As soybean processing expands in North Dakota, opportunities arise to use soybean byproducts as practical and effective dietary supplements for cattle. There is significant potential to increase the retention of calves after weaning, adding value by utilizing local feed resources such as forages, oilseed, and grain byproducts during backgrounding programs. These programs prepare calves for grain-based finishing, where growth and feed efficiency are critical, particularly under winter feeding conditions when protein supplementation plays a vital role. This study evaluates soy-based and dried corn distillers grains with solubles (DDGS)-based supplements, processed as cubes or meals, to assess their impact on cattle backgrounding performance. Preliminary results from our previous NDSC-funded research, suggest pelleted soybean-based supplement enhance nutrient digestibility, indicating advantages in nutrient utilization and feed efficiency. Building on these findings, this project will assess growth performance, feed efficiency and nutrient utilization in calves fed these supplements in a backgrounding system. This study aims to optimize nutrient use, reduce losses, and enhance fiber digestibility. Additionally, ruminal in situ approaches will be used from samples collected from the previous study to clarify how cubes vs. meal affect nutrient digestion. The results of this research will provide North Dakota producers with data-driven insights to optimize supplementation practices, support the utilization of local soybean products, and enhance profitability for both crop and livestock farmers. Ultimately, the development of effective soybean-based supplements can strengthen the connection between the crop and cattle industries, fostering a more integrated and sustainable agricultural system.

Determine the effect of supplementation with soybean meal/soyhulls or DDGS, as meal or cubes, on: 1) growth performance (feed intake, average daily gain, and growth efficiency), and 2) feeding behavior during the backgrounding phase of calves. Additionally, determine the ruminal protein degradability of the supplements using in situ evaluation.

This project will determine if soybean meal/soyhull or DDGS provided as meal or cubes, can serve as effective protein supplements to enhance cattle performance during the backgrounding phase. By evaluating intake, FE, and diet digestibility, this research aims to validate previous findings and provide actionable insights for producers. Ultimately, this study seeks to demonstrate the practical benefits of feeding soybean-based supplements, supporting their use, and increasing markets for soybean products from the processing industry to North Dakota beef cattle producers.

This research could demonstrate the value of soybean-based supplements as a practical and effective supplementation strategy for backgrounding cattle. By validating the benefits of soybean-based cubes, such as improved nutrient utilization and growth efficiency, this study could directly increase the demand for soybean meal and other byproducts. Soybean-based cubes offer a practical, easy-to-handle feeding solution for beef cattle producers during winter, while supporting the profitability of North Dakota soybean farmers by creating expanded market opportunities for locally processed soybean products.