Evaluating sugar beets as replacement to corn silage in a California dairy farm

Commodities

• Animals: bovine
• Animal Products: dairy

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage, manure management
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research

Dairy producers in California face increasing pressure to reduce feed costs, conserve irrigation water, and manage manure more efficiently under tightening environmental regulations. Sugar beets have emerged as an alternative feed because they require less water than corn silage, tolerate saline soils, and can produce high yields. However, little is known about how replacing corn silage with fresh sugar beets affects nutrient digestibility, manure solids, or biogas generation. This lack of information prevents producers from evaluating environmental and economic impacts of sugar beets.

This producer-driven project asks three main research questions: (1) How does substituting corn silage with fresh sugar beets affect nutrient digestibility in lactating dairy cows? (2) Does feeding sugar beets change manure solids volume? (3) Does sugar beet inclusion alter biogas production from dairy manure in an anaerobic digester? To answer these questions, we will conduct two winter feeding cycles comparing a corn silage-based ration with a sugar beet-based ration formulated to be nutritionally equivalent. Feeds, rations , and fecal samples will be analyzed using wet chemistry to estimate nutrient digestibility. Manure entering and exiting the dairy's solids separator will be collected and analyzed for total and volatile solids, while digester operational data will be summarized to evaluate biogas production.

The expected outcomes include improved understanding of how sugar beets influence nutrient use efficiency, manure characteristics, and biogas production. These findings have direct implications for sustainable agriculture: sugar beets may lower feed costs and decrease manure solids requiring handling. Project results will be shared with agricultural stakeholders through conferences, newsletters, and educational materials to support informed feed and manure management decisions.

Objective 1: Evaluate the effects of replacing corn silage with sugar beets on diet composition and nutrient digestibility in lactating dairy cows.

Objective 2: Assess how feeding sugar beets influences manure solids and biogas production on a commercial dairy.

Objective 3: Increase awareness and understanding among dairy producers about the use of sugar beets in dairy farms.