DDGS Usage Promoted in Growing Mexican Market

MEXICO - With consumption of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) gradually growing in Mexico’s feed industry, Mexican feed producer Bachoco aims to increase its imports of the value-added product and has looked to the US Grains Council (USGC) and its network of experts for guidance.
calendar icon 22 January 2010
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This week, a USGC-funded group travelled to Celaya, Mexico, where they lead a DDGS assessment workshop with Bachoco nutritionists, plant managers and a quality control specialist. The main objective of the training was to provide expertise on the use of DDGS, including its proper usage in poultry, swine, ruminants and aquaculture diets. The workshop also provided instructions on how to improve pellet quality when using DDGS in feed. Dr Kim Koch, of Northern Crops Institute at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Dr Vern Anderson, also of NDSU, and Bob Thaler, of South Dakota State University, led the workshop in cooperation with Patricia Esqueda, USGC technical director in Mexico and Central America. Bachoco has a total of 19 plants distributed throughout Mexico, of which three are for commercial feed production. The rest are for self consumption purposes.

“The total annual feed production at Bachoco is three million metric tons, mainly for poultry, swine, ruminant, rabbit and horse feed,” said Ms Esqueda, noting that approximately 80 per cent is used for poultry, but that the company also sells pet, tilapia and bird feed. This translates into a grain consumption of around 1.5-1.8 million tons. According to Ms Esqueda, Bachoco’s commercial plant in Minatitlan consumes 24,000 tons per year, but is looking to import more. “They have specific clients who are looking to customize their ruminant feed with Bachoco if they are willing to increase DDGS levels in their commercial diets,” she said. “They also wish to maintain pellet quality which has become an issue for them.”

Dr Koch has worked with Bachoco’s Minatitlan plant in previous years, helping them improve pellet quality. However, the increase in inclusion levels of DDGS may “force” Bachoco to convince its customers to use ground feed instead of pelleted feed, Ms Esqueda said. According to information provided to participants during the workshop, this change would not affect animal performance and would simplify things for Bachoco, especially if they plan to increase DDGS levels in their commercial diets. The group will present on the same topic at a conference in Guadalajara, where they will meet with producers and plant managers from the area of Jalisco at Tepatitlan. As Mexico currently imports an average of 1.02 million tons of DDGS annually, such information sharing is key in USGC’s efforts of reaching out to this particular market.

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