Feeding Corn Co-products
in Dairy Herds
David Anderson, Texas A&M University
C. Wilson Gray, University of Idaho
Overview
• Overview of DDGs Characteristics
– Types of corn co-products
– Challenges in Feeding corn co-products
• Economics of corn co-products
• Summary
For Starters…
• This Isn’t New
– Brewers and Distillers Grain have been fed
forever
• Can’t Just Feed it Alone
– There aren’t many feeds you can feed
exclusively
• If Price is Right and We’ll Feed A Lot
Location, Location, Location…
• Where’s the Feed?
• Where are the Livestock?
Distiller’s Grain Basics
Key points on ethanol co-products
• What types of products are available?
• How much product can be used in the ration?
• How different are the nutritional properties of
specific co-products (low oil, low protein,
modified moisture, mixtures)?
• Which feed ration combinations work best?
• Can the variation in some nutrients be
reduced?
Source: Dan Loy, ISU
Types of DDG Processing
• Wet Mill
– Accounts for largest share & costly
– Multiple Products:
• high fructose sweetener, corn oil, ethanol
• corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed and other types
• Dry Grind
– Generally smaller and less costly
– Two Products:
• Ethanol
• Distillers Grain and Solubles
Wet Milling - Corn Gluten Feed
STEEP
GRIND
STEEP
CORN
WASH WATER
SEPARATION
STARCH, SWEETNER, ALCOHOL
GLUTEN MEAL
CORN OIL
CORN BRAN SEM, screenings, dist solubles
WET CORN GLUTEN FEED
DRY CORN GLUTEN FEED
Products of Wet Corn Milling
• One bushel of corn produces:
Product
– Starch
Pounds
31.5
Further processed into 33# of sweetener or 2.5 gallons of ethanol
– Gluten feed
13.5
– Gluten meal
2.5
– Corn meal
1.6
Corn Gluten Feed (CGF)
•
Corn bran + steep
•
Can be wet or dry
•
Moderate crude protein, CP = 16-23%
– 80% of CP is DIP (ruminally degradable)
•
Low fat, moderate fiber, TDN = 80
•
101-115% of energy value of dry-rolled corn
•
Product variation is significant within and across plants
due to amount of steep added back to the corn bran
•
Oatmeal-type appearance
Dry Milling - Distillers Grains+Solubles
CORN
GRIND, WET, COOK
FERMENTATION
YEAST, ENZYMES
STILL
ALCOHOL & CO2
STILLAGE
DISTILLERS GRAINS
WDG, DDG
DISTILLERS SOLUBLES
WDGS
DDGS
Products of Dry Corn Milling
• One bushel of corn produces:
– Ethanol
– Distillers grains & solubles
2.7 gallons
17-18 pounds
• DGS are one third the weight of the corn and all
but the starch is concentrated into this one-third
• Sulfur is concentrated and may have been used in
the fermenting process
• Mycotoxins, if they existed in the corn are also
concentrated 3:1
Distillers Grains + Solubles
•
Distillers Grains (65%) & Solubles (35%) (DM
basis)
•
May be wet or dried
•
Higher crude protein, CP = 30%
–
•
•
•
65% UIP (undegraded, “bypass”, protein)
High fat (11%), TDN = 70-110
Concentrates nutrients 3-fold from corn
– 0.8% P, 0.35-1.0% Sulfur (variable)
Mashed potatoes-type appearance
Nutrient Composition of Selected
Corn Milling Co-Products
Starch Removal Concentrates Other Nutrients
% of Corn Grain
500
400
300
CGF
200
DGS
100
0
Protein
NDF
Starch
Fat
P
K
S
Nutrient
Source: Dan Loy, ISU
Ruminant Energy Value of DDGS
• Good Quality DDGS contains:
7-11% more energy than “book values”
10-20% more energy than corn
NEL = 1.00 Mcal/lb
NEM = 1.06 Mcal/lb
NEG = 0.73 Mcal/lb
TDN = 94%
DE = 1.84 Mcal/lb
ME = 1.64 Mcal/lb
Protein in Distiller’s Grains
• 30% of DM and more than old “book values”
– Similar for DDG & DDGS
• Good source of Ruminally Undegradable Protein
(approximately 55% RUP)
– RUP is slightly less for wet vs. dry DDG
• Protein quality
– Fairly good quality
– Lysine is first limiting amino acid
How Much Can be Fed to Dairy Cows?
