BioFuels Journal

Biodiesel is made from a wide variety of agricultural oils that are byproducts and co-products of producing protein meal for livestock feed.

Now glycerin, the main byproduct of producing biodiesel, could be making its way into the livestock industry as an ingredient in cattle feed.

During biodiesel production glycerol is separated from oil through a chemical reaction.

The oils without the glycerol become the biodiesel and the glycerol that is removed is a potential ingredient in livestock feed.

According to a recent article in the High Plains Journal studies by Texas AgriLife Research and West Texas A&M; University personnel have evaluated the energy value of the glycerin in replacing corn or hay in cattle diets.

The studies were designed to determine the feeding value, optimal concentration and which components of the livestock feed were best to displace with the crude glycerin, said Jim MacDonald, Ph.D., AgriLife Research beef cattle nutritionist in Amarillo.

"I feel very comfortable using crude glycerin up to 7.5 percent of a diet," MacDonald said.

"We also observed no negative impacts on animal health up to 10 percent inclusion in diets of newly received calves.”

Capturing the value of the byproducts becomes increasingly important to bioenergy plants as production volumes continue to rise.

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