NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

December 17, 1998

Beef Can Flourish on Pasta and Flour By-Product

A noodle-making boom is a boon for cattle producers in the state.

North Dakota State University beef specialists say wheat middlings, the leftovers from milling durum wheat into semolina for pasta or hard red spring wheat into flour, makes an excellent livestock feed. An increase in pasta production in the state has increased the availability of wheat middlings (commonly called midds) by about 45 percent in the last two months and made the price competitive with many feed grains. Expected increases in milling capacity across the state will increase the amount of wheat midds available by another 25 percent by next summer.

"Wheat midds are relatively easy and safe to feed, especially if they are pelleted," notes Karl Hoppe of NDSU's Carrington Research Extension Center. "And we're seeing some excellent prices in relation to the feed value." Wheat midd prices ranged from $45 to $60 per ton across the state this fall.

Hoppe says there are 825 tons of wheat midds produced per day in the stateabout 650 pounds of wheat midds annually for each cow in North Dakota. Midds contain bran, germ, screenings and residual semolina and flour. The largest component is bran, fermentable fiber that's easily digested by cattle. Midds are high in energy, phosphorus and protein. Although durum and hard red spring wheat midds are relatively consistent in nutrient quantity, there are some differences related to whether mills mix in floor sweepings and screenings and how much starch various milling equipment removes.

Most wheat midds are shipped out of state to commercial feed manufacturers and large feedlots. "There is a real opportunity to use that resource here in the state," notes John Dhuyvetter, beef specialist at the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center near Minot. Dhuyvetter says the recent opening of Minot Milling there has prompted considerable interest among beef producers in the area.

"They recognize the value of this feed and they want to know how best to incorporate it into rations," he says.

Research at Carrington suggests that wheat midds can be fed in a manner similar to oats. They typically contain about 83 percent total digestible nutrients. That energy level makes them more energy dense than oats but about 10 percent less so than corn. The research also showed that wheat midds fed in pelleted form produced improved gains. Pelleting also increases the density, making the wheat midds easier to transport and handle. In the Carrington research, up to 40 percent of corn was replaced by wheat midds in finishing rations with no effect on performance.

The research indicates wheat midds are high in phosphorus, but low in calcium content. "Calcium should be supplemented with wheat midds in the ration," Hoppe notes. "But calcium is relatively inexpensive."

The high energy and protein content of wheat midds makes them a good supplement for winter pasturing or low quality forage. Trace minerals and calcium may also need to be supplemented in those situations, Hoppe says.

Storage conditions for wheat midds should be monitored and controlled carefully. They will absorb moisture from the air or surrounding structures and develop mold or rot.

"In the winter, they store very well, but you need to be more cautious with them as it gets warmer," Hoppe says.

The steady and abundant supply of wheat midds may make storage less of a concern, Hoppe notes. Producers that need a large enough supply and can provide economical transportation, can simply purchase wheat midds on an as-needed basis. Prices vary considerably during the year, but long-term and high-volume contracts can often be negotiated.

For more information on using wheat midds in beef cattle rations, contact Dhuyvetter at (701) 857-7682 or Hoppe at (701) 652-2951. Contact them via e-mail at jdhuyvet@ndsuext.nodak.edu or khoppe@ndsuext.nodak.edu.

###

Sources: Karl Hoppe (701) 652-2951 and John Dhuyvetter (701) 857-7679

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629

Click here for a pdf version of this graphic.

Click here for a pdf version of this graphic.