Ethanol provides more than just fuel

Some 3.2 million metric tons of distillers dried grains (DDGS) are currently used in the animal feed industry to create a high-energy, high-protein feed ingredient that has been found to have three times the level of non-starch nutrients than original corn.

According to Dr. Chad Hastad of Swine Nutrition Services in Truman, Minnesota, distillers grains -- which were traditionally fed to ruminants because of the low protein and high fiber content -- are now being fed in poultry and swine diets as well.

"Producers have been trying to use DDGS as an ingredient since the 1950s, but early feeding attempts were not as successful because the amounts of nutrients in DDGS were not right for pigs," says Hastad. "Now, modernized engineering of ethanol plants with new technologies, processing techniques and better quality control have led to improved DDGS nutrient profiles that have grabbed the attention of the swine industry."

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Source: Agriculture Online

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