In animal feed production, managing moisture not only ensures a consistently high product quality, it also reduces the operating costs, and increases the margins.
India with a vast territoryand diverse crops is not only a source of income to its millions of farmers but is also an export commodity.However, due to higher moisture content during harvesting these agricultural products are not suitable for direct storage. Crops like maize, paddy, soyabean,sesame seed, rapeseed etc., need to be dried prior to preservation. Better drying results in higher feed quality and better margins.
Moisture Variation
Moisture content variation of 10-15%is observed in various crops which is due to differences in farmers’harvest-procedure preferences, soil types and weather conditions.
Big moisture variation of grains after harvest
Manual drying operations usually have more variations in moisture which often leads to significant overdrying or underdrying and is also highly inefficient with respect to energy-saving& time.
Why to invest in Drying?
After the crops have been harvested, drying and proper storage and suitable transportation of the commodities are of prime importance. As grains start to lose its freshness after harvesting and inhibit microbial and pest growth. Using these grains results in losses to both feed miller and farmer.
If the grain is having higher moisture content and not dried immediately, it could spout or mildew or even produce Alfatoxin which causes serious food and feed safety threats. According to FAO, there are about 25% of grains being contaminated by mold, of which, at least 2% of agricultural produce is wasted because of Alfatoxin. Alfatoxin, a potential carcinogenic, can survive at 280 °Celsius, and is 10 times more toxin than Potassium cyanide (KCN) and 68 times more toxin than Arsenie.
While excessive drying can cause the grains to shrink in size, causing yield lossand more usage, on other hand, under drying can cause mold and pest infestation. Drying to an optimum level using a proficient technology can ensure better quality and margins.
For free drying consultancy, you may write toin@suncue.com
by Suncue
