Product & Feeding Information

For product and feeding information, please select feed type and/or livestock type

Filter
Feed type
Feed type

HomepageFAQ

Pictures

FAQFAQ

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLANT

  • Who is Vivergo and where are they based?
    Established in 2007, Vivergo brings together the complementary skills of three leading companies:
    - BP's fuels technology expertise and access to major fuel markets
    - AB Sugar's experience in the agricultural value chain
    - DuPont's biotechnology and bio-manufacturing capabilities

    The Vivergo plant is situated at Saltend in Hull. The three core benefits of the Vivergo Fuels location are:
    - Proximity to the UK's wheat belt area; one of the highest yielding in the world.
    - The availability of combined heat and power technology which will supply steam and power to the Biorefinery.
    - The deep port location helps to optimise the supply chain logistics.
  • Why is this world-scale bio-refinery being built?
    The plant is being built as a consequence of demands to substitute a percentage of fossil fuels with biofuels, to reduce their detrimental effect on the environment. This is actively being promoted by governments around the world. In the UK, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which came into force in April 2008, requires all fuel sold to contain biofuels. Today's target is 4.0%, rising to 10% in 2020. Presently the UK cannot meet this requirement from its own resources. It is expected that the Vivergo plant will be able to supply about one third of the UK's requirements.
  • When will the Vivergo plant commence operation?
    The plant will start production in early 2012.
  • Will the production of biofuels mean people will go hungry?
    A key issue of food supply is not the shortage of land, but political instability and lack of investment.

    The new market for crops provided by biofuels will ensure that farmers in the UK, and in developing countries, get fair prices for what they grow. Some experts believe this could increase investment into the agricultural industry and boost countries' economies.

    Not all suitable agricultural land is in use at present, and farmers will respond to increased demand by additional planting/production. In times of food shortages, these crops will still be suitable for human consumption, and can easily be diverted into food production.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WHEAT USED

  • What type of wheat will be used?
    The type of wheat required for the Vivergo plant is soft, high starch, low protein wheat, which is widely grown in the UK. This is different from the high protein milling wheat associated with bread making. This soft wheat tends to be higher yielding, and generally has less nitrogen-based fertilizers applied to it during the growing season.
  • Does the UK produce enough wheat to supply the Vivergo plant?
    Wheat is widely grown in the UK, in fact the UK is one of the world's most efficient producers of wheat and currently grows a surplus, exporting about three million tonnes a year. Our aim is to use UK-sourced wheat grown within a 100 mile radius of the plant.

    There is considerable potential to grow more wheat to meet our food needs, as well as to achieve the biofuel targets. This can be achieved by growing higher yielding varieties or by bringing land which has been set aside or taken out of production, back into use.
  • I am interested in supplying wheat to Vivergo what do I do?
    Frontier Agriculture is responsible for procuring the 1m tonnes of grain required annually by Vivergo. To contact Frontier about supplying wheat, simply e-mail Mike Ayers at: mike.ayers@frontierag.co.uk

