Grain Processing in Cattle Feeding
Adequate nutrition is a crucial factor for the productive performance, health, and well-being of dairy cattle (NRC, 2001). Meeting the nutritional demands of lactating cows is fundamental and simultaneously challenging for dairy herds, especially high-production cows. In this regard, providing highly digestible feed is essential, and for this reason, the use of processed grains is an alternative (FARIA JÚNIOR et al., 2009).
Grain processing refers to preparation methods aimed at achieving physical and/or chemical changes in the grain structure, improving digestibility, palatability, and/or inactivating antinutritional factors in feed (FARIA JÚNIOR et al., 2009). Grain processing for feeding dairy cattle aims to increase the availability and utilization of grains in the gastrointestinal tract, improving digestibility (MATHISON, 1996), and can affect the site of digestion (HUNTINGTON, 1997).
During processing, the protein matrix of the endosperm is broken, allowing easy access to starch granules by microbial and/or intestinal enzymes. Moreover, starch gelatinization occurs during processing, making it more available to rumen microorganisms (HALE, 1973). Effects on the digestion site are observed due to processing, with more processed and smaller particle grains tending to show higher ruminal starch digestibility compared to the small intestine (RÉMOND et al., 2004).
Various physical and chemical processing methods can be employed to increase grain digestibility in ruminants. Among the available methods, the main types of processing can be classified into:
dry processes and
wet processes, involving high-pressure steam.
Dry methods include grinding and rolling, while wet methods include steam rolling, flaking, and extrusion (MOURÃO et al., 2012).
This work aims to present, characterize, and summarize the main processing methods used in grains for feeding dairy cattle.
Grinding
Grinding involves reducing the size of grain particles through mechanical impact, cutting, or friction (LAGE et al., 2017; MOURÃO et al., 2012). Hammer mills are commonly used for grinding, where the grain is reduced in size through mechanical impact. The particles formed, beyond a certain size, can pass through a sieve, which can vary in calibration, resulting in a fine or coarse appearance depending on desired specifications (SILVA, 2011).
Grinding is the simplest and most cost-effective method of grain processing, and it is also the most w...
Regístrate gratuitamente y accede a los mejores artículos sobre nutrición en nutriNews .
Regístrate en nutriNews to unlock this item and get more benefits like:
Iniciar sesión
Access to the
revista digital
Videos y podcasts exclusivos
Newsletters with the
últimas novedades
Regístrate en nutriNews
REGISTRARME
