FEED MANUFACTURING CONSIDERATIONS FOR USING DDGS IN POULTRY AND LIVESTOCK DIETS Summary

Abstract

While not a new ingredient in livestock feed, the volume available and the relative price of DDGS have forced many feed manufacturers into using greater levels than ever before. The use of DDGS has caused feed manufacturing problems at nearly every phase of feed manufacturing. These include railcars that simply won’t unload, feeder screws and supply bins that are wrong for the ingredient, nutrient variation that results in out-of-spec feeds leaving the feed mill, and, of greatest concern, pellet throughput and pellet quality concerns. Nearly all of these problems are the result of the physical properties of DDGS and of the way a particular ethanol facility might manage their byproducts. There is little doubt that the ethanol industry will continue to grow, displacing feed corn with DDGS and other byproducts. It is imperative that we learn to deal with these byproducts effectively so that we can produce the highest quality feeds possible.