BMR-FL Corn Silage for Beef Feed Digestibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Increased inclusion of corn silage in beef finishing diets can lead to reduced average daily gain and gain:feed ratio due to gut fill and fiber digestion limitations, necessitating the need for improved digestibility and nutritional efficiency in animal feed compositions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating silage produced from a corn hybrid with brown midrib (bmr) and floury traits, which reduces lignin content and enhances fiber digestibility, into animal feed compositions to improve meat quantity and nutritional efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the inclusion of corn silage in beef finishing diets is increased, then the roughage/grain inventory is secured and feed cost is reduced, but the average daily gain and gain:feed ratio deteriorate due to gut fill and fiber digestion limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorn silage inclusion levelVSAvoidaverage daily gain
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the silage by using brown midrib corn hybrids, which have reduced lignin content and altered fiber structure. This parameter change in the feed material allows for improved fiber digestibility and reduced gut fill, enabling higher silage inclusion levels without compromising average daily gain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite feed composition by combining brown midrib corn silage with distillers grains. This composite material leverages the low-lignin characteristics of BMR silage and the high protein content of distillers grains to achieve both high silage inclusion and maintained productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If the inclusion of corn silage in beef finishing diets is increased, then the roughage/grain inventory is secured and feed cost is reduced, but the gain:feed ratio deteriorates due to gut fill and fiber digestion limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorn silage inclusion levelVSAvoidgain:feed ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the fiber composition parameters of the silage through brown midrib genetics, reducing lignin content and improving fiber digestibility. This parameter change reduces the energy lost to undigested fiber and gut fill, thereby improving the gain:feed ratio even at higher silage inclusion levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional corn silage is used as a roughage source, then the diet is simple to formulate, but the fiber digestibility is limited and the negative effects on performance increase at higher inclusion levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediet formulation simplicityVSAvoidfiber digestibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses brown midrib corn silage, which is a genetically distinct variety that serves as a composite material with inherently improved fiber characteristics. This approach maintains formulation simplicity while reliably improving fiber digestibility through the natural composition of BMR corn hybrids.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of BMR-FL silage from corn hybrids with both bmr and floury traits in animal feed compositions increases meat quantity and nutritional efficiency, allowing for higher silage inclusion without negative impacts on feedlot performance or carcass characteristics, effectively replacing grain corn as an energy source.

Implementation Method 1

The brown midrib (bmr) mutation has been reported to lower lignin concentrations and improve fiber digestibility

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLignin reduction through genetic mutation:

Implementation Method 2

the floury (fl) trait that increases the concentration of the amino acid lysine

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAmino acid concentration increase through genetic trait:

Implementation Method 3

Feeding corn silage containing both the bmr and fl traits may increase dry matter intake

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnhanced digestibility through combined genetic traits:

Data Source

PatentUS11039628B2Methods of using silage produced from a corn hybrid comprising brown midrib and floury traits for meat production
Publication Date: 2021.06.22 AGRIGENETICS INC

AI summary

A silage with increased digestibility is produced from a corn hybrid that includes both brown midrib (bmr) and floury traits. A growing ration comprises such silage. A finishing ration comprises such silage. A method of increasing the meat quantity of a silage-fed animal comprises providing a silage produced from a corn hybrid that includes brown midrib (bmr) and floury traits, and feeding the animal with an animal feed composition that comprises the silage.