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Grain & Feed Milling Technology is published six times a year by Perendale Publishers Ltd of the United Kingdom.All data is published in good faith, based on information received, and while every care is taken to prevent inaccuracies, the publishers accept no liability for any errors or omissions or for the consequences of action taken on the basis of information published. ©Copyright 2010 Perendale Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owner. Printed by Perendale Publishers Ltd. ISSN: 1466-3872

Digital Re-print - November | December 2011 Database for animal diet formulation techniques: A glance to last decade

www.gfmt.co.uk

A number of techniques have been in use for animal diet formulation for more than 100 years.

For an effective animal diet, different nutrient ingredients are combined in such a way that they provide all necessary nutrition at different stages of production.

Different class of animal has different require-ment of energy to maintain growth, metabolism, reproduction and lactation. While formulating ani-mal diet, other factors are also considered; such as digestibility, acceptability of nutrient ingredients, cost factor and minimum presence of toxic elements.

Objective of animal diet formulation is to pro-duce an effective diet at minimum cost to provide appropriate energy to animal.

Fixed vs non-fixed formualtionsA number of techniques have been formulated

for the purpose of animal diet formulation. Fixed formulation techniques and non-fixed formulation techniques have been derived.

Nutrient ingredients formulation cannot be altered arbitrarily in fixed formulation diet. Benefit of this kind of diets is; less amount of variation in dietary composition, controlled diet and less nega-tive influence on well being of animals.

But lower quality or lower price nutrient ingre-dients cannot be introduced time to time in this type of diet because of fixed formulation. While in non-fixed formulation diet, low price ingredients, non-assayed components and required concentra-tion of components can be introduced.

Initially, Linear-programming technique was used as main tool for non-fixed formulation. In the era of changing technology, a number of tools and software have been developed in this regard. The past decade has witnessed a great change in the field of animal diet formulation, as it is the high time when optimisation techniques other than linear programming were used very well for the purpose of diet formulation.

Chance constrained programming, separable programming, multi-objective approach, sensitivity analysis and other methods used for this purpose have given a new dimension to feed formulation techniques. In this article, an attempt has been made to consider most of the work of last decade.

Linear programmingA combination spreadsheet is represented

for ration formulation using linear programming [VandeHaar M J, Black J R, 1991]. Chance-constrained programming is used to formulate commercial feeds for animals [William B Roush, Robert H Stock, Terri L Cravener and Thomas H D’Alfonso, 1994].

Two non-linear optimisation problems are formulated as an iterative sequence of linear pro-gramming problems

References and further reading may be avail-able for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.Alan G Munford 1999]. The first is concerned with the problem of meeting the nutrient requirements of the dairy cow in the case when nutrient require-ments are taken to be a function of the diet fed.

The second problem is concerned with for-mulating batches of animal feed when raw material nutrient content is variable, and it is necessary to meet nutrient requirements with a given prob-ability.

A model is developed to achieve a final calving weight of 600kg for large breed replacement dairy heifers [P R Tozer, 2000].

A smallholder dairy project was undertaken by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development [MoLFD, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)]. The project is led by the Ministry with primary funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) [Muriuki H, Omare A, Hooton N, Waithaka M, Ouma R, Staal S J, and Odhiambo P 2003].

A base linear program is developed and then variability of crude protein content of ration ingre-dients is incorporated by three methods; right hand side adjustment, incorporation of a safety margin and stochastic programming.

Cattle diet is formulated in an Argentinean farm [Jose M Cadenas, David A Pelta, Hector R Pelta, Jose L Verdegay, 2004] by applying fuzzy linear programming.

This problem is solved by using decision sup-port systems (DSS) named SACRA (a Spanish acronym for support system for the construction of diets) that is specifically developed for this problem. SACRA is based on PROBO, an already experi-mented DSS developed by the authors.

The tests carried out with SACRA have shown a high level of satisfaction from the side of decision makers. An Excel solver non-linear programming technique was used to optimise performance response to energy density in broiler feed [Guevara V R 2004].

This period can be coded as resolution for optimisation model of animal diet formulation.

In these period, linear assumptions of animal diet formulation is overcome by introducing non-linear programming technique for animal diet for-mulation [Saxena Pratiksha, 2006]. This technique mainly uses three important nutrient ingredients; Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN), Crude Protein (CP) and Dry Matter (DM).

