THE £350m Vivergo bioethanol plant in Hull is now producing wheat distillers animal feed.

At full production, it will not only be Britain’s biggest bioethanol producer but also – at 400,000 tonnes a year – the largest single source provider of wheat distillers.

Produced solely from British feed wheat, it is said to have performed well in on-farm trials, being highly palatable and having a consistent, quality nutritional value. Containing 33 per cent crude protein, it is also high in digestible fibre and low in starch.

Trident Feeds is the sole distributor of the product, which is now available through local suppliers.

Richard Cross, Trident Feeds’ wholesale national general manager, said: “It’s an incredibly exciting development for the British feed industry.

“The wheat distillers are a source of consistent nutrition suitable for dairy farmers using TMR, blends, or compounds and we’re pleased to be the sole distributor.

“As it approaches full capacity, Vivergo will generate about 400,000 tonnes of domestically produced wheat distillers, and a significant quantity of the new product is now available.”

He said Trident was delighted that the in-depth analysis of the feed had revealed high and consistent nutritional merits.

“As a result, we’re now confident that Trident Feeds can provide farmers with a reliable, cost-effective alternative to imported proteins such as soya,” he said.

Mr Cross said the achievement of producing the required quantities of animal feed to the correct nutritional specification had been a huge milestone.

“We expect most of the product to be pelleted, but currently, the wheat distillers can be purchased as either pellets or meal,” he added.

The Vivergo plant is a major investment forBritian’s renewable energy industry and a recent economic assessment suggested that, at full production, it will contribute £600m a year to the economy and generate up to 4,000 jobs.

Farmers are advised to contact their local feed suppliers about the availability of wheat distillers from Trident Feeds.