Evonik has launched a new fast and easy-to-use analytical service to test distiller\'s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). DDGS are the nutrient rich co-product of dry-milled ethanol production and are used as a feed ingredient to provide supplementary energy and protein. Until now, the industry did not have reliable tests to determine the quality of corn DDGS during the process of raw material reception. Evonik’s new AMINORED 2.0 has been developed to close that gap and is unparalleled in the market.
The new AMINORED 2.0 test allows users a fast and reliable evaluation of the nutritional value of corn DDGS used in feed production by detecting the impact of processing. It distinguishes over-processed batches and reveals the degree of over-processing, a major concern in corn DDGS. Until now, nutritionists usually apply high safety margins to corn DDGS and use low digestibility coefficients to minimize risk, as quality is variable both between different plants and even within plants. Up to a 20% difference had been reported in digestibility levels. For example, digestibility of lysine in pigs ranged from 44% to 63%.
AMINORED 2.0 allows separate calibrations for ground and unground material. This includes calibrations for unground material when immediate results are requested, for example for incoming material on a weigh-bridge. When producers require a more precise analysis, such as feed formulation, calibrations for ground material can be chosen.
“With insufficient global supplies and higher prices of standard raw materials for animal feed, there is a trend towards the increasing use of alternative ingredients. Deeper understanding of DDGS and a precise evaluation of its quality allows a more accurate feed formulation and thus a more consistent livestock performance over time,” says Ingolf Reimann, Head of Analytical Services, Animal Nutrition. “Over-processing has a negative impact on the nutritional value of DDGS as the aminoacids are destroyed and aminoacid digestibility is reduced. If this is not considered in feed formulation, then animal performance and production profit levels will suffer,” he says.
The new calibrations are up-to-date regarding sample quality and variability on a global basis. Their accuracy has been proved by validations with independent samples.
