DDGS: A Nutritious Yet Inexpensive Addition to Poultry Feed

The rising cost and declining supply of conventional grains have made way for researching newer methods of poultry food production which are cheaper but have better nutritional value. As such, Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles  (DDGS) is a significant alternative.  DDGS is a co-product of Bioenergy plant which uses grains for bioethanol production. The ethanol production requires yeast fermentation as one of the processes. In this process, the corn is ground and mixed with water. It is then cooked to generate liquified starch. This starch is fermented to produce ethanol and CO2. The non-fermentable components of this process which are rich in essential nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals are recovered in a highly concentrated form as Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles or more commonly, DDGS.

Benefits of DDGS

As demand for animal stock increases, it becomes important to employ all possible and feasible options for DDGS production. Corn by-products which are considered waste in the ethanol industry can be used as one of the animal feed ingredients. There are many benefits of DDGS as explained below

l High Nutritional Value:

The DDGS obtained from different sources such as corn, rice, wheat, sorghum is highly nutritious for livestock and poultry, out of which corn DDGS is the most preferred for poultry. Corn DDGS has high nutritional consisting of protein, amino acids, phosphorus, and other nutrients.  Poultry fed with DDGS has a better feed intake, feed conversion ratio, body weight, and body weight gain. DDGS also improves the nutrient content of meat and egg by adding omega-3 fatty acids to it, which are good for heart patients. Also, since DDGS contains phosphorous, the consumption of phosphorous increases, in turn, decreasing the need to dump it into the earth, thus reducing pollution.

l Easy availability: 

Since ethanol is now produced on a large scale, the availability of DDGS is abundant throughout the cycle. Since it is a waste, it is cheaply and readily available. Besides, it is an effective replacement of soya and corn in the poultry diet as the price of soya is very high and often fluctuates. Plus, corn is available throughout the year.

l A healthier diet for chickens:

The use of high-quality corn DDGS in layer hens diets is an excellent partial replacement for corn, soybean meal and inorganic phosphate and encourages excellent layer performance and egg quality. When added to the diet of laying hens, it accounts for 30% of the egg protein content eliminating the need for synthetic supplements.  The high xanthophylls content in DDGS improves egg quality including the color of the egg yolk and regulates the oleic and linoleic acid content. For broilers, it provides them with better performance when added to their diet. Reportedly, the weight of broilers was increased by up to 5% after consuming small but regular quantities of DDGS.

A Few Constraints:

Ethanol byproducts are high in sulphate which risks toxicity when fed large amounts of DDGS. Also, the high concentration of sulfate may result in central nervous system disorders. However, chemical treatments can be performed to detoxify. Also, the DDGS procured from distilleries may contain copper. However, Copper is not an issue in the industrial ethanol production. The only challenge now is to prevent industrial contamination for safe usage of DDGS in poultry.

Working of an Industrial Effluent Treatment Plant

Effluents refer to the liquid waste or sewage generated majorly from the industries. In India, you can easily spot a foamy layer on rivers and streams. This froth is actually created due to dyes, detergents and other sewage elements left into the water by the industries. An effluent treatment plant is a wastewater treatment plant which is specifically designed to purify such industrial wastewater to make it reusable. It is aimed at releasing safe water into the environment and protect it from the harmful effects caused by the chemicals contained in the effluents.

Industrial effluents are a mix of various materials. Some of them contain oils and grease while some contain toxic insoluble materials. Effluents from food and beverage factories contain bio-degradable contaminants. Since industrial wastewater contains a host of impurities, they require specific treatment technology.

     The ETP Plant works at various levels and involves various physical, chemical, biological and membrane processes to treat wastewater from different industrial sectors like chemicals, drugs, pharmaceutical, refineries, dairy, ready mix plants & textile etc.

Applications of an Effluent treatment plant:

l  Cleans the Industry effluent and recycle it for further use

l  Promotes the utilization of recycled water in industries

l  Protects the natural environment against pollution

l  To meet the standards for emission of pollutants set by the Government & avoid heavy penalty

l  To reduce expenditure on water acquisition

Industrial Effluent Treatment Process:

The treatment of different effluents varies with the type of effluent. Wastewater enters the effluent or sewage treatment plant and goes through several processes before effluent goes into the environment. Industrial effluent treatment plant process includes 2 main stages:

Primary Treatment

Primary treatment removes material that either float on the surface or readily settles down at the bottom. It includes the physical processes of screening, comminution, grit removal, and sedimentation. Screens are made of long, closely aligned metal bars. They block floating debris such as wood, rags, and other large objects that could clog pipes or pumps. In modern plants, the screens are cleaned mechanically, and the material is quickly disposed of by burial. Debris is ground and shredded through the screens using communiator. This shredded material is later removed using sedimentation or flotation processes. Grit chambers are long narrow tanks that are designed to slow down the flow so that solids such as sand, coffee grounds, and eggshells will settle out of the water.

Secondary treatment

Secondary treatment removes the soluble organic matter that could have skipped primary treatment. It also removes more of the suspended solids. Biological process including the use of microorganisms in an aerobic treatment plant is generally used to accomplish this task. The microbes consume the organic impurities and break them down into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The sewage treatment plant provides a conducive environment for this natural biological process. The types of treatment include Activated Sludge Process, Trickling Filters, Rotating Biological Contactor, & Aerated Lagoons.