Frequently Asked Questions
Are you reading information or terms that you don’t understand? The questions below are some that Feed Energy Company's sales and technical staff hear frequently. If you have further questions, our experts are standing by at 1-800-451-9413 to be of assistance to you or your nutritionists. Also, click here to link directly to our Key Terms page.
Quality
Consistency
Safety
Processing and Materials
About Feed Energy
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I know you have an in-house laboratory. Why is this important?
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I know you use outside laboratories to test your products. Why is this important?
Product Transportation and Storage
The Facts and Benefits of Energy from Fats & Oils
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What are the benefits of including fat or oil products in feed rations?
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What exactly is soybean soapstock?
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Tell me more about the acidulation process.
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I hear Feed Energy products are high in linoleic acid. What is linoleic acid?
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Why is the use of linoleic acid in layer hen rations important to the production of eggs?
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Does high Free Fatty Acids (FFA) content in my fat affect my layer hens’ performance?
Q: How can I be assured of the quality of the products I am receiving from Feed Energy?
A: Quality Assurance is the cornerstone of our business and product philosophy. This means that we
- Back our products with numerous analyses from both internal and independent testing laboratories
- Check every batch with a pesticide analysis
- Blend products to meet stringent targets for each fatty acid
- Adhere to all requirements of our Safe Feed/Safe Food certification at all three production facilities
- Use raw materials obtained only from preferred suppliers
- Formulate all products to deliver maximum caloric value on a consistent basis
- Perform continuous auditing to assure that foreign materials are removed
A: Raw materials superior fat and oil products are produced. A consistent source of high-quality raw materials is important because
- Nutrient predictability is assured
- Safety is never a hit-or-miss proposition
- An uninterrupted supply allows for greater efficiency and timeliness in both producing and delivering products
- Trackability of ingredients to a reputable source assures and supports our Safe Feed/Safe Food certification
Safety
Q: What are the inherent risks of using restaurant grease (RRG)?
A: Quite simply, RRG does not meet our high standards for quality. Quality issues with RRG use include
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Inconsistent Fatty Acid Profiles (FAP) caused by unknown and widely variable amounts of animal & vegetable portions
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Variance in animal and vegetable makeup
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Concerns for safety—due to the lack of security surrounding RRG storage, transfer and collection processes
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Buildup of polymers—due to temperature elevation in fat fryers—which decreases caloric content
Q: Why is having the Safe Feed/Safe Food certification important?
A: The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) created this program to demonstrate and ensure continuous improvement in the delivery of a safe and wholesome feed supply for the growth and care of animals. Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification is limited to companies in the feed industry that demonstrate a commitment to food safety through building and maintaining consumer confidence in food products by
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Tracking and tracing materials to the point of origin
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Assuring safety throughout the food chain
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Maintaining longstanding relationships with preferred suppliers of raw materials
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Utilizing consistent and stringent Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
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Conducting third-party, independent audits to confirm Safe Feed/Safe Food compliance
Click here to read how Feed Energy complies with Safe Feed/Safe Food certification standards at all three production facilities.
Processing and Materials
Q: What is “stacking” and why is it an important part of your complete feed package?
A: At Feed Energy, we offer a unique approach to providing our customers with high-performance products and services. We call this Stacking for Success.
Think about stacking the same way you think about building blocks. After creating a solid base, you can then build on that base with more blocks, which allows you to create a strong product structure.
About Feed Energy
Q. I know you have an in-house laboratory. Why is this important?
A. We believe strongly that operating an in-house laboratory offers several very important advantages to our customers. These advantages mean that Feed Energy’s scientific and technical staff
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Test every load of raw material that arrives at our plants
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Provide immediate analytical feedback
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Monitor process control
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Assure that all products are within safe guidelines and meet Feed Energy’s high standards
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Maintain a continuous link between production and outside laboratories
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Retain load samples according to Safe Feed/Safe Food protocols
Q: I know you use outside laboratories to test your products. Why is this important?
A: We believe strongly that adding the objectivity and expertise of an outside laboratory is an important “belt & suspenders” approach to the quality assurance program run by Feed Energy and offers several very important advantages to our customers:
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Serves as a quality check on Feed Energy laboratory tests and results
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Provides our technical staff immediate access to industry professionals
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Supplies external tracking and tracing records
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Links to critical emerging events and threats in the feed-to-food industry
Product Transportation and Storage
Q: How does the Feed Energy fat get from your plant to my tank?
A: Your loads are delivered by our trained and reliable drivers. Our important transportation practices include knowing that
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Clean fleets are essential to biosecurity issues
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On-site maintenance reduces fleet downtime and means our drivers are ready to roll when you need product
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Partnerships with trusted outside fleet companies that meet and follow our company driver and fleet requirements
Q: I know I will need some type of storage tank if I am feeding fat as part of my rations. What are my options on getting set up with a tank system?
A: A finely tuned tank system is critical to the efficiency of a feed mixing system. To learn more about tank options, click here.
The Facts and Benefits of Energy from Fats & Oils
Q: What are the benefits of including fat or oil products in feed rations?
A: There are a number of reasons to include high energy fat in your ruminant and non-ruminant feed rations. Nutritionally, fats provide a concentrated source of energy and essential fatty acids that
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Increases the energy density of the diet
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Boosts the linoleic acid level in the diet, an important immune system booster
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Improves palatability and feed efficiency
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Raises reproductive efficiency
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Reduces dust and particle separation
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Glues all of the micro-ingredients of a diet in place
Q: What exactly is soybean soapstock?
A: Soybean soapstock is derived from vegetable oil refining and is the cornerstone of Feed Energy products. Soapstock is produced through chemical bonding—with a caustic such as sodium hydroxide—of the minute amounts of specific fatty acids from the crude oil in the vegetable oil refining process. Soapstock also will contain whole vegetable oil and the gums from the degumming process. In addition, soapstock has a high concentration of tocopherols (Vitamin E and antioxidants), pigments (carotenoids) and phytosterols. Acidulated soapstock has a highly concentrated amount of free fatty acids, which compresses the most metabolic energy possible into a pound of oil.
Q: Tell me more about the acidulation process.
A: The acidulation process is described in detail on the Soybean Chart (click here).
Q: I hear Feed Energy products are high in linoleic acid. What is linoleic acid?
A: Linoleic acid is a member of the group of essential fatty acids called omega-6 fatty acids, so called because these are essential dietary requirements for livestock and poultry. These cannot be made by the animal’s digestive system and must be provided by a feed ingredient. Click here for related technical paper.
Q: Why is the use of linoleic acid in layer hen rations important to the production of eggs?
A: It has been proven that the dietary linoleic acid does indeed increase egg size. Increasing the dietary linoleic acid content to somewhere between 2-4% (depending on the birds’ age) increases egg weight. Linoleic acid has also been found to be important in helping pullets achieve heavier case weights at an earlier age. It allows the yolk to contain a higher level of this unsaturated fatty acid, the presence of which has been deemed more healthy than saturated fatty and transfatty acids.
Q. Does high Free Fatty Acids (FFA) content in my fat affect my layer hens’ performance?
A: High FFA is unlikely to affect performance of layer hens.
Click here for related technical paper.
Q. How does the use of enzymes in my diets affect the way I use fats and oils?
A: If you are using enzymes in your diets and thus reducing the amount of fat in your diet, it becomes even more important to use a fat source that is of high quality. Click here for related technical paper.