Ethanol Blog

Recent feeding trials conducted in Vietnam by the U.S. Grains Council have proved that dried distillers grains with solubles is an economical and nutritious feed for Vietnam's pangasius catfish industry and has no effect on the color of fish fillets, according to a news article on the Council's website (http://bit.ly/…).

The two aqua feeding trials were aimed at showing those in the industry that plant-based proteins such as DDGS and soybean meal can be combined to provide protein in fish diets. In the past, Vietnamese fish feeders were hesitant to feed DDGS to catfish because they feared that xanthophyll, the yellow/brownish plant pigment in DDGS, would turn fish fillets yellow instead of the white color that Asian and U.S. customers prefer.

The trials indicated that DDGS can be used at inclusion rates of up to 15% in aqua diets without any negative effect on fillet yield or color.

Kevin Roepke, USGC regional director for South and Southeast Asia, said the trials found "almost no differences in the color of the fish fillets for catfish fed DDGS over both short and long periods of time."

Roepke added that the Council plans to educate end-users about the results of the trials through seminars, presentations and one-on-one meetings to persuade them to consider using DDGS and corn in their rations.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@dtn.com.

(ES)

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