Reduced Fat

Feeding greater amounts of fat in the diet of lactating dairy cattle—specifically unsaturated fat like that in corn oil—can result in cows producing less fat in the milk, called milkfat depression.

Because of the BPX process that POET uses to produce bioethanol and Dakota Gold, POET can extract more oil than other bioethanol producers. The lower fat in DDGS provides a significant advantage over other non-POET DDGS for dairy cattle.

Improved Digestibility

POET’s BPX process minimizes the amount of heat during bioethanol and DDGS production. This reduces the negative effects of the Maillard reaction which can bind some of the protein and fiber.

Greater digestibility means the animal can capture and use more of the nutrients in Dakota Gold compared with non-POET DDGS. This results in greater energy and value for the animal.

Biohydrogenation Pathways of Trans-Fatty Acid Intermediate Production Linked to Milkfat Depression (Adapted from LOCK, 2009) Linoleic acid (cis-9, cis-12 C18:2)

NDF Digestibility

Fiber

Dairy cows require fiber in their diet to maintain optimal performance and good rumen health. Too little fiber can cause cows to develop conditions like acidosis or sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA).

Research has demonstrated that Dakota Gold can effectively replace alfalfa hay in lactating dairy cow diets. This provides flexbility in formulation and potential cost savings when forages become scarce or over-priced.

Cost Competitive

Producers and nutritionists need to consider costs and look at metrics like income over feed costs to determine the best strategies for ingredient purchases.

Dakota Gold provides a great source of both protein and energy. We can use software programs like Sesame and AMTS to demonstrate the Dakota Gold provides significant value when factoring in the complete nutrient profile.

Forage Replacement – UNL Research