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ISSN : 2287-5824(Print)
ISSN : 2287-5832(Online)
Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science Vol.45 No.1 pp.65-73
DOI : https://doi.org/10.5333/KGFS.2025.45.1.65

Effects of Dried Distiller’s Grains with Solubles and Full-Fat Soybean in the Finishing Hanwoo Steers

Do Hyung Kim, Ji Hong Lee, Sung Il Kim*
Department of Animal Biotechnology, Gyeongkuk National University, Yecheon 36830, Korea
* Corresponding author: Sung Il Kim, Department of Animal Biotechnology, Gyeongkuk National University, Yecheon 36830, Korea
Tel: +82-54-650-0344, E-mail: ksi30@gknu.ac.kr
February 4, 2025 March 21, 2025 March 21, 2025

Abstract


This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding DDGS and full-fat soybean in the finishing diet on the performance, carcass characteristics and unsaturated fatty acid composition of Hanwoo steers. Thirty Hanwoo steers (average age, 26.4 months; weight, 756.69 kg) were assigned into Control (no additive), DS (DDGS supplemented) and FS (full-fat soybean supplemented). The feeding rate of DDGS and full-fat soybean was set at 10% and 5% in the finishing diet, respectively, and the in vivo trial was conducted for 122 days. The final body weight was 779.81, 774.20 and 791.95 kg for Control, DS and FS, respectively, and the average daily gain was not different among treatments. The feed conversion ratio was lower in FS compared to Control. Carcass cold carcass weight, backfat thickness, M. longissimus dorsi area and marbling scores were not different among treatments, and moisture, crude protein, and crude fat content in carcass were not different. The melting point of sirloin ranged from 25 to 26℃ among treatments. The saturated fatty acid, C18:0, was lower in the FS than in Control. C18:1, the main unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) in carcasses, did not show any difference among treatments, but C18:2 was higher in DS than in Control. Total UFAs were higher in the FS than in Control. Based on the above results, DDGS feeding was effective in improving feed conversion ratio and C18:2 content, and full-fat soybean feeding was effective in improving feed conversion ratio and increasing UFA content.


Carcass characteristics , Meat quality , Unsaturated fatty acid

초록

    Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION

    Currently, beef quality improvement in Korea has primarily focused on enhancing intramuscular fat through the use of high-energy concentrates, which enhance marbling in the final product. Domestic beef consumers have increasingly prioritized health benefits over merely selecting beef with high intramuscular fat, a trend expected to continue growing (Kim et al., 2013). In the future, it is expected that the consumption of beef with improved health benefits and enhanced flavor will increase, rather than focusing on the intramuscular fat content. To swiftly adapt to these shifts in beef consumption patterns, it is imperative to develop specialized technologies that reduce saturated fatty acid content while enhancing the levels of healthy unsaturated fatty acids in Korean beef carcasses (Grundy, 1994;Kim et al., 2011). Unsaturated fatty acids are known to play a crucial role in both the functionality properties and sensory characteristics of beef, including its flavor and texture(Min at al., 2023). One effective approach to improving the fat quality of Korean beef involves incorporating feedstuffs rich in oleic acid (C18:1n9) and linoleic acid (C18:2n6) (Dhiman et al., 2005;Kim et al., 2016). Among these, dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS), a byproduct of ethanol production from corn, is particularly valuable due to its high crude protein (30-35%), crude fat (10-15%), and substantial C18:2n6 concentration (50-58%) (Tjardes, 2002;Kim et al., 2017). Previous studies have explored the effects of partially replacing maize and other grains with DDGS on carcass performance and fatty acid composition in fattening cattle (Erickson et al., 2005;Spiehs et al., 2002;Lee et al., 2014).

    Soybeans are typically fed after processing rather than in their raw, as raw soybeans contain several anti-nutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors can interrupt with nutrient absorption and digestion. Processed full-fat soybeans have excellent an amino acid composition, which are a valuable source of protein and energy for cattle. Similarly, soybeans, widely used as livestock feed globally, are recognized for their high C18:1 and C18:2 fatty acid content (20% and 50%, respectively), enhancing feed value and increasing the concentration of health-beneficial unsaturated fatty acids (Stern et al., 1985;Kim et al., 2016). Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental DDGS and full-fat soybean in finishing diets on the performance, carcass characteristics, and unsaturated fatty acid composition of Hanwoo steers.

