By Don Hutchens

Corn growers and ranchers in Nebraska have something new in common – distillers grains. For years, the feedlot industry has been getting used to feeding wet distillers grains, and it appears Nebraska will be home to many more ethanol plants, which are expected to produce nearly 6 million tons of distillers grain by 2010.

With nearly 2 million head of cattle on feed at any given time, and with an inclusion rate of 40 percent of distillers grains in the ration, most of the attention on using up this ethanol co-product has been centered on the feedlot. But, with higher roughage costs, a drought that seems it just can’t let go of western Nebraska, a desire to cut our dependence on Middle Eastern oil by producing homegrown renewable fuels from corn and soybeans, and a corresponding growth in a quality feed product, the attention is turning to the ranching community to the west.

Recently, the Nebraska Corn Board made a donation, not of corn to ranchers hit with range fires, but of distillers grains cubes with 25 percent protein. The cube, containing 44 percent dried distillers grains with solubles, some wheat middlings, cottonseed meal, cane molasses and the right mineral mix is becoming the new kid on the block for ranchers.

We have heard from Nebraska ranchers that they wanted access to this new feed co-product in a form that is cost competitive and functional for their industry and, thanks to Nebraska feed millers and distributors, it appears the dried distillers grain (DDG) cube may become more in demand.

“These products offer a tremendous opportunity and benefit to Nebraska ranchers,” stated Dr. Terry Klopfenstein, professor of animal science at UNL. “The supply is not only there now, but will be in the future as we see the ethanol industry expand.

“One size does not always fit all, but in this case it does. As we look currently at the use of these feed co-products, plants are selling the products wet to feedlots as a protein source. But with these pellets, blocks and cubes, we can now look at these also as an energy source that can replace the lack of or high cost of forage,” Klopfenstein added.

The Nebraska Cattlemen and the Nebraska Corn Board are working together to make sure the cattle industry and this emerging corn-to-ethanol industry co-exist. Never before has the collaboration been any better between these two industries. Corn producers realize who their number-one customer is in this state – the cattle industry. We want to see the industry grow, be prosperous and selfishly add value to our corn each and every year.

Ranchers will need to look at the economics of handling and the performance of these DDG cubes. We will continue to research new and better ways to manufacture, formulate and utilize cubes, pellets and blocks for not only cattle, but also other animal-agriculture species.

We are teaming up to connect the end users and the producers of these products. But we also want to hear from you on what works and doesn’t when using distillers grains. How can we improve the corn-ethanol-distillers grains-livestock mix? 

For a list of DDG cube manufactures or marketers in Nebraska, please write or call the Nebraska Cattlemen or Nebraska Corn Board or check out our Web site for an updated list. Also use the “contact us” link to share your thoughts. The Nebraska ranching industry is a vital component of our state’s economy and it all starts when that calf hits the ground for both the corn farmer and the feedlot.    By Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board.