Vivergo Pellets

Need	Feature	Benefit
Lower protein costs	The high quality protein in the pellet is more cost effective than traditional protein sources such as soybean meal or US Maize Distillers.  Plus the energy is similar to wheat	Reduced feed cost
Feeding flexibility	Vivergo Pellets can be fed to all ruminant livestock and often at higher levels than some mid protein feeds such as rapeseed meal	Reduces number of feeds required
Maximise energy intake	The high levels of non-starch digestible fibre energy in the pellets allow energy intakes to be maximised without increasing the risk of acidosis associated with cereal feeding	Helps lift energy intakes
Improve rumen efficiency	The high proportion of yeast in distillery products, like Vivergo Pellets, has been shown to stimulate rumen activity, increase fibre digestion and microbial protein production	Improved performance
Suitable for all feeding systems	Vivergo Pellets can be used in all on farm feeding systems, e.g. mechanical in parlour and out of parlour feeders, mixer wagons, floor feeding, top-dressing and mid day feeding	Simplifies feeding
Consistent high quality nutrition	A readily available and reliable British feed source, delivering consistent high quality pellets for all year round feeding	Better feeding consistency
Minimise risk of acidosis	Acidosis more frequently linked to excessive feeding of starchy concentrates. The energy in Vivergo Pellets is predominantly digestible fibre and oil	Potential improved rumen function
Easy traceability	Vivergo Pellets are produced in the UK and from UK wheat resulting in a shorter and more local supply chain	Peace of mind
Non-GM feeds	Vivergo Pellets are made from non-GM UK wheat	Produce livestock products for non-GM fed markets

Feeds Vivergo Pellets can replace

• Soya bean meal - Is a less expensive alternative
• Rapeseed meal - Plus provides extra energy compared to rapeseed meal
• Imported distillers' feeds - Is more consistent than US maize distillers'

In most feeding scenario's the most commonly replaced feed will be soya based, but as the higher protein of soya has to be offset with low protein feeds, similar quantities of feed materials such as grains and grain substitutes will be replaced. Visit the livestock specific pages for details on how this varies for dairy, beef, sheep or young-stock.

Feeding rates

Dairy	Milking cows	up to 4kg/cow/day
	Dry cows	up to 2kg/cow/day
Beef	Grower & finisher	up to 40% of total dry matter intake
	Stores	up to 40% of total dry matter intake
	Suckler cow	up to 4kg/cow/day
Youngstock	Heifer	up to 2kg/head/day
	Calf	up to 0.5kg/head/day
Sheep	Ewes & rams	up to 0.75kg/head/day
	Hoggets & lambs	up to 0.5kg/head/day

Feeding systems

Protein pellets offer a versatile feeding solution and can be used in all types of systems.

• Mechanical:
  • In-parlour & out-of-parlour feeders
• Simple:
  • Floor or trough feeding
  • Top dressed onto forage mix
• Mixed rations (mixer wagon or forage box):
  • Full TMR (total mixed rations) and partial TMR
  • Buffer feeding
• In blends:
  • Parlour blends
  • Protein blends
  • Beef blends
  • Youngstock blends
  • Sheep & lamb blends
• In compounds

Typical rations

• Rations for dairy cows
• Rations for beef cattle
• Rations for youngstock & calves
• Rations for sheep & lambs

Complementary feeds

• Provides a good balance to high-starch feeds - Cereals, maize meals, confectionary and bakery products
• Complements low-protein forages - Maize & whole crop silages
• Supplements low-protein feeds - Cereals, Sugar Beet Feed
• Rumen-bypass proteins - Soypass, Prototec

Storage & handling

As a pellet it reduces haulage costs by improving lorry capacity and losses from wind drift which is an issue with some meal-type dried feeds. The product should be stored in a secure shed, bunker, bin or hopper and kept cool, dry and free from vermin.

A robust 6mm pellet suitable for augers and conveyors, plus in-parlour and out-of-parlour feeders that can be handled with a conventional loader bucket, or blown into bins and hoppers.

