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Feeding Karnal Bunt Wheat by Dr. James I. Sprague, Nutritionist Karnal Bunt Stopped by Steam Flaking and Pelleting Let us take a look at helping solve the Karnal Bunt problem and find a market for the infected wheat. Several wheat producing and grazing area counties in Texas have been found to have wheat that is infected by the seed born disease called "Karnal Bunt." This topic is covered in another article in this issue of Feed-Lot (see page 16-17). A temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the germination of all the wheat including the fungus infected Karnal Bunt containing berries. The heating also destroys the fungus spores. The fungus does not damage the wheat, but many large grain elevators are not purchasing the Bunted grain due to national export restrictions. For feedlots with flaking capability, Bunted wheat may be a good, inexpensive feed source. Since the steam flaking process kills the spore, cattle consuming the steam flaked Bunted wheat are not subject to any USDA-imposed Karnal Bunt quarantines. When cracked or ground wheat is fed to cattle some berries escape processing, chewing and digestion and appear still viable in the manure. Then in turn they can germinate after the manure is spread. This is also true for wheat hay and wheat silage. Steam flaking eliminates this problem. Manure from the cattle fed the infected wheat should not be spread on fields that will be planted to wheat. However manure coming from rations that contain steam flaked wheat or possible pelleted wheat containing supplements will not spread the spore. Marketing Damaged Wheat Wheat farmers and elevators may need to custom feed cattle in order to market the Karnal Bunt containing wheat if it is not possible to move in other trace methods. What About Pellets or Cubes? Steam pelleting the Bunted wheat also appears to be an excellent way to prevent the spread of the fungus containing grain. This procedure needs to be checked with the regulators to determine if it is approved as a control measure. According to the latest USDA regulations, any processing method that heats the grain to 170*F kills the spore. Wheat is an excellent addition to feedlot pellets and range cubes. Because of the nature of the starch, the addition of wheat in a formula helps pellets to be harder with less fines. A mixture of 50/50 wheat and soy or cottonseed meal would make a 28-30 percent crude protein range cube or grow supplement. Cost Advantages of Flaked Wheat The grain from these areas might be purchased at a discount and can work well in cattle growing and finishing rations. Even though the theoretical value of wheat grain compared to corn is 110 percent, we recommend to our clients that wheat at harvest time can be purchased at near corn prices. The extra protein and phosphorus in wheat grain gives it an advantage over corn grain. The cost of flaking is less for wheat, since a flat flake is not needed. A steam rolling system, where the grain is raised to 170 degrees Fahrenheit is adequate to destroy the fungus from reproducing. Thirty pounds per bushel is a good goal for flaked wheat. Steam Flaking Kills the Weed Seeds The steaming process not only controls the germination of the fungus spores and the wheat containing the spores but also controls the weed seeds that may be in the grain. Flaking Light Wheat Light test weight wheat is more difficult to flake than heavy wheat. The little berries tend to get by the rolls and will appear in the manure un-utilized. A little extra flat flake is needed with light wheat. Ration Changes for Flaked Wheat Steam processed wheat is rapidly fermented in the rumen and is very palatable. We suggest ration changes be made carefully. Check with your nutritionist for their recommendations for ration changes. We usually suggest wheat be limited to one third of the grain portion of a finishing ration, but we have used 50 percent steam rolled wheat and 50 percent corn with excellent results. We understand that many feedlots have used 100 percent wheat successfully. Controlling Bloat We have found more digestive upsets and bloat when feeding wheat than when feeding corn or milo. One suggestion is to keep the Rumensin level at the maximum to help control bloat. This appears to be particularly important if alfalfa hay is the sole roughage source. In some cases we use corn, sorghum or small grain silage as the roughage source with wheat rather than alfalfa hay. Buffers, Minerals, Vitamins Since digestive upsets are part of feeding wheat grain, we suggest cattle managers work with their nutritionist in evaluating the mineral and buffer program. Extra calcium and magnesium from carbonates are a possibility to consider. Sometimes fast buffers of soda and magnesium oxide ("magox") are also used. Since wheat is loaded with phosphorus, the phosphorus specification of the supplement or premix needs to be changed. Wheat grain contains no carotene as compared to corn, therefore vitamin A is needed to be supplemented. Protein Advantage of Wheat Wheat may contain 12 percent protein and corn only 8.5 percent. The protein supplement may need to be changed. We often reduce the NPN (Non-Protein Nitrogen) in the supplement as well as reduce the amount of natural protein that is supplemented. Feeding Pelleted Wheat Pelleted wheat could be fed as part of a finish ration. We have only limited experience with feeding pelleted rations to finishing cattle. We have used wheat as an ingredient in creep feeds and feedlot supplements. One idea is to use an expanded supplement package with wheat as 50% of the mixture. (Wheat mids are often offered by feed manufactures as expanded supplements.) This idea may be considered to help move infected Karnal Bunt infected grain into feedlot rations. Caution: pelleted creep feeds with wheat grain may be too rich for nursing calves unless wheat is blended with other low starch ingredients. Feeding Wheat Screenings from Karnal Bunt Areas All grain screenings in my opinion should be pelleted. Steam pelleting not only controls the germination of the weed seeds, but also destroys the fungus in the case of screenings from Karnal Bunt infected wheat. Comments on this and other articles by Dr. Jim Sprague can be sent to 625 Grandview Avenue, Newton, Kansas, 67114 or call (316) 283-8692. |
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