Biomass : An alternative source of protein in Poultry Feed

Humanity faces the challenge of feeding a growing population and supplying its energy needs without exhausting the biological and physical resources of the planet. A big portion of food grown is used for animal feeding. Big question is whether we should be using human food to feed animals in future. Besides food security, clean and renewable energy is also need of time.Biomass is the most common form of renewable energy, and its demand is expected to increase further. With the use of biotechnology biomass can be used to produce energy (fuels) and at same time byproduct of the manufacturing process can be utilised as animal food.

What is Biomass?

Biomass is organic material which is used to generate energy. Biomass is organic matter , stuff that’s made in nature – like wood pellets, grass clippings, crops and even dung. Biomass is a collective term for all plant and animal materials used in energy production.Ethanol is made from crops such as corn and sugar cane that are fermented to produce fuel ethanol for use in vehicles. By applying biotechnology alternative source of animal food can be produced as a byproduct while converting refinery gases into ethanol through gas fermentation process. Alternative animal food source produced through this process may contain nearly 80% proteins.

Work on Biomass Animal food in India

The Central Avian Research Institute (CARI) Bareilly is working on to explore the viability of biomass as an alternative to protein-rich food in poultry farming.CARI is working with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Faridabad on a project to study whether the refinery byproduct from IOC can be utilized as a cheaper alternative protein source for poultry birds. They are working on extraction and processing of  the protein from biomass and study its impact on poultry birds. If their trials have positive outcome, alternative source of protein could be a economical source of protein in Poultry feed.