Review on Preservation and Utilization of Wet Brewery Spent Grain as Concentrate Replacement Feed for Lactating Dairy Cows

Abstract

The objective of this review is to document an effective preservation and utilization strategy of wet brewery grain as alternative feed for high cost concentrate feeds. In many areas, getting feed with less costs and maximizing profitability becomes a great concern for dairy farmers. Wet brewery grain is one of the cheapest protein rich agroindustrial by-product in Ethiopia. The short lifespan of the wet brewery grain associated with its high moisture content is the critical problem of farmers in utilizing the by-product. On the other hand, cost of drying is one challenge which leads farmers to directly use wet brewery grain. It is found that ensiling of wet brewery grain alone and with other feed is ecologically acceptable, economically feasible and easily applicable technology to dairy farmers in developing country. Therefore, reviewing different preservation mechanisms and documenting of different strategy is very crucial for storing and utilizing this abundant feed without spoilage. The review is aimed at documenting the existing strategies for preservation of wet brewery grain to apply strategies in the country context for tackling feed shortage, preventing environmental pollution and improve productivity of dairy cows in the country.