Spent grain

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Named'em Tamed'em

Named'em Tamed'em

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Wet-side Washington St.
My friend is moving and sold all his cattle. He's been picking up spent grain from a brewery for a couple years. I went with him today and will take over picking it up. This batch is mostly organic barley, I can't imagine it not being good for the cows and steers. I imagine most of the "good" stuff is cooked out. It has to be 1500lbs easy. Ill pick up twice next month and check out the beer too.20260514_141525.jpg20260514_141539.jpg
 
Should be fairly simple to have it tested to give you an idea of how much it is safe to feed. Will you have trouble keeping it in ''condition''? I presume your friend had a plan they used. Maybe you could sell them some premium beef raised from there product. Could be a win-win for both of you.
 
@mwj is correct that it can can be a definite win for both of you (actually more win for you than them). I've never actually known anyone that has used/utilized brewer's grain, but it is not an uncommon practice. I do recall that there are a couple cautions that need to accompany this practice, but can't recall what those are. I'll check and get back to you. I know the Extension Service will be able to help me out there, and I'm sure you would find the assistance you need there with your extension.
 
Distiller's grain out of the ethanol plants is used all the time. I think all they do is dry it to a certain point so it will keep, and so you're not having to transport so much water. That looks like some good stuff!
 
mwj said:
Should be fairly simple to have it tested to give you an idea of how much it is safe to feed. Will you have trouble keeping it in ''condition''? I presume your friend had a plan they used. Maybe you could sell them some premium beef raised from there product. Could be a win-win for both of you.
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I'll talk to my peeps at the conservation district, they should know where to test it.
 
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Named'em Tamed'em said:
I'll talk to my peeps at the conservation district, they should know where to test it.
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A&L labs in Portland. I ran a ton of tests through them when I worked at the district.

I had a friend over there who fed a lot of spent grain from that Micro brewery now in Centralia. (drawing a blank on the brewery name). His cows did real good on it.
 
Named'em Tamed'em said:
My friend is moving and sold all his cattle. He's been picking up spent grain from a brewery for a couple years. I went with him today and will take over picking it up. This batch is mostly organic barley, I can't imagine it not being good for the cows and steers. I imagine most of the "good" stuff is cooked out. It has to be 1500lbs easy. Ill pick up twice next month and check out the beer too.View attachment 67897View attachment 67898
Click to expand...
I have been using it for years. It is definetly moist but no standing water. I will say that in the summer it will really start to get nasty after about 5ish days. In the winter, it will freeze solid on a cold enough night, 15 or below. It definetly fattens them up quicker and have never had a complaint from the beef customers, but I have never had it tested. On rare occasions, they will use corn and the cows like that. They also like Porters and stouts alot. Smells awesome when you first get it.
 
You have gotten multiple responses indicating that you need to get it tested. I agree, but for what? The correct answer is to get a complete nutritional analysis done on EVERY BATCH that you get from the plant. Not for anything toxic, but because the variation between batches can be IS wildly variable. In most cases, every batch is going to be nutritious and likely very nutritious. The caution is that the nutritional levels CAN be to much of a good thing. I got an opportunity to talk with my college in extension. In classic government style, he "passed the buck". Actually, he is restricted from giving out advice on that, the same way I have restrictions. BUT, he said to CONSULT A NUTRITIONIST. This is very good advice and will pay off, even with having to pay the nutritionist as the value that you will gain from the spent grain will more than pay for the fees from the nutritionist at the sale barn.
 
It is actually A&L Western Laboratory. Over the years I sent them soil, manure, forage, and feed samples. Averaged well over 200 samples a year. They were real good to deal with. I always sent samples early in the week. There was some concern from them that UPS might deliver on Friday after they had gone home for the weekend. The sample would sit on their door step until Monday. I would ship next day delivery M-W.
 
Mark Reynolds said:
You have gotten multiple responses indicating that you need to get it tested. I agree, but for what? The correct answer is to get a complete nutritional analysis done on EVERY BATCH that you get from the plant. Not for anything toxic, but because the variation between batches can be IS wildly variable. In most cases, every batch is going to be nutritious and likely very nutritious. The caution is that the nutritional levels CAN be to much of a good thing. I got an opportunity to talk with my college in extension. In classic government style, he "passed the buck". Actually, he is restricted from giving out advice on that, the same way I have restrictions. BUT, he said to CONSULT A NUTRITIONIST. This is very good advice and will pay off, even with having to pay the nutritionist as the value that you will gain from the spent grain will more than pay for the fees from the nutritionist at the sale barn.
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Picks it up twice a month. The cost to have a complete analysis and a nutritionist consultation twice a month it would be cheaper to just go to the feed store and buy sacked feed.
 
We have fed it for several years with no negative results, will get kind of nasty in the summer after 4 or 5 days, ifyou compost it here it will draw the hogs in, we have sread it and disced it in and I'm assuming it helps the sil because stuff gets greener
 
Buddy years ago was a repairman for one in north Florida. He would set it out for weeks over the summer. In the fall the area is full of opertunity. Wildlife loved it!
 

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