January 26, 2007

Ethanol co-products may be risky for swine producers

Considering the growing demand for alternative pig feed ingredients, the University of Alberta recently cautioned swine producers to pay particular attention to the nutritional aspects of diet as they increase the content of co-products from biofuel production in their rations.

This follows a recent research by a Canadian pork research scientist declaring triticale as an alternative feed ingredient for swine producers looking to escape the increasing cost of wheat.

Increasing demand for ethanol in the US has pushed up corn and wheat prices and increased the availability of co-products, like corn and wheat dried distillers grains (DDGS).

As a result, there have been several concerns related to higher inclusion of these coproducts in rations, according to University of Alberta feed industry research chair Dr Ruurd Zijlstra.

Swine are sensitive to mycotoxins, especially nursing or nursery-age swine. In general, mycotoxins cause reductions in feed intake, growth performance, and immune function when levels are relatively low.

The primary mycotoxins of concern to swine is vomitoxin.

If corn containing mycotoxins is delivered to an ethanol plant for ethanol production, these mycotoxins are not destroyed or inactivated during the fermentation process and will be present in DDGS produced from this corn source.

Dr Zijlstra noted the quality of these co-products could vary dramatically from one processing plant to another.

He recommended partnering with the producers of co-products to identify ways, whether through contracting or specific sourcing, to reduce the variability of these ingredients.