by measuring how much weight is gained by the animal per pound of feed consumed.
The study showed that at a 10 percent addition of crude glycerin to feed for cattle, the average daily weight gain was 1.4 pounds compared to 1.3 pounds with no addition of glycerol. At five percent inclusion, cattle gained 1.4 pounds and at 20 percent, cattle gained 1.2 pounds. In the body of cattle, glycerol is converted to glucose, which also increases marbling and value of the carcass, Kerley said.
“Nutritionally, glycerol is used as an energy source,” Kerley stated. “From this work and other studies, glycerol has at least the same energy value as corn.” The study, which included cattle from weaning to slaughter, was funded in part by the National Biodiesel Board and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council.
February 2008 Render