Genetic algorithms are applied for the cost optimisation of the feed mixtures and a soft-ware is developed by using Delphi environ-ment, which provides flexible, extensible and user-friendly framework for tuning the heuristic relevant parameters and improving the solution

quality [M Akif �ahman, Mehmet Çunka�, �eref �nal et al].

Dynamic programming technique is used to determine optimal marketing and feeding policies for beef cattle [Kennedy J O S 2008]. Open and closed formula laboratory animal diets and their importance in research was described by Dennis E Barnard, Sherry M Lewis, Beverly B Teter, and Julius E Thigpen, 2009.

Extensions of the classical Markowitz mean-variance portfolio optimisation model was done by P Bonami, M A Lejeune, 2009. An exact solution approach was proposed in which the uncertainty in the estimate of the expected returns and the integer trading restrictions are simultaneously con-sidered.

The proposed algorithmic approach rests on a nonlinear branch-and-bound algorithm that fea-tures two new branching rules. A spreadsheet feed problem was set up with 11 ingredients and 11 constraints [W B Roush, J Purswell and S L Branton, 2009].

The LP and SP solutions were determined using the Excel Solver algorithm. Two problems compared LP and SP solutions at 50 and 69 per-cent probabilities for the protein constraint. Results for the 69 percent probability problem showed a difference in the formulated rations.

The LP reduced cost was US$34.25 and the SP reduced cost was US$34.52, showing the respective amounts that the cost of wheat would have to be reduced to be included in the solution. The shadow price and the Lagrange multiplier were US$2.73 and US$2.71, respectively, for the amount of increase in diet cost that could be expected by a unit of change in the protein requirement.

Multi-agent modelingA multi-agent modeling approach [A Hamel,

I Bouvarel, S Pinson, M Lessire, P Lescoat, 2009] is used for simulation of vegetal raw material in poultry production chains. This simulation method (Avisim) represents dynamics of raw materials as a feed compound, poultry markets and evolution of individual and collective decision-making process within pulty forms.

The purpose of AviSim is to represent the dynamics of human activities and decision to establish the formulation matrix. It works on Java language and simulates the production process and provides the results. The details of the simulation run (exchanges between agents, external events, undertaken decisions, etc.) can also be viewed.

This simulation program has four agents, Formulator, Integrator, Purchaser, Manufacturer and Manager.

AviSim simulates the poultry production proc-ess following four firms functioning layers, which consist of the simulation of (i) the upstream

Database for animal diet formulation techniques:

A glance to last decade

by Dr Pratiksha Saxena, School of Applied Sciences, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy16 | november - december 2011

FEATURE

GFMT11.06.indd 16 30/11/2011 17:29

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy november - december 2011 | 17

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Using this approach, it has been estimated that feeding costs can be reduced by more than 4.6 percent, and nitrogen and phosphorus excretion can both be reduced by more than 38 percent.

A LP technique is derived to investigate, analyze and indicate how best the available local ingredients can be combined effectively and efficiently to formulate least-cost ration for broilers [Bassam Al-Deseit, 2009].

The result of this study showed that the least cost ration for starter broiler produced by linear programming model consists of 68.0 percent yel-low corn, 25.07 percent soybean, four percent wheat bran, 0.5 percent fish meal, 0.5 percent Ca diphosphate, 0.1 percent lysine, 0.32 percent meth-oinine, 0.3 percent limestone, 0.3 percent NaCl, 0.5 percent ready premix, 0.4 percent soya oil and 0.01 percent vitamins and mineral mix.

For the finisher ration the results showed that the ration consists of 67.5 percent yellow corn, 20.45 percent soybean, five percent wheat bran, 0.25 percent fish meal, 1.5 percent ca diphosphate, 0.25 percent lysine, 0.35 percent methoinine, 0.3 percent limestone, 0.5 percent NaCl, 3 percent ready premix, 0.75 percent soya oil and 0.15 percent vitamins and mineral mix.

Feed mill and farmer studyAnother study is conducted [S M Mutua, A

Y Guliye, B O Bebe, A K Kahi, 2010] in Nakuru District-Kenya with 78 respondents: 19 feed mill-ers, 37 smallholder dairy farmers, and 22 feed policy officials (10 from KEBS and 12 from NEMA) between September 2009 and April 2010.

