IL CORN CHECKOFF SUPPORTS DDGS IN FISH FEEDING TRIALS

Tricia Braid

Jul 31, 2019  |  Today's News |  ICMB |  Ethanol |  Livestock |  Additional Research

Throughout the past decade, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (NCERC at SIUE) has spearheaded the establishment of the nutritional profile of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and their impact on animal feed. Utilizing Illinois Corn Marketing Board checkoff funds, NCERC is participating in a new collaborative research project with the Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences (CFAAS) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), a world class research facility for both freshwater and marine sciences. The technical expertise involved in the project comes from NCERC Director of Research Dr. Yan Zhang and SIUC Assistant Professor of Aquaculture Dr. Karolina Kwasek.

The purpose of the collaborative project is to conduct a fish feeding trial in order to expedite the usage of DDGS as a common aquafeed ingredient in the United States, creating increased opportunity for more bushels of Illinois corn. The preliminary feeding trial will determine the maximum level of inclusion of DDGS produced by an Illinois-based ethanol plant in tilapia diets.

The team plans to execute a marketing campaign based on the results of the project in an aim to connect with U.S. aquaculture producers and aquafeed manufacturers. NCERC and CFAAS have put great efforts into the diet production and feeding material characterization for this research project, which is set to begin in August, 2019.

Pictured: Dr. Yan Zhang (Director of Research, NCERC) and Dr. Karolina Kwasek (Assistant Professor of Aquaculture, SIUC) at the SIUC feeding trial site.