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| Farm World reader says DDGs can be used with good results |
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Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter in response to the article Beer for Beef? No, but its used grains are delicious from the Jan. 26 issue (page 12, Farm World). I was very excited to read this article and I would like to thank you for publishing it. Spent brewers grains as well as dry distillers grains (DDGs) have become an interest to me in the last year. I also believe that their great potential needs to be shared with the rest of the agricultural industry.
Allow me to explain myself a little. I am a senior at Britton Deerfield High School, Britton, Mich. as well as a second year student at the LISD Tech Center’s Agricultural Technology class in Adrian, Mich. One of the perks of being in the “Ag-Tech” class is FFA. I am currently serving as the President of my FFA chapter, and I am also a long time 4-H member.
Last year I started a research project at the Tech Center that tested dry distillers grains in Japanese quail diets.
This project was inspired by my interest in new coming agricultural research, the Global Ethanol Plant that was recently built close to my home and the fact that i had been unable to find very much info on poultry experiments that used dry distillers grains.
I started by creating three experimental rations that each contained a different amount of DDGs (22 percent, 23 percent, 24 percent protein). The quail grew phenomenally and the rations seemed to work very well. After the successful rations and winning several local science fairs, I decided to recreate my rations for broiler chickens. The chickens grew well but not as fast as broilers on a conventional feed that relies on corn and soybean meal.
I proceeded to enter at the Arthur Berkey Agriculture, Food and Natural Science Fair this past summer at Ag Expo where I placed first and I then advanced to the National FFA Agriscience Fair in Indianapolis (where I placed silver). Hopefully I will be attending Michigan State University this fall for Agricultural Education and hopefully continuing my research.
Anyway, I have experienced the potential of spent grains and DDGs not only through my research project but also on my family’s farm where we have fed our beef cattle wet distiller’s grains from time to time. I believe that rations containing biofuel/brewer by-products have a great potential to not only be a sustainable way to get rid of wastes but also a more economical option for producers.
Corn and soybean prices are making it very expensive for producers (especially smaller operations) to produce quality livestock at prices consumers want to see. With a growing population and the current economy, the agricultural industry is going to have to step up and produce more food at lower production costs. With some more improvements to rations like mine, I see a very marketable product that not only satisfies producers but also the non-agricultural community that demands more eco-friendly practices.
I know that articles like the Beer for Beef? are not as important as grain reports, political issues or predicted yields, but I believe they are still important. If we can educate the industry on new coming research such as alternative feed supplements or even more sustainable topics, the future for agriculture is bound to be a brighter place.
I hope that you will continue to publish multiple articles concerning the biofuel industry as well as unique news or success stories, in this case from Mr. Moody’s Farm in Indiana. Thank You for your time and I look forward to hearing and seeing more news about dry distillers grains and spent grains, not only from Farm World but other Ag news sources.
Ashley Frye
Palmyra, Mich. |
| 2/9/2011 |
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