Feeding Value of Oats in

Livestock Diets
Dr. Greg Lardy

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Outline
• Introduction
• Comparison of oats to other feed
grains
• Role of oats in livestock rations
• Opportunities for the future

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 United States Oat Production
160000
Production (000's bu)

140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year

000's bu

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences USDA NASS, 2006

 Top 5 Oat Producing States
(2005)
• Wisconsin (20.6 million acres)
• North Dakota (19.8 million acres)
• South Dakota (19.4 million acres)
• Minnesota (18.4 million acres)
• Iowa (16.8 million acres)

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences USDA NASS, 2006

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Where does oats fit in livestock
rations?
• What are the nutrients needed?
• What are the attributes of oats which
make it an attractive feed?

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Beef cattle
• Can be used in a wide variety of
applications
• Growing and finishing
• Forage supplement
• Creep feeding
• Dairy cattle
• Can also be used in a wide variety of diets
• Question: Cost effectiveness relative to
other feed grains
NDSU Animal and Range Sciences
 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Processing
• Little processing is needed in most
cases
• Cattle, especially younger animals,
ruminate adequately to break oats
into smaller particle sizes

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Anti-nutritional factors
• None apparent

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Energy content
• Lower than other cereal grains due to the
presence of the hull
• 24 to 30% of the kernel weight
• Decreases with lower test weight due to
greater hull proportion
• Light Wt Oats under 30 lbs -- 66% TDN
• Medium Wt 30 to 34 lbs -- 69% TDN
• Heavy Oats 35 lbs and up -- 72% TDN

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Protein content
• Greater than corn
• Greater proportion of degradable
protein (protein needed by the
ruminal microorganisms)
• Mineral content
• Low in calcium, high in phosporus
• Similar to other feed grains
NDSU Animal and Range Sciences
 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Equine market
• Oats is very popular among horse
owners
• Bulky
• Unlikely to cause digestive disturbances
• Protein content higher relative to
corn
• Can be fed whole, rolled or crimped

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Equine market
• Supplemental calcium, vitamin, and
trace minerals are required
• Growing horses
• Supplemental protein and/or amino acids may
also be needed depending on forage quality

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Oats as a Feed Grain
• Hull-less or naked oats
• Increased nutrient density (energy,
protein, fat) relative to hulled oats
• Successful feeding in ruminant diets
requires careful feeding management
• Specialty markets, esp. monogastrics,
may see more widespread adoption
• Energy density

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences

 Summary
• Oats is a useful livestock feed
• Major use is in the equine market
• Lower energy density (safer) and
increased protein content
• Use in cattle feeds is declining
• Cost per unit of energy
• Still a popular creep feed

NDSU Animal and Range Sciences