As the U.S. corn-based ethanol industry makes continued advancements in technology, new production methods have had a direct impact on cattle feeders, reports Drovers CattleNetwork.
A recent and growing trend has been the extraction of corn oil during ethanol production. In return, this has decreased the fat content of the sweet, malty smelling by-product.
“Oil extraction through these methods has become popular with an estimated 85 percent of ethanol plants adapting some form of the processes,” declares a recent report by the Iowa Beef Center.
According to the report, research has shown cattle fed distillers grains consistently had less dry matter intake measurements. However, due to the variation of oil extraction methods from plant to plant, the nutrient profile of the distillers grains can vary greatly and thus have varied effects on cattle performance.