Ethanol Blog

The volatility in feed prices makes it vital for producers to examine feed costs and make informed decisions, according to an article by AgriNews (http://bit.ly/…). One important factor in meeting a cow's nutritional needs, especially if feeding low-quality hay, is using ethanol co-products.

One possibility in making smart feed choices can be to use distillers grains or corn gluten feed, which can work well with low quality forage, according to Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Extension commercial ag educator.

For instance, feeding poor quality hay during late gestation and early lactation may not be sufficient to meet nutrient requirements, but supplementing with an ethanol coproduct may be an economical choice.

When calculating costs for rations using distillers grains or corn gluten feed, producers must remember to include the cost of transportation and shrinkage into their ration costs. This can add about $15 per ton to the cost, Meteer said.

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

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