O/T Corn and distillers grain

I"ve had experience with both CDS from an ethanol plant (back in the early 90"s) as a researcher and have fed thin stillage from a bourbon distillery since I was in highschool. On a dry basis the current thin stillage product I"ve been feeding is 19% fat and 21% protein but it comes as a 90% water solution. The price is right (free) but there is a lot of freight on water.

I"ve feed momma cows on thin stillage and rough hay for years. As a finishing feed I"ve used dried distillers grains, ear corn, and alfalfa hay in a 1-1-1 ratio with some success. For finishing I really like a 1-1-1 mix of spelleted soy hulls, shelled corn, and corn glutten.

It is important to make sure your mineral mix is balanced for a heavy DDG or corn glutten ration on cows. Most of our forage based rations are heavy on phosphorous since legumes are rich in calcium. These grain bases are woefully deficient in calcium but rich in phosphorous so balance accordingly.

For every bushel on corn processed about 10% of it comes back out as DGs

DG's have about twice the protein as corn. But are high in sulfer so intake has to be watched so to much sulfer does not get into the animal.

Feed value is very good if you watch the % of DGs you use in the ration

The shelf life on Wet DGs is shorten in warm weather. But dry DGs or DDGs have a very good shelf life. Dry DGs are in pellet form.

DDGs are about $180 a ton right now and wet DGs are at about $80 a ton.

Gary

Are the figures I heard wrong?

--->Paul

Any idea how you compare cost of 5 dollar corn vs gluten?

A ton of corn at $5 a bushel is about $180.

So price is about the same but protien is much higher than corn for the DDGs.

Gluten would be cheaper but has to be used quickly in warmer weather.

It would make sense for the ethanol companies to remove the oil. Its just another thing they can sell.

Anybody know of a good place to get more information on these by products. I would like to use them if possible to replace some corn but how do you compare the 2 to figure out what is cheaper and where the price point is on corn vs gluten and DGS? There are somee days at the local plant I can get wet gluten for 5 bucks a ton and would like to take advantage of that when it comes avaliable. I realize storage is an issue especially in the summer with wet feed.

Gary