Ensuring Feed Mill Profitability by Effective Moisture Management and Mould Control Program

By – Dr. Stuti Baruah, Dr. Sabiha Kadari & Kadhiravan K,

Trouw Nutrition India

Climatic challenges, variability in raw material quality and technical constraints have traditionally posed a challenge for feed manufacturers with managing moisture content in poultry feed. Moisture management requires monitoring of certain parameters. First parameter is the moisture content which measures the total amount of water contained in a substance, usually expressed as a percentage of the total weight (%). Feed manufacturers track the moisture contents of raw materials, mash feed, and pellets during all processing stages to optimize quality, yields, and profitability.

For curbing mould growth, another indicator is even more critical: water activity (aw) which is defined as the ratio of partial vapor pressure of water in a substance to the partial vapor pressure of pure water under the same temperature and pressure conditions. Basically, it is the energy state of water in a substance, i.e., its potential for (bio)chemical activity, including the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and moulds. Lesser the water activity (aW), better the feed quality as less chances of microbial growth.

Moisture management programs are implemented across globe and Indian subcontinent by the poultry feed manufacturers to tackle this issue. High temperatures combined with too much moisture in feed can speed up the growth of mould. Moulds cause spoilage of feed by depleting energy and nutrients and rendering the feed unpalatable. Above that, some moulds release toxins that harms animals’ health and performance. On the other hand, too little moisture in feed has a negative impact on feed digestibility and pellet durability, increasing the level of fines, process loss and energy consumption, while decreasing press yield.

MMP (Moisture Management Program) must be implemented keeping the following points in consideration:   

  • Enhancing and retaining the moisture content of final feed
  • Prevent mould growth in the feed
  • Save operational costs of feed production by increasing the throughput and reducing electricity consumption
  • Enhance feed quality in terms of less fines, better PDI etc.

Trouw Nutrition’s’ FFHCL contains a patent pending technology, called ActiProp; a blend of buffered and non-buffered organic acids combined with surfactants and emulsifiers to guarantee mold reduction, milling efficiency increase, nutrient value preservation and feed shelf-life prolongation.

CompetitorFylax Forte HCLGain
Shelf life in days658520
Crumble Fines % <1MM3027.43-2.57
Bagging Fines % < 1MM19.0911.29-7.8
Bagging Fines Powder %6.283.992.29
Bagging Fines Powder kg604020
Feed cost (INR)21001400700
Electricity cost/MT65.160.834.27
Table1 – Fylax Forte HCL treated group has increased shelf life, reduced fines%, Less electricity consumption in feed mill
Text Box: Trouw Nutrition’s’ FFHCL contains a patent pending technology, called ActiProp; a blend of buffered and non-buffered organic acids combined with surfactants and emulsifiers to guarantee mold reduction, milling efficiency increase, nutrient value preservation and feed shelf-life prolongation.
Fig. 1 shows that on an average Fylax group had 1% better moisture retention than the Competitor group. This clearly indicates that Fylax is more efficient in retaining the moisture than the competitor group.
Text Box: Fig. 1 shows that on an average Fylax group had 1% better moisture retention than the Competitor group. This clearly indicates that Fylax is more efficient in retaining the moisture than the competitor group.
Fig. 2 Water Activity (aW) is better for the Fylax group as compared with the Competitor group

Shelf-life management: Spoilage organisms, such as moulds, negatively affect the shelf life of feed. Fylax Forte HCL’s ActiProp technology ensures guarantee in fine % reduction, milling efficiency increase, nutrient value preservation and feed shelf-life prolongation. Since feed raw materials are often contaminated with several mould species, a combination of organic acids is more efficient than mould inhibitors consisting of a single organic acid. ActiProp enables acids to be more efficient in penetrating the moulds’ cytoplasm to dissociate, thereby reducing the moulds’ pH-environment into sub-optimal conditions and leads to cell death.

Microbiological status of feed assessed: Measuring risk is an important step in ensuring feed safety. Measuring Colony Forming unit (CFU) of feed is one of the most precise and reliable measure to assess the microbiological load in feed.

Table 2 –Effect of moulds in nutrient profile of raw materials
Fig. 3 shows the relative mould control in Fylax Forte HCL group vs competitor product in broiler feed
  Bag Weight loss up to 2 weeks
  0 Day1st week1st week wt loss2nd week2nd week wt loss
CompetitorAvg Bag Wt80.1479.9320.21279.80.344
Fylax Avg Bag Wt79.9779.9480.02679.9450.029
       
Table 4. The effect of MOP on bag weight loss of broiler feed

PDI was higher in Fylax-treated feeds as compared to Competitor feed. This may be due to the better surfactant quality in Fylax. Better PDI means less fines, optimum nutrient availability and lower FCR.

Table 5. The effects of MOP products on PDI

SamplePDI (%)
Competitor58
Fylax69.4

Stepping Up the Feed Milling Process:
Achieving optimal moisture levels in compound feed involves complex balancing of technical constraints, raw material variability, microbial challenges, and the price pressures of competitive feed markets. Due credits to Fylax Forte HCL- blend of organic acids, surfactants, phytochemicals and ActiProp technology helps in ensuring feed mill efficiency and mould control enhancing shelf life, better PDI. To summarize from an economic point of view, the improved surfactant activity enhances the mill performance levels by increasing throughput, lower electricity consumption. From a feed quality angle, effective mould prevention and improved pellet quality allows for safer, more palatable feed, better FCR and improved bird performance thereby ensuring feed mill profitability by effective Moisture Management Program with emphasis on Feed Safety by Mould Control.

References: Trouw Nutrition India Pvt ltd trials in Feed Mill Efficiency across different feed mills in India – Dr Sabiha K, Kadhiravan, Dr. Stuti For further information, kindly write to us at customercareindia@trouwnutrition.com or visit our website: www.trouwnutrition.in