Many producers and nutritionists start to wonder if DDGS still provides value in swine diets when DDGS prices start to trend upward. This question becomes more difficult to answer when we start to consider the factors that determine value of DDGS. Costs of ingredients like corn and soybean meal, inclusion of DDGS, and even variables such as estimated carcass loss related to feeding fibrous feeds all become important. In the end, even though DDGS may increase in price, continuing to include DDGS in diet formulations may still provide cost savings for the swine producer.
When calculating the value of ingredients, more specifically, Dakota Gold DDGS, we need to consider how DDGS affects total diet costs, livestock performance, and income over feed costs. This approach will result in the most effective and the most profitable strategy for producers and nutritionists.