Ethanol waste: Good for Rover?

The pet-food industry takes a serious look at distillers grains 3

Should the mush left over after the ethanol process -- known as distillers grains -- be fed to farm animals?

There's been little real debate around that question, even though a) heavy use of distillers grains as cow feed has been linked to deadly E. Coli 0157H7 outbreaks; and b), the mush has been shown to contain all manner of residues from the ethanol process, including industrial chemicals and antibiotics.

While questions surrounding distillers grains as animal feed hang around, the pet-food industry is seriously considering adding the stuff to cat and dog food; indeed, a few producers already are. According to a pet-food industry consultant:
Currently, only a few of the "value brands" of petfood are brave enough to incorporate DDGS [a common type of distillers grains] in their formulas.

However ...

Considering consumers generally have a favorable view of "green" ethanol and petfood companies have a need to recapture some lost margin encountered with rising commodity prices, it may be time for the broader industry to explore its use.

In other words, hey guys, corn is expensive and distillers grains are relatively cheap. Hel-lo-o!

Grist food editor Tom Philpott farms and cooks at Maverick Farms, a sustainable-agriculture nonprofit and small farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Follow my Twitter feed; contact me at tphilpott[at]grist[dot]org.

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  1. Orfintain Posted 10:00 am
    06 Oct 2008

    DDGSDistillers grains are a high fat high protein (as the carbohydrates have been removed for fermentation) Generally the grains are of significantly higher value per mass (i believe) than corn both economically and nutritionally due to the high fat/protein content
  2. amazingdrx Posted 12:18 pm
    06 Oct 2008

    Very foolishThe allergies that most dogs have to present formulations of pet food will be magnified by the use of this waste material.
    All kinds of drugs are being prescribed for this at great cost, while the problem remains the additives in the food that dogs don't naturally eat.
    With ethanol waste added to food, pet health will suffer and healthcare costs will soar.

    http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin
  3. turanga leela's avatar

    turanga leela Posted 5:36 am
    07 Oct 2008

    FatteningNot sure how this could be good for pets. DDGS are desired by CAFO operators because it's a cheap way to fatten livestock. I have a hard enough time keeping kitty's weight down as it is without the addition of something designed to make animals fat.

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