Distillery by-products, livestock feed and bio-energy use: report
We commissioned this report in response to concerns by livestock farmers about the impact of anaerobic digestion and bio-energy on the availability of distillery by-product for use as livestock feed in Scotland.
Appendix 3 - Nutritional value of distillery by-products
61. The feed value of distillery feed by-products are well documented[12]. The SAC Farm Management Handbook 2018/19 contains a list of the relative feed values of the main by distillery feed by-products. The nutritional value of feeds varies by animal species. In Scotland ruminant livestock (cattle and sheep) are the main consumers of distillery feed by products. A summary of the key nutritional values of these feeds for ruminants is given in Table A2 below.
Table A2 – Nutritive value of feeding stuffs – ruminants
| Feed | Dry Matter (DM) (g/kg) | Metabolisable Energy (ME) (MJ/kg DM | Crude Protein (CP) (g/kg DM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewers grains or draff (23% DM) |
230 |
11.1 |
200 |
| Wheat Distiller’s Dark Grains |
900 |
13.5 |
340 |
| Malt Distiller’s Dark Grains |
900 |
12.2 |
265 |
| Pot Ale Syrup |
450 |
14.2 |
360 |
Source: FAS SAC Farm Management Handbook and SAC Consulting
62. Distillery by-products are best suited for use in ruminant diets (beef, dairy and sheep) where they provide good quality protein and digestible fibre. These feeds are highly palatable with few limiting factors to feeding in ruminants though high levels of copper may limit use in some sheep diets. In contrast these feeds are of limited use in pig and poultry rations due to the high level of fibre and low energy density. Table A3 overleaf details recommended maximum inclusion rates in different species.
Table A3 – Maximum inclusion rates by species (%)
| Brewers Grains (draff) | Distiller’s Dark Grains (Barley) | Distiller’s Dark Grains (wheat) | Pot Ale Syrup (PAS) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy |
30 |
30 |
40 |
25 |
| Beef |
40 |
30 |
40 |
20 |
| Ewe |
5 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
| Sow |
0 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
| Broiler |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Source: The Feeds Directory, Dr W.N. Ewing (1997)
Contact
Email: Gordon.Jackson@gov.scot
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