Ethanol
Co-products
Distillers Feed
Cattle and Corn Working Together
In South Dakota being a good neighbor is part of our way of life. We function best we work together to solve problems and create opportunities. South Dakota’s two leading agriculture products, cattle and corn, are no different.
In 2004, beef accounted for over 65 percent of the meat production in the state, and farmers raised more than three times as much corn as any other crop. South Dakota is a leader in the diversification of these two products.
Ethanol is a major reason for that leadership. One of the by-products of ethanol production, distillers feed, is a nutritious, economical cattle feed that has become a key nutrition source for the livestock industry. And the livestock industry has become a dependable market for distillers feed.
Distillers Feed Options
Thin stillage, or “sweet water” is a liquid removed from the mash produced during ethanol production and sold directly as livestock feed.
Condensed distillers solubles, or “soup” is dehydrated thin stillage. It can be sold directly as cattle feed or blended with distillers grains to produce distillers grains plus solubles.
Wet distillers grain is the solid part of the mash produced during the creation of ethanol.
Dried distillers grain is dehydrated wet distillers grain.
Distillers grains plus solubles is a combination of distillers grains and condensed distillers solubles. It is sold in three forms: wet (30% dry matter), modified (50% dry matter) or dry (90% dry matter).
Nutrient Content
Distillers grains, with or without solubles, are a medium protein feed that can be a replacement for other protein sources in beef cattle diets. Distillers grains also contain highly digestible fiber and fat, giving it a similar, to slightly higher energy value than corn. And the moisture content in wet distillers grain helps condition dry rations.