CALF_News_June_July_2021

31 CALF News • June | July 2021 • www.calfnews.net By Burt Rutherford Contributing Editor FEED EFFICIENCY. That’s what it’s all about when rations and cattle hit the feed bunk. But as any cattle feeder or dairy operator knows, cattle aren’t all that good at digesting the starch in corn kernels, says Duane Martin, Ph.D., head of marketing and stewardship for Enogen corn hybrids. Cattle evolved to turn forage and grasses into energy and convert that to meat and milk. “Oftentimes, when we try to increase the energy level in feeds, we create problems in live- stock,” he says. Indeed, those problems can be significant and can knock a big hole in production; acidosis, bloat and founder being among them. “So we developed a trait that Syngenta had previously produced for the ethanol industry that also had benefits to livestock producers because it makes starch in corn more digestible to cattle,” Martin says. “It allows that kernel of corn to produce an alpha amylase enzyme that changes starch to usable sugar more quickly and efficiently.” That trait is Enogen and it allows a feeder steer or dairy cow to get more available energy out of a pound of Enogen grain or silage than they would get out of the same unit of normal corn, he says. “So what that means in the final analysis is feed efficiency is increased,” he says. Research at the University of Nebraska and Kansas State University shows around a 5 percent feed efficiency gain, “meaning you’re going to either hold production constant and reduce your feed costs by about 5 percent or, in some cases, actually see an increase in production.” Cattle adapt to the Enogen corn easily, Martin says. Since they digest the starches more efficiently, dry matter intake generally goes down. “In other words, cattle are more satisfied on less feed. That’s what results in the savings in feed costs.” Researchers looked at the trait in backgrounding and finish- ing rations for fed cattle and tested whole corn, dry-rolled corn, steam-flaked corn and silage and saw fairly consistent results. “The steam-flaked corn was a surprise for us,” he says, since starch digestibility is greatly increased by the steam-flaking pro- cess.“We saw an additive effect even in the steam-flaked corn.” How to Get It Enogen hybrid seed is available from either Golden Harvest seed dealers or NK retailers. “And they’re competitive corn hybrids,” Martin says. “They come in elite genetics and popular packages, and simply contain the Enogen trait that confers this feed efficiency benefit,” he adds. What’s more, there is no yield effect. “These are high-yield- ing hybrids. There is no yield drag or negative baggage carried with the Enogen trait.” Cattle feeders and dairy producers who grow their own feed can buy the Enogen hybrid seed just as they buy their corn seed now. Producers who don’t grow their own feed can contract with growers to ensure a supply. In fact, Syngenta works with feedyards and dairies to do just that. Just as an ethanol plant will contract with growers to ensure a supply of corn, beef and dairy producers, with Syn- genta’s assistance, can do the same thing. It’s important to note, however, that Enogen corn is an identity-preserved crop. “We’ve got a state-of-the-art steward- ship system that’s very user friendly,” Martin says. “But we do ask our growers to segregate Enogen corn [in the field] and store it separately from other corn.” The Enogen trait is fully approved to be in the U.S. corn supply. However, food processors who make things like corn flour for taco shells or chips want the starch to stay in the corn. “So that’s really the reason we grow it as an identity-pre- served crop,” he says. “We want it to go to the folks who see a benefit, and livestock feeders and ethanol plants see a direct benefit. Food processors do not. That’s the reason we keep Enogen corn segregated from production through storage and feeding.”Visit https://www.syngenta-us.com/corn/enogen-feed.  Corn Hybrid Increases Feed Efficiency Enogen Trait Allows Cattle to Digest Starch More Efficiently