Data was collected by a pre-tested, structured questionnaire. Dependent variables were classified as: Least cost of ingredients (LCI) issue consisting of nine items, Maximum profit margins (MPM) issue consisting of nine items, Minimum P-levels (MPE) in manure issue consisting of nine items.

Correlation between dependent variable items: (least cost of ingredients, maximum profit margins, and minimum nutrient excretion) within each feed industry stakeholder group (feed millers, dairy farm-ers, KEBS and NEMA) were determined using the spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (r) method.

The statistical significance of differences in opin-ion responses between pairs of feed industry actors for the relative importance of economic, produc-tion and environmental goals; were determined using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 95 percent confidence interval (CI) using SPSS for windows.

Rank correlations coefficient within feed millers were significant between LCI and MPM (r = 0.54; p < 0.05) and between MPM and MPE (r = 0.46; p < 0.05).

The dairy farmers showed significant correla-tions (0.61; p < 0.05) between MPM and MPE only. Correlation between LCI and MPM (r = 0.64; p< 0.05) within KEBS was significant. The correlations between MPM and MPE within KEBS and NEMA were not significant.

The LCI and MPE were not significantly corre-lated for all the stakeholder groups. The NEMA did not show any significant relationship for any pair of the three formulation objectives. It was concluded that the current singular objective formulation approach is limited in dairy feed manufacturing.

dynamics (raw mate-rials market) and raw materials purchase processes (ii) feed formulation (iii) feed manufacturing and the management of raw materials storage (iv) and finally, poultry production planning evolutions.

Each agent simu-lates the activities of corresponding func-tioning layer.

To simulate the dynamics of firm environments (raw materials poultry markets) a concep-tual agent is defined, called EMA (Event Manager Agent). EMA generates randomly external events), and firm agents react to these events.

AviSim is based on a discrete simula-tion mode, where each simulation step represents one week of production. The simulation process evolves according to firm produc-tion objectives and domain agents behaviours.

A multi-objective stochastic model is formulated confront-ing the cost of the ration with the prob-abilities of meeting the nutrient require-ments of the animal can enhance the process of animal diet formulation [Peña T, Lara P, Castrodeza C 2009].

A method called Precision feed-ing is proposed to improve the utilisa-tion of dietary nitro-gen, phosphorus and other nutrients and thus reduce feeding costs and nutrient excretion [Pomar, Candido 2009]. After determining feed potentials, diet is improved by addition of enzymes or feed treatments.

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy18 | november - december 2011

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Feed product had been formulated both with linear and stochastic programming on different probability levels with nutrient averages and the standard deviation of a key nutrient in ingredient batches from two vendors [Csikai, A 2011].

Integration between supplier quality manage-ment and feed formulation brings the benefits of more consistent product quality, lower costs of rations, accuracy in planning, support in ingredient purchasing decisions, better traceability, improve-ment of supplier performance, and internal quality management processes.

Digestible amino acidsA study was conducted to determine the

effects of diets formulation based on digestible amino acids of feedstuffs and nitrogen corrected-true metabolisable energy on egg characteristics and reproductive performance of Arian broiler breeder in 50 to 64 week of age [Javad Nasr¹+, Akbar Yaghobfar², Yahya EbrahimNezhad¹, Kambiz NazerAdl 2011].

This experiment suggested that diet formula-tion based on AMEn+DAA significantly increased egg weight, albumen height, Haugh unit, fertility, hatchability and chicken weight.

A method is developed to stimulate interest in the generation and application of ileal digestibility as a method for estimating amino acid availability in poultry nutrition [I U Udo and U E Umoren, 2011].

References:Available on request

mulating the ration. In addition, a nutrition fuzzy model is more mechanistically based and therefore permits a more robust application of scientific knowledge.

Energy density and preformanceA non-linear programming Excel Workbook

(Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) was devel-oped using the Excel Solver (Frontline Systems Inc., Incline Village, NV) to optimise energy density and bird performance [M Afrouziyeh, M Shivazad, M Chamani, G Dashti, S Amirdahri, 2011].

In this study, six dietary treatments (2.535, 2.635, 2.735, 2.835, 2.935, and 3.035 Mcal of ME/kg) were fed to Hy-Line W-36 laying hens (n = 192) in phase two (from 32 to 44 weeks of age).