    Ⅱ. MATERIALS AND METHODS

    1. Animals, experimental design, and diets

    Experimental protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Committee of Yeungnam University, Korea (approval #: YUH-12-0340-016). Thirty steers were housed in six pens, with five animals per pen, measured 5.0 × 10.0 m. The experimental diets were provided ad libitum to all treatment groups, with feeding occurring twice daily (morning and afternoon). Body weights were recorded every 30 days throughout the 122-days. The steers, with an average age of 26.4 months and an average weight of 756.69 kg, were divided into three treatment groups: Control (conventional diet), DS (DDGS-supplemented diet), and an FS (full-fat soybean-supplemented diet). Each group contained 10 animals, matched for weight and age.

    The Control was fed a commercial finishing diet while in the experimental diets, DS and FS were incorporated at 10% and 5%, respectively, ensuring that crude fat did not exceed 5% (on an as-fed basis) in any treatments. Additionally, rice straw purchased from a local farmer was provided ad libitum as roughage.

    The ingredients and chemical composition of the experimental diets were analyzed using a slightly modified method of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 2000). The resulting chemical composition of the concentrate and rice straw is presented in Table 1. The chemical composition and fatty acid composition of DDGS and full-fat soybean are presented in Tables 2 and 3, and the formulation ratio of the experimental diets is shown in Table 4.

    2. Sampling, measurements and chemical analysis

    Daily feed intake was calculated as the difference between the daily feed supply and refusals, while average daily gain (ADG) was calculated by subtracting the initial body weight from the final body weight and dividing by the days on feed (122 days). The feed conversion ratio was calculated by dividing daily DMI by ADG.

    Steers were slaughtered by stunning with electrical tongs after being fasted for 12 h at the end of experiment. Carcass was then assessed for yield and meat quality after being chilled for 24 h at 4°C. Meat grades were assigned based on the criteria provided by KAPE (2016).

    The chemical composition of the longissimus dorsi (LD) was analyzed using the standard analytical method (AOAC, 2000). The quality of beef carcass was graded based on marbling, lean color, fat color and maturity, while the yield was evaluated based on backfat thickness, rib-eye area and carcass weight using the 13th rib at three-quarters the distance along the LD. The meat color of LD was assessed on a freshly cut surface (3 cm thick slice) 48 h after slaughter, using a Chroma Meter CR-300 (Minolta, Osaka, Japan). Three color measurements were taken across individual sample surfaces, with the average of five replicates expressed for lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) according to the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) system. The Chroma Meter CR-300 was calibrated daily using a standard color plate with values of L* = 94.5, a* = 0.3132, and b* = 0.3203. Chroma (saturation) and Hue angle were calculated using the follows; Chroma = (a*2+b*2)1/2 and Hue angle = arctan(b*/a*).

    Fatty acid composition was determined by extracting total lipids using a modified Folch method (Folch et al., 1957) and was analyzed by a gas chromatograph (Agilent 6890, Agilent HP, Palo Alto, CA, USA) equipped with a capillary column (HP-5MS capillary GLC column, 30 m × 0.32 mm i.d. 0.25 mm film thickness, Agilent HP, USA) and a mass spectrometry detector (G1530A, Agilent HP, USA). The mass spectrometry interface and injector temperature were set to 270℃ and 260℃, respectively. The oven temperature was programmed to start at 160℃ for 2.5 min, increase from 160℃ to 260℃ at a rate of 4℃ per min, and then hold at 260℃ for 5 min. Each fatty acid was identified by comparing its retention time with that of fatty acid methyl esters from a standard (FAME Mix C8-C24, Supelco, PA, USA) and expressed as a percentage of the standard.

    3. Statistical analysis

    The data obtained from this study were analyzed using the general linear model procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC, USA). The significance of each experimental group was tested using Duncan’s multiple range test. Differences among treatment groups were considered significant if p≤0.05.

