DDGS steam drying for high‑value animal feed
DDGS are a nutrient‑rich byproduct that can enhance animal performance when processed properly. A stable, optimized drying process is essential to preserve proteins, taste, and shelf life while maximizing the feed value.
DDGS, a nutrient‑rich byproduct, can boost animal performance when processed properly. Stable, optimized drying preserves proteins, taste, and feed value.
What Is DDGS in Animal Feed?
DDGS (distiller’s dried grains with solubles) is a key byproduct from grain‑based ethanol production and an important energy and protein source in modern animal diets. During fermentation, sugars from the feedstock are converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide, leaving a high‑fiber, mineral‑ and protein‑rich stillage that can be turned into wet or dried distillers grains.
Because most of the starch has been removed, DDGS offers excellent nutritional value and can replace other feed ingredients instead of being discarded or burned uneconomically. This makes DDGS both an efficient use of raw materials and an attractive feed additive for ruminants and other animals.
Challenges in conventional DDGS drying
Drying DDGS is a sensitive process where the wrong temperature or technology can quickly damage product quality. Hot‑air drying often leads to uneven drying, off‑flavours, burns, and degradation of valuable minerals and proteins.
These issues not only reduce the nutritional value of the feed but can also negatively impact animal intake and performance. To unlock the full value of DDGS, producers need a drying solution that protects nutrients, keeps a pleasant taste, and delivers a consistent moisture profile.
When steam drying stillage with our ExergyPSSD®, the final DDGS product gains improved functional and nutritional properties. Superheated steam drying changes the structure of the protein molecules into a less water‑soluble, open form without denaturing them during the process.
This creates protected proteins that can pass through the rumen without being degraded, increasing by about 50% the amount of protein that can be fully utilized in the intestine. As a result, animals can benefit from higher effective protein intake from the same amount of DDGS.
By preserving nutrients and improving protein availability, steam‑dried DDGS supports higher milk yields and better weight gain in meat production. Producers can achieve more consistent feed quality, which helps stabilize performance across herds and flocks.
At the same time, improved taste and reduced risk of burnt particles or oxidation support better feed intake and animal well‑being. This combination of nutritional protection and performance makes steam‑dried DDGS a premium feed ingredient.
With the Exergy Superheated Steam Dryer, the value of DDGS is enhanced while drying energy consumption is significantly reduced. Our technology allows you to recover all the water in the raw materials as liquid water, which can be reused elsewhere in your process.
At the same time, about 90% of the drying energy can be recovered as steam or heat and redirected to other operations, such as cooking starch or evaporating thin film/distillation columns. This leads to lower operating costs, reduced environmental impact, and a more efficient overall plant.
Drying DDGS with superheated steam delivers a 100% sterilized product with significantly increased shelf life. Compared to hot‑air drying, which often causes oxidation and uneven quality, the ExergyPSSD® helps maintain color, taste, and nutrient stability over time.
This higher and more consistent product quality makes it easier to store, handle, and transport DDGS while maintaining its value as a feed ingredient. It also reduces the risk of spoilage and quality claims in demanding markets.
When steam drying stillage with our ExergyPSSD®, the final DDGS product gains improved functional and nutritional properties. Superheated steam drying changes the structure of the protein molecules into a less water‑soluble, open form without denaturing them during the process.
This creates protected proteins that can pass through the rumen without being degraded, increasing by about 50% the amount of protein that can be fully utilized in the intestine. As a result, animals can benefit from higher effective protein intake from the same amount of DDGS.
By preserving nutrients and improving protein availability, steam‑dried DDGS supports higher milk yields and better weight gain in meat production. Producers can achieve more consistent feed quality, which helps stabilize performance across herds and flocks.
At the same time, improved taste and reduced risk of burnt particles or oxidation support better feed intake and animal well‑being. This combination of nutritional protection and performance makes steam‑dried DDGS a premium feed ingredient.
With the Exergy Superheated Steam Dryer, the value of DDGS is enhanced while drying energy consumption is significantly reduced. Our technology allows you to recover all the water in the raw materials as liquid water, which can be reused elsewhere in your process.
At the same time, about 90% of the drying energy can be recovered as steam or heat and redirected to other operations, such as cooking starch or evaporating thin film/distillation columns. This leads to lower operating costs, reduced environmental impact, and a more efficient overall plant.
In the dryer, superheated steam is used as the drying and conveying medium. Moisture evaporated from the product becomes part of the steam and can be recirculated and reused, which improves overall energy efficiency.
Drying DDGS with superheated steam delivers a 100% sterilized product with significantly increased shelf life. Compared to hot‑air drying, which often causes oxidation and uneven quality, the ExergyPSSD® helps maintain color, taste, and nutrient stability over time.
This higher and more consistent product quality makes it easier to store, handle, and transport DDGS while maintaining its value as a feed ingredient. It also reduces the risk of spoilage and quality claims in demanding markets.