Data were fitted to quadratic equations to express egg mass, feed consumption and the objective function return over feed cost in terms of energy density. To demonstrate the capabilities of the model, the prices for eggs, corn and soybean meal were increased and decreased by 25 percent and the program was solved for the maximum profit and optimised feed mix.

A feed-formula optimizing system is success-fully studied based on Windows 2000 Advanced Server, with SQL Server 2000 database and ASP Web-page language and Linear program-ming together [XiongBen-hai, LuoQing-yao and PangZhi-hong, 2011]. It has set up one whole cal-culating platform to design all kinds formulas based on web technique, which can share information of feed science and animal nutrition to help directly designing feed-formulas.

Sustained feed manufacturing will depend upon finding solutions to such limitations.

Solutions to this limitation will include innova-tions towards the development of broad-based multiple formulation approaches that attempt to collectively optimise stakeholder needs step by step.

Application of Genetic Algorithm is proposed Rosshairy [Abd Rahman, Chooi-Leng Ang, and Razamin Ramli, 2010] to obtain minimum cost diet for farmed animal. GA is integrated with other Artificial intelligence techniques that come from bees’ family and is based on Artificial Bee Algorithm.

In this algorithm, two types of Artificial Bee Algorithm are considered; Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm and Marriage in Honey Bee Optimisation (MBO) algorithm. ABC framework is chosen here to increase the exploration and exploitation in basic GA algorithm. By incorporating GA, ABC and MBO, this algorithm is expected to produce great solution for feed mix problem.

A linear fuzzy model is developed [D. Darvishi SalooKolayi, A. Teimouri Yansari, S. H. Nasseri, 2010] in which composition based inference function works for single input and single output systems. It demonstrates differencing operation and with extensive limitations, there is collection of responses.

Minimise cost 1476.9 and 1222.5 Rial/ kg is achieved at and respectively.

The use of fuzzy model approaches allows nutri-tionists and dairy producers to manage better a heterogeneous population of cows in a herd via for-

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy november - december 2011 | 19

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FEATURE

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GFMT11.06.indd 53 30/11/2011 17:31

Perten Instruments A m e r i c a s h a s formed a Process

Instrumentation Department to meet the needs of its on-line/in-line analysis customers.

Perten Instruments, Inc. responsible for sales and support in the Americas is pleased to announce the formation of a dedicated Process Instrumentation Department. Ralph Hewitt Manager-Process Instrumentation, heads the process instrumentation group. Ralph’s experience includes various roles in plant operations and QC management at large grain processing and food processing facilities with companies such as Cargill, ADM and Pinnacle Foods. The group includes Brian S c h u l t e t u s , p r o d u c t s p e c i a l i s t s y s t e m s i n t e g r a t i o n , D a r i n Crossland product specialist applications development, and Magnus Nilsson product specialist hardware and customer care. In addition to the dedicated staf f , Perten Instruments has spent much of the past 18 months establ ishing a network of vendors capable of assisting Perten in responding to the needs of their customers. T h e d e p a r t m e n t ’ s

functions and mandates inc lude s i te eva luat ion visits, installations, systems integration, applications development, training, and support. The group’s initial focus is on the Per ten diode array based near-infrared (NIR) process analysers. The group will continue to expand as new process instrumentation is added to the Per ten product portfolio. Many new advances in product development are scheduled for release in 2012. “Process instrumentation is one of our largest areas of growth” reports Gavin O’Re i l l y, Pres ident o f Perten Instruments, Inc “We are very excited to have this highly qualif ied g ro u p t o s e r ve o u r process instrumentation c u s t o m e r s . ” “ T h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e Process Instrumentation Department is a further demonstr at ion o f our c o m m i t m e n t t o o u r customers and our mutual success” adds Ralph.

More inforMation:Business Development Manager

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Perten announces formation of a dedicated Process Instrumentation Department

News November - December 2011 NEWS

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy november - december 2011 | 5

THE GLOBAL MILLERI will be blogging the latest news from around the world that relates to the movement, storage, milling and use of all types of grains and cereals for the food and feed industries. To receive my reports regularly why not sign up to this blog directly or follow us on Twitter and Facebook?! - The Global Miller by Martin Little, Blog Editor

http://gfmt.blogspot.com

GFMT11.06.indd 5 30/11/2011 17:28

Cargotec has received an order for a Siwertell ship unloader type

ST790-D from the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), Paradeep Unit. The enclosed screw-type unloader will be used to discharge rock phosphate and sulphur at a rated capacity of 1,800 t/h.