    Ⅲ. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    1. Animal performance

    The growth performance from the beginning to the end of the study is summarized in Table 5. The final body weights were recorded as 779.81, 774.20, and 791.95 kg for Control, DS, and FS, respectively. The average daily gain was the highest in FS (0.46 kg), followed by DS (0.42 kg), and Control (0.39 kg); however, these differences were not differ among the treatments. In addition, there were no differences in concentrate and roughage intake among the treatments. The feed conversion ratio was lower (p<0.05) in FS compared to Control.

    Previous studies have reported that higher levels of DDGS supplementation in beef cattle lead to increased average daily gain, reduced feed intake, and lower overall feed conversion ratio (Firkins et al., 1984;Lee et al., 2014). Because the most soluble proteins in corn are degraded during the ethanol extraction process, DDGS has an increased content of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) in DDGS, and increased RUP is known to affect the enhancement in performance (Tice et al., 1993). Moreover, heat-treated soybean improves the digestibility of fat and serve as an excellent protein source for ruminant growth (Firkins et al., 1984). The findings of this study are consistent with previous reports indicating that feeding different fat sources to finishing steers for 76 days improved feed efficiency, particularly in treatments with higher soybean content (Felton and Kerley, 2004), and that roasted soybean reduced feed conversion ratio in beef steers (Kim et al., 2016).

    2. Carcass characteristics

    Cold carcass weights were recorded as 467.54 kg for Control, 471.04 kg for DS, and 483.08 kg for FS, while backfat thickness and M. longissimus dorsi area did not differ among the treatments (Table 6). The marbling score was higher in the FS (7.32), followed by DS (6.54) and Control (6.21); however, these did not differ. In addition, there were no differences observed in meat color, fat color, or texture across the treatments. The frequency of meat grade 1++ was notably higher in the FS (60%) compared to the other groups, which both had a frequency of 30% (Table 7).

    Carcass performance in fattening cattle is generally influenced by feed source and feeding managements (Dolezal et al., 1982). In a trial where fattening cattle were fed 15% and 30% wet distiller's grains (WDG), the highest frequency of Choice grade meat was observed in the group fed a 15% WDG diet (de Mello et al., 2007). Similarly, in the finishing period of Hanwoo steers, a 15% DDGS diet resulted in a 42.9% frequency of meat grade 1++ (Lee et al., 2014). Furthermore, it has been reported that supplementing the diets of steers with soybeans led to a 15.6% increase in backfat thickness compared to treatments without soybeans while also improving intramuscular fatness in the soybean-supplemented group (Felton and Kerley, 2004).

    3. Physicochemical characteristics of carcass

    The physicochemical characteristics of the carcasses, including moisture, crude protein, crude fat content (Table 8), and meat color CIE values, did not show differences among the treatments. The melting point of the sirloin ranged from 25 to 26℃ across treatments. Generally, it is understood that carcass physicochemical properties, such as crude fat content, increase while moisture and crude protein content decrease, with rising intramuscular fatness and higher meat grades (Cameron et al., 1994). The melting point of sirloin fat in this study, comparable to that reported for black beef, which typically ranges from 24.8 to 27.4℃ (Mitsuhashi et al., 1988;Hoashi et al., 2007), aligns with these expectations.

    4. Fatty acid composition of M. longissimus dorsi

    The SFA C16:0 and C18:0 did not differ among treatments (Table 9). Although no difference was observed among treatments, C18:1n9 was numerically higher in the FS (51.39%) and DS (50.61%) compared to Control (47.58%). C18:2 levels were higher (p<0.05) in the DS compared to Control. Overall, total UFA was higher (p<0.05) in the FS than in the Control.