• Max. of ~ 20% of ration DM
- 10-13 lb/d of dried
- 30-40 lb/d of wet
• Usually no palatability problem at 30% of DM:
– May decrease DMI, especially if Wet CDG
– May feed excess protein
• At > 30% of DM
– May negatively impact butterfat and protein in milk
• Calves
– Up to 20% DMI
• Replacement Heifers
– Up to 25% DMI
Source: Shurson, U of MN
Challenges
Challenges of DDGS
• Storage and handling is more costly
• High levels of feeding management is
required
– Bunk management and mixing
– Nutrient balances
• Nutrient (manure) management is more
costly
– Some nutrients are concentrated (e.g., P)
Source: Dan Loy, ISU
Challenges of DDGS
• Must be golden brown
– Dark brown is over heated and ties up lysine
• Flowability
• Pellet quality
• Requires another bin for storage
• Abrupt changes may put cows off-feed
Challenges of DDGS
• Wet vs. Dry Distiller’s Grains for Dairy Cows
– Nutrient content of DM is the same
– Wet Distiller’s Grains Considerations
•
•
•
•
Usual storage period is 5-7 days
May require preservatives (e.g. propionic acid)
Limited hauling distance
May make rations too wet
– Limits total DM intake especially when silages are used
Storing Wet DGS
• Storing Wet DGS product:
– Often delivered in truck load lots
– Can store wet DGS in bunker, silage bag or in
pile covered with plastic to protect from air
– Should mix with tub-ground forage and sotred in
bunker or bag
– Need to have the “mix: right….
Economics:
A Little Supply and Demand
19
81
19 /82
83
19 /84
85
19 /86
87
19 /88
89
19 /90
91
19 /92
93
19 /94
95
19 /96
97
19 /98
99
20 /00
01
20 /02
03
20 /04
05
20 /06
07
20 /08
09
20 /10
11
/1
2
U.S. Distillers Grain Production
1,000 tons
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Potential DDG Usage
Species
Limit % Use b/lbs
Fed Cattle
35
Cows/Stockers
28.9
4.0
Dairy
10
15.0
Hogs
10
9.0
Sows
15
3.0
Broilers
10
13.0
Turkeys
10
1.6
Total
Note: Use b/lbs is usage in billion pounds
74.5
81
/
19 82
83
/
19 84
85
/
19 86
87
/
19 88
89
/
19 90
91
/
19 92
93
/
19 94
95
/
19 96
97
/
19 98
99
/
20 00
01
/
20 02
03
/
20 04
05
/
20 06
07
/
20 08
09
/
20 10
11
/1
2
19
Distillers Grain Production & Use
1,000 tons
45,000
40,000
25,000
Potential Use
35,000
30,000
Realistic Use
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Ratio of Corn to DDGS Prices
Ratio of Dollars per Pound, Central Illinois DDGS and Texas Triangle
Corn
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9
07
2/
5/
20
07
5/
20
6
1/
00
6
/5
/2
12
/5
/2
00
6
00
11
/5
/2
06
10
5/
20
06
9/
8/
5/
20
06
7/
5/
20
06
5/
20
06
6/
5/
20
06
5/
4/
5/
20
06
5/
20
06
3/
5/
20
2/
1/
5/
20
06
0.8
Economic impact of including DGS
Milk
lbs
53
53
53
53
Distillers
grains Feed
% diet
cost
DM
0
1.88
10
1.78
20
1.68
30
1.68
Value of
milk
produced
$/day
6.36
6.36
6.36
6.36
Income
over
Protein Phosphorus
feed costs
Excess of
requirements, lb
4.48
0.2
0.0
4.58
0.0
0.0
4.68
0.1
0.0
4.68
0.6
0.0
66
66
66
66
0
10
20
30
2.17
2.06
1.96
1.92
7.92
7.92
7.92
7.92
5.75
5.86
5.96
6.00
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
79
79
79
79
0
10
20
30
2.45
2.35
2.24
2.16
9.48
9.48
9.48
9.48
7.03
7.13
7.24
7.32
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
DDG $90/T; Corn $2.30/BU; SBM $185/T; Limestone $7.25/cwt; DicalPhos $20/cwt; corn silage $25/T
Alf Haylage $45/T; Milk $12/cwt using SPARTAN
Source: Garcia & Taylor, SDSU
Interactions – Economic Realities
• Higher Feed Costs
– Byproducts offer some price mitigation
• Markets Respond Through Price
– Feeder cattle and calf prices
• Reduced Production
– Lower milk production per cow, producers exit industry
• Livestock Industry Less Competitive
– World market, regionally in U.S.
• Higher Food Costs for Consumers
• Transitional Period is Critical
– Supply response, energy, technology, food and feed markets
Summary
• Use in Moderation
–
–
–
–
There are limits
DDGS can be superior to corn
WDGS are better than DDGS
Challenges are manageable
• Distiller’s grains are not as cheap as once was
– Price moves directly with corn prices
– Use can reduce ration costs