“ IFFCO wanted a totally enclosed system for both environmental and safety reasons,” said Anders Paulsson, Sales manager, Bulk handling. “The company specified a screw-type unloader for high efficiency and chose a Siwertell system from Cargotec because we have by far the most knowledge and experience of this technology he first Siwertell system designated for sulphur was delivered in 1980. Of the four main types

of continuous unloaders screw, pneumatic, chain and bucket chain only the Siwertell screw-type has been demonstrated to solve the three main problems caused by unloading sulphur: a high explosion risk, extreme corrosion , and str ingent regulations for environmental protection.”Cargotec’s Siwertell Sulphur Safety System ( ‘4S ’ ) was developed to minimise the risk of explosions and detect fires. The 4S is designed to prevent sulphur dust explosions in the conveying line and to evacuate explosion pressure in case a dust explosion does occur, without causing damage to equipment and endangering the safety of operators, personnel and other facilities. To prevent explosions and fires, the Siwertell unit is equipped with nozzles that

spray water at the inlet feeder and in the conveyor transfer points. An automatic lubrication system lubricates and cools down end bearings and intermediate bearings.“Even with preventat ive technology in place, there are rare occasions on which an explosion occurs or a fire starts, so Cargotec has designed a system that reacts immediately upon detection and extinguishes any fire,” Mr Paulsson said. “Fire detectors along the conveying line automatically stop the conveyors and start spraying water from the fire extinguishing system. To manage an explosion, the conveyor’s steel casings are reinforced with extra-thick steel, and explosion-venting valves fitted along the conveyors and dust collectors relieve pressure.”A specially designed conveying

l ine with st a in less stee l components ensures that a Siwertell unit is protected from corrosion and it is also practically maintenance-free.This is the third reference for Siwertell fertiliser unloaders in India: in 2003 a 400 t /h Siwertell 490-F was delivered to Coromandel Fertilisers for unloading fertilisers and sulphur from 40,000 dwt ships, and this was followed in 2005 by an order from Paradeep Phosphates for a 1,600 t/h Siwertell 640-D handling sulphur, phosphate and fertilisers.Components for IFFCO’s system will be manufactured in Sweden and China for erection on site in Paradeep Port, Orissa, India. With a delivery time of 12 months, the unloader is expected to be in operation by early 2013.

Indian order for enclosed ship unloader includes Cargotec’s Siwertell Sulphur Safety System

NewsNovember - December 2011NEWS

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy6 | november - december 2011

GFMT11.06.indd 6 30/11/2011 17:28

together with fat coating and new outloading bins and the Humansdorp Koop are also adding a second pelleting line, this time for high rough-age feed.

As a consequence of this high level of feed mill-ing activity the sales of dies and rolls for the pellet presses is growing at over 30 percent per annum.

Modular millsIn response to the requirement for more eco-

nomical plants, mainly in rural areas, Techmach developed and introduced a Modular Maize Mill concept, incorporating the innovative Satake/Techmach degerming system, in 2008 (World Grain, August 2009). Typically the four preassem-bled modules for cleaning, degerming, polishing

and milling are supplied as a full set or individually for upgrading an existing plant. This has proved to be successful not only within South Africa with over 10 units sold but also further North in equa-torial regions of Africa. Now this same concept has been applied to a PeriTec wheat flour milling system for OVK as described above and more recently to the new 10M animal feed mill.

Deon Cronje, sales director, commented “It has been logical to extend the concept by initiating these new designs since many of our customers wish to apply the very latest plant and technology, get into production quickly and are understandably reluctant to make major invest-ments in non-productive building structures and other non-essential infrastructure.”

Seed processingAlthough seed processing has long been an

important activity in the business, it has recently taken on new significance with the completion of the major turnkey project for Pioneer Hi-Bred International (PHI), a subsidiary of the Du Pont Corporation of America.

This plant, outside Pretoria, which produces transgenic maize seeds to the highest interna-tional standards, was followed by another in northern Zambia, where Techmach have also built a system for Monsanto and now a further plant is to be built near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Other Company projects in sub-Saharan Africa are being executed in Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique and Swaziland.