    It is generally known that C16:0 and C18:0 content in body fat significantly affects the total SFA content, while C18:1n9 content greatly influences total UFA content (May et al., 1993). The results of this trial are consistent with previous findings that feeding steers 1.6 kg/day of DDGS increased C18:2n6 content compared to diets based on corn and soybean meal (Lee et al., 2014). Similarly, roasted soybeans in the diets of Hanwoo steers have been shown to increase UFA levels in sirloin fat (Kim et al., 2013). These outcomes may be attributed to the limited hydrogenation of C18:2n6 in the rumen, which is abundant in DDGS (Lancaster et al., 2007). In addition, when full-fat soybeans are fed to ruminants, the pericarp surrounding the kernel appears to protect the kernel fat from microbial interactions in the rumen, thereby enhancing UFA uptake (Baldwin & Allison, 1983). Overall, these results suggest that feeding DDGS is effective in increasing C18:2 content, while feeding full-fat soybeans is effective in increasing overall UFA content.

    Ⅳ. CONCLUSIONS

    Supplementing DDGS and full-fat soybeans may lead to different fatty acid profile of beef and improve the feed conversion ratio. This study provides evidence that the inclusion of DDGS and full-fat soybeans at just each 10% and 5% of diet DM can improve the perception of Hanwoo beef as healthy. Hanwoo has been criticized by consumers for a higher concentration of SFA compared to PUFA, and is expensive. To address these criticisms, further research needs in investigating the impact of consumption of Hanwoo meat fed DDGS and full-fat soybean on human health, along with economic analysis.

    Ⅴ. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    This study was jointly designed, conducted, and interpreted by all cited authors. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

    Figure

    Table

    Chemical composition of concentrates supplemented with DDGS or full-fat soybean used in the experiment

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group.
    3 Standard error of mean.
    4 Calculated.

    Chemical composition of DDGS or full-fat soybean used in the experiment

    1 Standard error of mean.
    2 Calculated.

    Composition of fatty acids of DDGS or full-fat soybean used in the experiment

    1 Standard error of mean.
    2 Saturated fatty acids.
    3 Unsaturated fatty acids.
    4 Monounsaturated fatty acids.
    5 Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
    6 Monounsaturated fatty acids/Saturated fatty acids.
    7 Unsaturated fatty acids/Saturated fatty acids.

    Formula of concentrate diet for experimental groups

    1 Supplied per kg concentrate feed: 13,000 U vitamin A, 2500 U vitamin D3, 15 mg vitamin E, 1 mg vitamin B1, 0.56 mg vitamin B2, 0.5 mg vitamin B6, 0.01 mg vitamin B12, 12.5 mg vitamin niacin, 1.9 mg pantothenic acid, 0.15 mg folic acid.
    2 Supplied per kg feed; 100 mg Zn, 50 mg Fe, 100 mg, 50 mg Mn, 6 mg Cu, 0.6 mg Co, 3 mg I, 0.3 mg Se.

    Treatment means for performances of finishing Hanwoo steers fed DDGS or full-fat soybean supplemented diets

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group .
    3 Standard error of mean.
    4 Probability of the F test.
    a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly (p<0.05) different.

    Treatment means for carcass yield grade and quality grade of Hanwoo steers fed DDGS or full-fat soybean supplemented diets

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group.
    3 Standard error of mean.
    4 Probability of the F test.
    5 Marbling score: 9 = the most abundant, 1 = devoid; Meat color: 7 = dark red, 1 = bright red; Fat color: 7 = yellowish, 1 = white; Texture: 3 = coarse, 1 = fine; Maturity: 9 = mature, 1 = immature.

    Treatment means for frequencies of carcass yield and quality grades of Hanwoo steers fed DDGS or full-fat soybean supplemented diets

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group.

    Treatment means for physicochemical characteristics of carcass of Hanwoo steers fed DDGS or full-fat soybean supplemented diets

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group.
    3 Standard error of mean.
    4 Probability of the F test.
    5 L: lightness; a: redness; b: yellowness.

    Treatment means for fatty acid composition of M. longissimus dorsi of Hanwoo steers fed DDGS or full-fat soybean supplemented diets

    1 DDGS group.
    2 Full-fat soybean group.
    3 Standard error of mean.
    4 Probability of the F test.
    5 Saturated fatty acids.
    6 Unsaturated fatty acids.
    7 Monounsaturated fatty acids.
    8 Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
    a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts are significantly (p<0.05) different.

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