Malt culms, malt sprouts, malt coombs

Useful reference: 106

The fibres of malt culms, being highly digestible, are a useful feed. Their value is greater for ruminants than for monogastric animals because only about half of the crude protein is digestible true protein. As dried malt culms swell in the stomach, the amount fed daily should be limited to 2.5 kg for horses and 1.5 kg for cattle. It has been used in the rations of growing-finishing pigs up to a level of 16% of the total diet with good results. The quality of malt culms is variable; only those in good condition, free from mould and off-flavours, should be used. Malt culms are bitter and are sometimes refused if fed alone. They can affect the taste of milk if large amounts are given to dairy cattle.

					As % of dry matter
				DM	CP	CF	Ash	EE	NFE	Ca	P	Ref
Malt culms, dried,
Australia				90.0	27.2	15.6	6.1	2.2	48.9			216
							Digestibility (%)
					Animal		CP	CF	EE	NFE	ME	Ref
Dried culms					Cattle		81.6	92.1	85.0	74.0	2.93	216
		Amino acid composition as % of crude protein
											Ref	303
Arg	Cys	Gly	His	Ils	Leu	Lys	Met	Phe	Thr	Try	Tyr	Val
4.3	-	-	1.8	3.8	5.7	5.0	1.3	3.1	3.5	1.4	-	5.0