Anyone know about Distillers Grains?

dbarjacres · #1 02/21/08, 11:57 AM

The dairy farmer that I keep books for feeds his cattle Dry Distillers Grains in his TMR rations. I don't feed many of my goats grain (nigies, and just those that are nursing, growing or bucks during rut) and then they get a pound or less per day. For almost 2 years I was feeding a mill mix that I really liked, roughly 50% oats, 25% cracked corn, and a protein pellet with hardly any molasses at all on it. Well, they upped the molasses the last 2 bags, and I cut in more oats to take care of that. They manufacture the feed for the local goat (commercial) dairies, so the bag I buy once a month doesn't really matter to them.

So, I've gone to mixing my own - 50% oats, 25% cracked corn, 25% Calf Manna. and mix 200 lbs at a time. $45.00 per batch

Dried distillers is 26% protein and 9% fat. This comes from an ethanol plant 30 miles away from us. Kirk buys a semi load at at a time (25T) and I just broke down what it'd be per pound and it's .06 (6 cents). I can buy whatever I want from him at his cost (he only lives a mile away too). I'm wondering if I'd go to 75% oats and 25% distillers if that'd be a good idea - cost would be $21/200 lbs? It'd come out at 14.75% protein. From all the reading I've found on it, it is high in b-vitamins, highly palatible and has yeast cultures in it. Plus, it's cheap. I can't find anything specifically on dairy goats, just meat and of course cattle and swine. It says you can use distillers for up to 25% of a feed ration - and they are considering that a controlled, total mixed ration - no forage or hay included. I always have out free choice grass mixed (14% hay) and 1lb of alfalfa pellets per doe/day and then whoever gets grain. Plus Sweetlix Meat Maker free choice, mixed with kelp.

Any ideas, comments? Thanks for your time!

dbarjacres · #2 02/22/08, 01:27 PM

bump

dunroven · #3 02/22/08, 01:31 PM

There is a man in Marshalltown, Iowa, Eric Finch who feeds them, and he actually does seminars on this topic as well as other topics to do with goats.

Here is a link that has his number and some of his information. If you find out what percentages, etc., with the DDGs, could you please let me know? I don't have the time to go to the seminar right now and they are quite busy people, so don't get to talk with them much, but please post their findings here if you could????

Thanks!

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/...ies_041304.htm