Some years weather conditions cause sugarbeets intended to be processed for human consumption to start to deteriorate.
When this happens, the beets are no longer acceptable for human consumption and may become available for beef cattle diets at a fraction of the cost of other energy feed sources.
A research trial was conducted at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center feedlot at Scottsbluff using sugarbeets as an energy source. In that trial, a diet of 20% sugarbeets, 20% wet distillers grains, and 60% straw (dry matter basis) was compared to a diet of 20% corn, 20% wet distillers grains, and 60% wheat straw for late gestation cows. There was no difference between treatments in cattle performance, and cows in both treatments gained body condition during the two-month trial.
In that trial, the complete mixed ration that included the sugarbeets was stored in an agricultural bag for later use and did undergo some fermentation. The beet pieces that were part of the mixed ration coming out of the agricultural bag were soft and there were no problems with cows choking or refusing feed.
Source: www.cattlenetwork.com