title: Review: Sugar beets as a substitute for grain for lactating dairy cattle.
abstract: Dairy cows are customarily given grains and highly digestible byproduct ingredients as additions to forage to support milk production. In many parts of the world growing seasons are short, and the grain crops that can be grown may not provide adequate yields. Sugar beets, on the other hand are relatively hardy, and dry matter yields surpass the yields of most grain crops. There are however, perceptions that beets may not be suitable as a feed ingredient due to the fact that the storage form of carbohydrate is sugar rather than starch. With little analytical support, sugar has been rejected in many feeding programs with the view that sugar reduces rumen pH, fiber digestion and microbial yield. This review explores available facts revolving around these concerns. Information regarding the feeding of sugar beets is provided and the use of sugar beets as a partial replacement for grain is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Technical Advisory Services, Inc, 64 Scugog St, Bowmanville, ON L1C3J1 Canada.
authors.forename: Essi
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5548-0783
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: KWS SAAT SE, Grimsehlstr. 31, P.O. Box 1463, D-37555 Einbeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Messerschmidt
keywords: Dairy cattle; Feed beets; Fodder beets; Methane; Sugar; Sugar beets