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Jump to:  Nutritional information   |   Feed composition

Nutritional information   Back to top

Dry matter	%	92
Moisture	%	8
Oil A	%	4.5
Oil B	%	6.4
Protein	%	32
Fibre	%	7.5
Ash	%	6
Acid insoluble ash	%	0.2
Salt	%	0.35
Calcium	%	0.15
Phosphorus	%	0.85
Available phosphorus	%	0.255
Sodium	%	0.7
Potassium	%	1.2
Magnesium	%	0.3
Zinc	mg/Kg	65
Copper	mg/Kg	12
Manganese	mg/Kg	85
Selenium	mg/Kg	0.15
ME Ruminant	MJ/Kg	12.6
E3 ME	MJ/Kg (DM)	11.95
NCGD_DRY	%	72.9
NDF	%	29
STARCH	%	2
SUGARS	%	1
DUP Digestibility	%	82
DUP_FIM	%	9.5
Lysine % of protein		2.06
Methionine % of protein		1.44
DCAD	meq/kg	248
PAL	MEQ/%	700.68
RSV_FEED	RUM STA	43.412
A_DM	Index	0.7
B_DM	Index	0.21
C_DM	Index	0.11
S_DM	Index	0.27
A_N	Index	0.74
B_N	Index	0.18
C_N	Index	0.17
S_N	Index	0.4

Vivergo Pellets Composition   Back to top

Vivergo Pellets are predominantly a mix of the non-starch fraction of wheat post fermentation of starch to produce ethanol, plus approximately 10% dry weight of dead yeast that grew in the fermentor. The analysis of the pellets can be divided into 5 fractions as represented in the pie chart. Approximately one third of the product is comprised of protein, with a similar proportion being digestible fibre as represented by the neutral detergent fibre fraction (NDF). The remainder is comprised of the oil, mostly from within the original wheat but now concentrated up three fold, similarly the minerals represented by the small proportion of ash and finally the non structural carbohydrates (NSC) which are comprised of yeast carbohydrates, original wheat carbohydrates of mostly simple sugars and pectins, plus traces of starch.

Energy

Based on extensive in vivo studies in the 1980's and 1990's on wheat distillers products from the whisky industry undertaken at The Rowett Research Institute (RRI) and ADAS (see below), the metabolisable energy (ME) value of the Pellets, adjusted for analytical differences is ~ 13.7ME (MJ/kg dry matter). This is significantly higher than energy values predicted using chemical analysis such as the 'E3' equation as the NCGD element under predicts the digestibility of the 'organic' fraction. It is recognised that the soluble fraction of the pellets are rich in yeast fragments that are known to stimulate rumen fermentation and leading to higher digestibility and therefore greater energy extraction and hence ME. Many farmers recognise that distillery products 'feed' better than their analysis would suggest.

Source	Metabolisable Energy (MJ/kg DM)
RRI, 1988	14.9
RRI, 1988	15.6
RRI, 1991	13.5
ADAS 1988	13.2
ADAS 1989	13.9
ADAS 1996	12.7
Mean	13.96

Protein

The protein is considered to be one third rumen by-pass. Albeit this is difficult to measure in distillers’ feeds, as the conventional techniques rely on measuring the rate protein is lost from a fine mesh bag and assuming this represents the rumen degradable element. The solubles added back to the ‘fibre’ plus small fibre particles are readily lost from the bag but it is recognised that not all these fractions are highly degradable and probably leave the rumen undegraded only to be digested in the small intestine making a significant contribution to rumen by-pass protein (DUP).

The UK feeding system for ruminants, Feed into Milk (FiM), uses the quantity of acid detergent lignin (ADIN) to estimate the amount of indigestible protein and hence by difference the digestible rumen by-pass protein referred to as DUP. However, it is recognised that for moderately heated proteins such as distillers’ based products this can significantly underestimate the supply of DUP. Hence, adjustments have to be made in the calculation of DUP such as assuming a ~ 85% digestibility for the rumen by-protein as shown in rats fed distillers undegraded protein.

Feeding experiences from a practical and research perspective would suggest that these pellets (wheat distillers) have a high feed value supporting this assumption.

Digestible fibre

The NDF element of the pellets is paralleled by a low lignin (woody fibre) content indicating a highly digestible fibre component. The absence of any meaningful quantities of starch makes these pellets an excellent ingredient to reduce the risk of ruminal acidosis. Despite relatively high NDF content, the effective nature of DDGS fibre for stimulating chewing and rumination is open to question due to small particle size so rations need to be balanced with physical fibre, e.g. chopped forage for improved rumen function. The use of physical fibre in modern dairy rations is now becoming common.

Oil

The oil content of distillers, and brewery products, has been associated with lowering the milk fat percentage albeit much practical experience and research does not support this. Milk fat depression is a combination of many factors all of which have to be considered when formulating diets for dairy cattle. Oil in distillers’ products is predominantly unsaturated fat in the same way as that found in grass, grass and maize silages, etc. This type of fat if fed to excess can affect the rumen microbes and products produced from the oil by the rumen microbes can reduce milk fat synthesis in the udder. The context of this is discussed in the dairy feeding section. Similarly any concern with regard to any affect on carcass quality is discussed in the beef and lamb section.

Minerals

The pellets are rich in phosphorus, approximately 1% of dry matter that is vital to the rumen microbes and animals for key functions, e.g. energy metabolism and bone formation.