A USDA estimate that more corn will go into producing ethanol than into feeding horses in 2011 and 2012 will likely force livestock owners to cope with higher feed costs, according to a University of Missouri (UM) Extension economist.

Ethanol, a clean burning high octane motor fuel produced from renewable resources, can be produced from so-called "cellular biomass" such as wood and grasses. In the United States, however, corn is most widely used to produce ethanol. According to the American Coalition for Ethanol, more than 75% of gasoline used in the U.S. contains some ethanol.

A recently released USDA Crop Production and Supply/Demand Report estimates 5.1 billion bushels of corn will be used to make ethanol this year while only 4.9 billion bushels will be used to feed livestock, Plain said.

The projection represents the first time more corn has been used for fuel than for food, said UM Extension economist Ron Plain