In August 2025, a three-member delegation from an Indian feed enterprise visited our manufacturing campus to evaluate a turnkey steam-flaked corn solution to be integrated into their existing feed mill and targeted primarily at dairy rations. Our team reviewed the company’s history—since 1997 focused on steam-flaking—and our global installed base of 150+ customers, then led a shop-floor tour covering flaking rolls, steam conditioning, cooling, screening, bulk handling, and control systems. The visitors assessed reference KPIs (flake density, degree of starch modification, OEE, energy footprint) and our ability to supply a complete line with commissioning and lifecycle service. The proposed configuration delivers 240 tonnes/day at a connected load of about 260 kW, with full automation and options for Siemens® motors and Schneider Electric™ controls. Both parties agreed to proceed with on-site layout verification and design workshops in India as the next step.

Visitor & Intent

• Visitor: Indian feed manufacturer, delegation of three.

• Objective: Add steam-flaked corn capability for high-energy dairy diets; evaluate a standardized, low-risk, fully automated line that can scale.

Core Equipment, Reference KPIs & Differentiators

1) Steam Conditioning & Tempering

• Steam chest sized for high residence time under load; designed to support ≥30 minutes of effective steaming at rated throughput, enabling starch hydration prior to rolling. Typical moisture uptake during steaming is ~5% (reference band from literature; exact set-point by corn variety and target density). 

• Process targets (reference ranges): grain inlet moisture, chest temperature uniformity, residence time distribution; safety interlocks on pressure/temperature and discharge blockage.

2) Flaking Rolls (Core Parts)

• Heavy-duty flaking rolls with a 35–40 mm wear-resistant alloy layer on the roll shell, engineered for long service life, stable corrugation geometry, and thermal stability under continuous duty.

• Roll geometry and corrugation pattern optimized for corn; roll gap precisely adjustable and lockable to hold density specification across shifts.

• Bearing & seal package designed for extended MTBF; positive lubrication and temperature trending.

3) Density & Starch Modification (Reference KPIs)

• Flake density commissioning range aligned with feedlot/dairy literature: 0.31–0.41 kg/L (24–32 lb/bu), with common targets around 24–28 lb/bu when maximizing starch availability; final set-point is diet- and species-specific. 

• Degree of starch modification (gelatinization) tuned via chest time/temperature and roll work; operators verify via bulk density, flake thickness, and periodic lab assays (e.g., enzymatic starch availability). Peer-reviewed studies consistently associate steam-flaking with improved starch digestibility and performance in cattle versus dry-rolled/ground grain.

4) Cooling, Finishing & Handling

• Counter-flow cooling and screening to stabilize moisture and remove fines; magnetic protection prior to storage/load-out; optional bulk loading automation.

5) Line Control & Data

• PLC/SCADA with recipe management, interlocks, batch/lot traceability.

• Preferred packages: Siemens® drives/motors and Schneider Electric™ automation on request; open architecture to integrate client standards.

6) What Sets This Line Apart (Differentiators)

1. Roll longevity & consistency: the 35–40 mm alloy layer plus stable thermal profile delivers density repeatability and lower life-cycle cost.

2. End-to-end delivery: we provide complete line engineering, automation, commissioning, and operator training—reducing interfaces and project risk.

3. Metrics you can audit: density maps, shift-wise OEE, energy per tonne, moisture balance, and maintenance KPIs are logged and trended.

4. Right-sized energy footprint: ~260 kW connected load for the 240-TPD configuration enables competitive kWh/t without compromising starch modification.

5. Safety & hygiene: interlocked access, dust control, and ignition risk management built around ATEX/NFPA good practice.

Solution Summary & Energy Footprint

• Target capacity: 240 tonnes/day (24 h).

• Connected load: ~260 kW (final value depends on utilities/drive options).

• Automation: fully automated with recipe/traceability, audit trails, and remote diagnostics.

• Deliverables: process design, equipment, electrical & controls, commissioning, training, and service.

Next Steps

Our engineering and process teams will travel to India to verify plant layouts, utility balances (steam/electrical/cooling air), finalize the technical schedule, and align commercial milestones.

Industry Appendix (India) — Cattle, Dairy, Beef & Feed 

Herd size and structure. India remains one of the world’s largest bovine holders. The Government of India’s 20th Livestock Census (2019) reports ~303.76 million bovines (cattle, buffalo, yak, mithun), up 1.3% from 2012. Within this total, the cattle population is roughly 192.5 million, and buffalo number about 110 million; the remainder are yak/mithun. These are national aggregates and mask significant state-level differences (e.g., high buffalo shares in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh; strong cross-bred dairy cattle in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra).

Milk leadership and growth. India is the largest milk producer globally. The Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS) 2024 estimates 2023/24 milk output at ~239.3 million tonnes, continuing a long-term growth trend. Productivity gains stem from genetics, feed quality, veterinary services, and the spread of organized procurement/processing (cooperatives and private plants). The central government’s Year-End Review reconfirms India’s top rank, contributing roughly a quarter of global milk. For dairy-focused feed mills, this implies steady demand for energy-dense rations and starch sources that support high-yielding animals under tropical stress.

Beef/carabeeef context. “Beef” in trade statistics for India is overwhelmingly buffalo meat (carabeef), not cow meat (due to state-level restrictions). The USDA/FAS 2025 outlook forecasts bovine meat production at ~4.7 MMT, primarily buffalo, with robust export channels to the Middle East and Southeast Asia; earlier FAS notes show exports around 1.48 MMT in 2023. While India is not a “beef-cattle” country in the conventional sense, the large buffalo inventory and by-product streams influence local feed demand (e.g., tallow, offal rendering, and DDGS from grain ethanol).

Implications for steam-flaked corn. High-energy Total Mixed Rations (TMR) for dairy rely on starch sources with predictable ruminal availability. Steam-flaked corn (SFC) improves starch digestibility vs. dry-rolled or ground corn, supporting higher milk yield and feed efficiency when densities and process conditions are controlled. Reference ranges in peer-reviewed work place optimal flake density broadly at 24–32 lb/bu (0.31–0.41 kg/L), with process design often aiming near the lower end (e.g., ~24–28 lb/bu) for maximum starch availability; however, the “right” density also depends on forage NDF, by-product inclusion, and acidosis risk management.

Feed industry scale and mill counts. India is consistently among the world’s top compound-feed producers. Alltech’s Agri-Food Outlook surveys >27,000 to ~28,235 feed mills globally and shows Asia–Pacific as the largest feed region. Within Asia–Pacific, a 2023 industry review cited ~7,146 feed mills across the region; India is one of the largest contributors by tonnage, especially in poultry and dairy. Public, precise counts of India-only mills vary by definition (organized vs. commercial vs. on-farm). One academic survey of the organized segment mentions ~832 private-sector cattle-feed manufacturers, while national trade groups (e.g., CLFMA) list a few hundred members (membership is not equal to total mills). For commercial planning, we recommend using tonnage and species mix by state rather than relying solely on mill counts.

Dairy development & opportunities. With milk output still expanding and consumer demand shifting toward organized liquid milk, UHT, yogurt, paneer, and value-added products, the industry’s feed requirement is rising in quality (consistent energy and starch availability) as much as in volume. Coupled with modern cold-chain investment and cooperative/private processing growth, this supports adoption of steam-flaked corn where mills seek to (i) reduce kWh/t and downtime, (ii) assure flake density and starch modification within tight bands, and (iii) document performance via plant-wide automation and traceability.