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEEDS

  • What animal feed co–products will be produced at Vivergo's plant?
    The main co-product will be a high value Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) which will be dried and presented as a 6mm pellet. Vivergo will also produce a moist feed, and distillery syrup.
  • What is Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS)?
    DDGS is the co-product obtained during the brewing and distillation of cereal grain into spirit alcohol or bioethanol. It is used as a high energy, mid protein animal feed.
  • Are all bioethanol plants and their co-products the same?
    No – some European plants alternate between different cereal types which will change the nutritional specification of the co-product. Vivergo will just use wheat, so the product will be consistent. The other critical factor relates to the drying of the DDGS. Overly aggressive drying may damage the protein specification of the dried feed product. The Vivergo drying system has been carefully selected to avoid this.
  • What type of animals can the Vivergo co-product feed be fed to?
    Most of the Vivergo co-product feed will enter the ruminant sector as a straight feed delivered directly to the farm, as a manufactured compound feed, or blended with other raw materials. However it is likely that the Vivergo co-product DDGS will also feature in a number of pig and poultry rations, once a Vivergo-specific nutritional evaluation has been completed, based on extensive analysis and feeding trials.
  • Will I be able to buy Vivergo co-product feeds all year round?
    The scale of the Vivergo plant will mean that DDGS, moist and distillery syrup products will be available all year-round. In a 12-month period, Vivergo will produce approximately 390,000 tonnes of DDGS, 132,000 tonnes of moist feed and 30,000 tonnes of distillery syrup.
  • How much will Vivergo co-product feed cost?
    In a volatile raw material market it is difficult to forecast forward prices at this time. However in order to establish its role as a key raw material in the UK feed market, it will be priced competitively to encourage its inclusion in compound feeds and blends, and as an on-farm feed.
  • Are all feeds going to be cheaper next year as a result of this new launch?
    The annual UK animal feed market totals approximately 21 million tonnes. This means that the addition of an extra 390,000 tonnes of Vivergo dried co-product feed will represent a small change to the overall volume and as such its impact on market price should be negligible.
  • Who will buy Vivergo co-product feeds?
    The key feed markets are likely to be on-farm sales to farmers who are feeding a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) or who want pelleted and coarse blends. Feed companies producing compound feeds for monogastrics and ruminants are also likely to buy Vivergo co-product feeds. It is likely that some will be exported and there will also be sales into niche markets such as fish and pet food.
  • I am told that wheat distillers feeds can depress milk fat production due to the oil content is this true?
    NO! - Vivergo Pellets are similar to distillers' feeds and as such might at times be incorrectly linked with possible milk fat reduction due to the content of oil despite the significant content of digestible fibre that is known to provide the building blocks of milk fat and reduce the risk of ruminal acidosis.

    This is more an extrapolation of US experience with corn distillers rather than reality. The oil content of Vivergo Pellets is typically less than two thirds that of US corn distillers' from where much of the negative views relating to milk fat reduction have emanated.

    Putting the oil content of Vivergo Pellets into perspective it is similar to high quality grass silage and less than spring grass.

    The digestible fibre in Vivergo Pellets is comprised of mostly small particles, so they contribute less to the physically effective fibre (scratch factor) of the diet. NDF from long particles are also necessary in order to stimulate rumination cudding activity, e.g. rumen contractions, bolus formation, cudding coupled with saliva production which helps buffer the rumen. So ration design must consider the forage element of digestible fibre if the full potential of Vivergo Pellets is to be realised. This is no different to other rations.
  • I am told that incorporating chopped straw along with Distillers Pellets in my diet is beneficial, is this true?
    Yes - It has become increasingly recognised that incorporating 0.5 to 1.5kg/cow of chopped straw in TMR rations irrespective of the presence of distillery products is beneficial. Experience from the US, which has many more bio-refinery plants, has shown that balancing for effective fibre can overcome any alleged milk fat depression effects resulting from the oil present in maize based feed.
  • Is it true that lack of attention to feeding systems for youngstock is a fundamental contributor to poor udder development?
    Yes - a robust feeding programme for the heifer has to recognise key stages of development, e.g. the rumen and the udder. The development of the rumen wall physiology and metabolism benefits from a source of digestible fibre. Optimal development of the udder requires a high protein to energy ratio, especially energy supplied as starch. Failure to recognise this will result in the growth of a more 'beef' looking rather than 'dairy' looking heifer and an udder that does not achieve its potential as excessive fat will be deposited in the udder rather than secretory cells. Vivergo Pellets are ideal for providing the optimal balance of nutrition.
  • Can feeding Vivergo Pellets as part of my youngstock diets improve body condition and udder development?
    Yes - Vivergo pellets are an excellent source of digestible fibre which is vital for good rumen function and udder growth.
  • I have been advised not to feed distillers to sheep, is this advice correct?
    Not for all distillers - Our Vivergo pellets can be fed to sheep as they do not contain high levels of copper, unlike wheat distillers' products from the whisky industry. The fundamental difference is that the Vivergo plant is made of steel, whereas the whisky distillation process includes copper stills, so Vivergo Pellets are perfectly safe.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS WEBSITE