Barley is used all over the world, in breads, breakfast cereals, puddings, porridges, stews and soups such as Scotch broth. Barley water, beer and other alcoholic drinks are made from it and it is also used for sweetening breads and drinks, and in malt extract.

Barley grain is used primarily as an energy and protein source in beef cattle diets. The nutrient content of barley compares favorably with that of corn, oats, wheat, sorghum and field peas.

The energy content of barley is slightly lower than the energy value of corn, wheat and sorghum, partially due to its higher fiber content (neutral detergent fiber, or NDF, and acid detergent fiber, or ADF). The crude protein content of barley is higher than in corn and similar to wheat and oats, but lower than in field peas.

Cattle fed barley will benefit from including an ionophore in the ration to stabilize rumen function and maximize feed efficiency and gain. Ionophores improve gains in high-forage diets without affecting intake, while in finishing rations, gain is not affected, but feed intake generally is reduced, resulting in greater feed efficiency.

Some commercial products such as yeasts and enzymes may be effective in barley-based diets. Consider unbiased research when selecting feed additives.

Corn is a major staple food grain throughout the world, particularly in Africa, Latin America and Asia, and a major feed-stuff in developed countries. The corn grain has many food (grain, flour, syrup, oil…) and non-food usages (cosmetics, adhesives, paints, varnishes).

Also, Corn starch and oil are also major products. The corn grain is a major animal feed grain and a standard component of livestock diets where it is used as a source of energy. However, other grains are typically compared to corn when their nutritional value is estimated.

Many by-products of corn processing for flour (hominy feed, bran, germs, oil meal), starch (corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal) and alcohol/biofuel industries (distillers’ dried grains and solubles) can be fed to animals. Corn breeders have created many cultivars that correspond to specific climatic or agronomic conditions and uses.

“Dent corn” corn is the most widely grown type of corn and the one typically used for feed.

Also other types (flint corn, popcorn, sweet corn, flour corn) are more intended for food uses. Some varieties have been created to improve the industrial or nutritional value: high lysine, high tryptophan, high oil, high amylose, low phytate, etc.

Brown midrib corn has a lower lignin content resulting in an increased digestibility in livestock.