In farm-based research trials, as well as in university labs, Enogen has been shown to increase feed efficiency by about 5%.1 Todd believes efficiency is a big part of sustainability, which he defines as doing the same with less or doing more with the same. These two concepts are the benchmarks for Enogen corn for feed as it is used today. Through its use, Enogen corn for feed may help use 5% less feed, utilize 5% less land, and consume 5% fewer natural resources, all while still feeding the same number of cows. There are sustainability gains to be made pertaining to land use as well as in regard to animals. If the goal is to increase production, Enogen allows for this without changing land use at all, which contributes to a sustainable operation.
What excites Todd most about sustainable agriculture is his belief that we are now entering the adoption phase, meaning we have reached the point at which all producers are looking to maximize their inputs, whether it be due to economic factors, environmental constraints, or both.
When Enogen first came to the market, Todd saw an opportunity to deliver a tool to growers which helped them move sustainability efforts forward. Often a new technology requires additional labor, time or processes, but Enogen is an exception. Enogen corn was developed to contain a robust alpha amylase enzyme within the corn kernels of each plant. Subject to simple yet specific stewardship requirements, producers can grow Enogen corn using existing cultural farming practices including nutrient, insect and disease management programs.
In the trialing phases of Enogen corn for fuel, Todd ended up with some extra grain. He reached out to the nutritionist at a major dairy producer to find a productive use for this excess by processing the grain and including it in the ration for the cows there. Todd explained that starch found within the grain is the lifeblood of energy for an animal, whether it’s grain silage or grain corn. To measure starch efficiency, one measures both what a cow eats and the output of starch within fecal samples. Less starch excreted in the feces indicates that the animal has been able to more efficiently digest the dietary starch.
Todd and the nutritionist fed the cows Enogen grain for approximately 60 days, and samples from the manure pits were sent to a lab for analysis. At this time, a residual starch level of 3% to 5% was accepted by the industry. After the tests were run, the nutritionist was shocked by the results; he didn’t understand what was responsible for the numbers he was provided as the residual starch levels had dropped from around 3% without Enogen to 0.75 to 0.8% with Enogen. Todd explained that the Enogen trait was responsible for this improvement.
What Todd loves about Enogen is how reliable it is. The alpha-amylase enzyme found in the corn works every time because it only does one thing–convert starch into sugars. His job is to help growers find out what the balance of efficiency is for them, which can vary, but it has always been positive, and averaging about 5%.
Todd believes that in everyone’s lifetime there is an opportunity to work with something game changing and revolutionary, and Enogen has been that for him. He has had a great deal of fun working with the product and he has heard great things from a variety of producers.
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