DDGS: be aware of mycotoxins

A by-product of ethanol production, distiller’s dried grains (DDGs), have become increasingly popular with livestock and poultry producers. During ethanol production, yeast utilises the highly digestible starch materials to produce ethanol. After the starch is used, production is left with primarily protein and fibre, the main components of DDGs, which provide an excellent feedstuff source for animals.

“The problem with DDGs is that any component that is not used for ethanol will be concentrated just like the fibre and the protein, and this includes mycotoxins,” said Dr Max Hawkins, Alltech Mycotoxin Management team nutritionist. “In fact, mycotoxins concentrate up to 3 times more in DDGs than in grains.”

Since Sept. 1, 2015 16 DDG samples have been analysed through the Alltech 37+®mycotoxin analysis program. The average sample contained 6.31 mycotoxins with:

• type B trichothecenes present in 94% of samples,
• fusaric acid in 94% and
• fumonisins in 81%.

“The major change in DDG quality has been due to type B trichothecenes and type A trichothecenes, as both of these toxins have increased since harvest,” said Hawkins. “Over time, these mycotoxins can have significant impact on feed intake, weight gain, gut health, immune response and feed conversion rate (FCR).”

Hawkins advised poultry and swine producers to also stay vigilant about corn grain storage. Further analysis has shown that, since harvest, this feedstuff has increased from a low to moderate mycotoxin risk as grain storage time increases. Another common approach to dealing with mycotoxins in DDGs is blending, which involves taking a high toxin source of DDGs and mixing it with another supply that has a lower level of contamination.

Also interesting: Alltech mycotoxin surveys

[Source: Alltech]