Cattle fed distiller’s grains maintain flavor and tenderness of beef

AgNews - Texas A&M
October 21, 2008
Writer(s): Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5600,SKledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact(s): Dr. Jim MacDonald, 806-677-5600, Jcmacdonald@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Stephen B. Smith, 979-845-3935, sbsmith@tamu.edu

AMARILLO – The availability and use of wet distiller’s grains in beef finishing diets continues to increase as the ethanol industry expands, and some Texas AgriLife Research scientists are trying to determine if that will affect consumers’ meat purchases.

While much of the research focus has been on the energy value of the distiller’s grains relative to the corn it replaces, recent questions have been posed on how they may affect beef quality, said Dr. Jim MacDonald, AgriLife Research ruminant nutritionist.

The concern is based on the premise that replacing corn, which is primarily starch, with distiller’s grains, which has essentially no starch, will reduce blood glucose and negatively impact the marbling of beef cuts, MacDonald said.

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