What is DDGS?
Dried distiller grain with solubles (DDGS) is a manufacturing byproduct from the production of biofuels. Grains like corn, wheat, rye, rice, and more can be distilled to make biofuels like bioethanol. During this process, the starches are removed from the grains to make alcohol. The proteins, oils, and fibers from the grains are left behind. These byproducts come in different forms, but here we will focus on DDGS from corn, which is the predominant grain used in US bioethanol production.
Manufacturers began initially marketing biofuel byproducts as an inexpensive finishing feed to the cattle industry. They have recently been branching out to market DDGS as a finishing feed for smaller livestock, like sheep and goats. Animal feed manufacturers sometimes use DDGS as a low starch carrier to encourage livestock to eat mineral and nutritional supplements.
Why Doesn’t Redmond Use DDGS?
The foundation for all Redmond Agriculture products, is our rich, ancient sea mineral deposit protected by a layer of volcanic bentonite clay. For over 50 years, this nutrient dense resource has formed the core of our mineral programs. Naturally loaded with over 60 trace minerals, our salt is the perfect carrier for the essential nutrients your animals need.
Natural Regulation
The primary reason Redmond products do not contain DDGS is, they simply do not need it.
Salt is the ideal carrier for our complete mineral profile because animals naturally crave and regulate their salt intake. According to Dr. Larry L. Berger Ph.D (Professor of Animal Nutrition, University of Illinois):
“salt is a natural carrier for trace minerals, since all farm animals have a natural appetite for salt...because animals have a definite appetite for salt, it can be used as a delivery mechanism to ensure adequate intake of less palatable nutrients and as a feed intake limiter.”
In contrast, DDGS products require very careful moderation to ensure livestock do not eat too much, especially for smaller animals like sheep and goats. Because DDGS is high in phosphorus and sulfur, it is important to monitor their intake. Eating too much can cause health problems, interfere with their ability to metabolize important minerals (like copper and molybdenum), and pollute their environment as they excrete excess phosphorus and sulfur.
By using salt as a mineral carrier, we can use animals’ natural cravings and biological sensors to ensure they get only what they need. Watch this video to see how enthusiastic goats are about our filler-free mineral mixes.
Production Line Integrity
DDGS passes through many hands on its way to your animals, with more opportunities for lapses in nutritional integrity. According to Purdue University, DDGS is susceptible to nutrient variation:
“There can be considerable variation in the nutrient content and availability of DDGS.
Due to variation in protocol between distilling plants across the country, the chemical composition of the resulting co-products may be different. This variation in nutrient content, digestibility, and availability is usually related to the drying process and amount of solubles added back to the distiller’s grains...Routine chemical and nutritional analyses of DDGS are important to determine nutritional value and nutrient availability.”
Another production line concern with DDGS is mycotoxin concentration. If mycotoxins are growing in the original corn crop, they are not destroyed by the fermenting process, but are concentrated. Purdue also found that “if mycotoxins were a problem in the original corn, they will be further concentrated in DDGS.” The distilling and drying process “concentrates the remaining fraction by a factor of approximately three times.”
Redmond uses our salt as a carrier for our minerals because we have complete stewardship over its harvesting and manufacturing processes.
Because of this, we are proud to offer mineral salt products with a transparent, guaranteed analysis of their nutritional benefits. What you see is what you get. Watch the video below to learn more about our mine.
Redmond Goat Mineral Mix
Crafted by nature and harvested by farmers, our Goat Mineral Mix will give you peace of mind that you are providing a delicious and filler-free nutrient profile for your animals.
Adding Redmond Minerals to your feed program will help your herd:
- Maintain optimal rumen health (pH regulation, support healthy microbes, bind toxins)
- Better utilize the nutrients in their feed
- Support all around bio-activity (cardiovascular, metabolic, muscular, reproductive, and immune health)...and more.
Give Redmond Minerals a call at 
to try our minerals; you and your animals will love it!
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