Recently, the CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg took to his Facebook and Instagram pages to announce his plan to produce the highest quality beef globally. The project which he considered one of his most delicious of all will take place in his Ko’olau ranch on the Hawaiian island of Kauai was still in its early phase. But what caught the attention of many people was the diet, the billionaire boldly suggested to feed his herd of cattle.
Mr Zuckerberg stated that his Wagyu and Angus cattle would feed on macadamia and beer. While many considered that as just a pun intended, feeding cows with beer is becoming an order of the day. It may not necessarily mean pouring gallons of cold beer in the cow´s watering trough.
The beer brewing process results in solid residue with a high amount of fiber and protein. The concentrate is suitable for feeding animals. Like humans, cattle have a taste for fermented grain, especially barley.
But there is also a twist to the narrative. Wagyu, one of the breeds that the Meta CEO seeks to include in his ranch is native to Japan. In fact, Wagyu simply means Japanese cow. Farmers in Japan have fed their cattle with beer especially during the cold months to increase their appetite. However, it is just an overall management program designed to keep the cattle on feed, not a standard practice or a feeding requirement.
On top of drinking beer, Meta CEO states that the cattle will feed on macadamia, adding that a cow feeds up to 10,000 pounds of food each year.
Considering the high costs of electricity and protein feeds such as soya and yellow maize, cattle farmers have been looking for alternative feed sources. Brewer grains are feasible due to their availability, nutritional value, and low cost.
In Kenya, the practice is gaining popularity with many farmers feeding their cattle with “machicha”, a byproduct of the making process. Machicha also called brewery spent grain is a barley product with a high concentration of energy and protein.
The beer brewing process aims to extract sugar from grains. Once extracted, a solid residue consisting of grain cotyledon and endospore is collected. The remains are a rich source of nutrients and can be used as a supplement to basal feeds, just like concentrates.
The major challenge with brewer grain is their susceptibility to mold and yeast growth. The residue can come with a moisture content of up to 75% and if not properly stored, they may develop fungus and produce mycotoxins.