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy november - december 2011 | 9

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• How much maize will the US sow next spring? Probably more than this year

• Will Ukraine sow even more maize next spring on land vacated by failed/unplanted winter wheat and bartley crops?

• Global economic problems continue to erode consumer conf idence, negative for meat/feed demand and a continuing restraint on grain & oilseed prices

• Speculators’ interest in commodities – likely to be more evident in maize due to the tight forecast US/world ending stocks for 2011/12 – spring planting time could see them return as buyers if the weather plays up

• Ethanol competition for maize supplies – could resurge if maize costs continue to fall – helping prices find a bottom

Oilmeals cheaper tooSince our last review, soya meal prices have

come down by about 15% on the US market, putting them about 26% below their August highs and at their cheapest level since June last year. Meal prices have fallen as soyabean supply prospects have improved – the lifting of a threat of tight US end-season stocks and a far better outlook than expected for the coming Latin American crops.

crop), world output is up by 30m tonnes this season against a consumption rise of 22m. As in the USA, this will still leave world 2011/12 ending stocks (next September) about 7m-8m tonnes down and very low in relation to consumption needs. This is more encouraging for die-hard maize bulls and demands a larger world maize crop next year. Currently, pundits are predicting the US will sow more maize next spring but, as always, area will depend on relative corn prices versus soyabeans and on the weather, which can cause huge shifts in acreage to soyabeans if maize planting

gets delayed. Until these uncer tainties are

resolved, in second quarter 2012, there is always the possibility of another bull run on maize prices and where maize goes, wheat must follow. For the moment, however, the competition from South American and the former Soviet Union is setting a low world import price, considerably below US fob and Chicago futures levels. So is

the abundance of feed wheat mentioned above.

US maize exports are falling behind official forecasts amid the competition and while these only make up about 12% of US maize disposals (the rest split mainly between feed and ethanol), this has been weighing on prices.

For the EU itself, maize supplies have been boosted by a record crop around 64.7 tonnes compared with last year’s 55.8m. Demand is expected to expand by about 2m tonnes, using up all the extra supplies but imports will drop away sharply from the past season’s unusually large 7m, probably to about half that level.

FACTORS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD• China’s maize ‘deficit’ remains a live issue.

If maize prices fall further it may take a lot more imported maize after all – bullish for prices

FACTORS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD• Big Ukrainian and Kazakhstan crops are

stepping up their 2011/12 exports, willing and able to fill the ‘cheap wheat’ vacuum once Russia starts to wind down its own aggressive 2011/12 campaign.

• But can landlocked Kazakhstan get the grain out fast enough through Russia (clogged with its own record grain traffic) or Ukraine (heading the same way as it markets record maize versus wheat exports). And how much quality milling will Ukraine actually have as opposed to lower/feed grades?

• Will the Ukraine and the USA yet pull reasonable 2012 crops out of a challenging dry autumn/early winter period?

• Will the US plant a lot more spring wheat in 2012 to make up for this year’s shortfalls?

Coarse grains – Unlike wheat, maize is still a fairly tight

market on paper. The US crop has turned out smaller than expected, lower than last year’s by 3.5m tonnes and about 8m under estimated domestic and export needs. The tighter ending stocks resulting, their lowest for decades in terms of consumption, are keeping some of the speculative money on board in the Chicago futures market (although much of it jumped ship on the most recent price drop in November).

Another restraint on maize prices is the relatively looser foreign supply. Thanks to record crops in the former Soviet Union and expected big harvests in South America next year (not to mention the EU’s own record

Grain&feed millinG technoloGy40 | november - december 2011

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For information and pre-launch updates please e-mail indigo@formatinternational.com

t:+44 1483 726 081 formatinternational.com

GFMT11.06.indd 40 30/11/2011 17:30

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A subscription magazine for the global flour & feed milling industries - first published in 1891

In this issue:

• Mycotoxins an overview

• Database for animal diet formulation techniques: A glance to last decade

• Food safetyin the grain milling industry

• Recent advances in rapid grain testing

November - December 2011

• African advances

Animal feed milling is one of the most buoyant activities in the agri related field

• Optical sorting Optical sorting has come of

age and should be considered as a serious option for inclusion in any modern wheat cleaning plant

• Get in lineProcess analysis solutions open new opportunities for improved profit and quality

GFMT11.06.indd 1 30/11/2011 17:28

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