Producers Presented with Options for Coproduct Diversification
by Ron Kotrba (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Diversifying ethanol coproduct streams is big business in today’s market as producers seek to add value to their product portfolios, a major focus of discussion at the 2014 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo in Indianapolis this week.
With the popularity of corn oil extraction at ethanol plants, the average fat content of DDGS has dropped to 6.6 percent in North America, according to Harold Tilstra, manager of technical support for DDGS marketing at Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. This information was gleaned from 69 sources recently sampled.
“The primary cost of feeding animals is energy,” Tilstra said, adding that removing oil from DDGS lowers total gross calories. Tilstra reminded the audience that the end user of DDGS is not the livestock farmer but rather the nutritionist who provides inclusion rates to the farmer. “Know your buyer and who you’re selling to,” Tilstra said.
Value, according to Tilstra, can be added to DDGS in one of two ways: Making better use of the nutrients that are there (an information management issue); and making the nutrients that are already there more available (a process management issue).
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Certification for kosher glycerin is also achievable, allowing higher market values for the biodiesel coproduct. READ MORE
