TECHNOLOGY 100 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2025 About Felix Tometten As an animal feeding specialist at German engineering company Amandus Kahl in Reinbek, Felix Tometten works in research, development, and internal as well as external consulting. At Amandus Kahl, he acts as a link between technology and animal nutrition. After completing his Master of Science in Agribusiness and Animal Feeding at the University of Göttingen, he gained experience in poultry consulting at ATR Landhandel and as a district manager at Stader Saatzucht eG. Treatment CNCPS protein fractions [% of CP] A B1 B2 B3 C UDP8 [% of CP] A comparison of the effects of the Amandus Kahl UDP process and conventional HTST expansion on the UDP8 value and protein fractions of rapeseed meal with an initial high value Control (untreated) Expansion Expansion + long-term conditioning 59 71 81 5,0 9,3 7,6 11,6 2,9 0,1 65,3 69,1 69,4 11,4 11 14,3 6,7 7,8 8,6 SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES In addition to improved rumen stability, sustainability is a key factor in feed production. The pressure-hydrothermal expander process offers several advantages in this regard. Targeted control of heat, pressure, and moisture minimizes electrical energy consumption. Unlike purely hydrothermal processes, which require energy-intensive hot air drying, the final product only needs to be cooled by ambient air in the belt cooler. This saves considerable energy and reduces the carbon footprint of feed production. Furthermore, treatment in the Kahl expander line changes the protein structure, improving the digestibility of the nutrients it contains. Expansion increases the bypass protein digestibility in the intestine, especially with rapeseed meal and other mono-components. This increases overall feed conversion and improves feed efficiency. From an economic perspective, improved protein utilization allows for a reduction in feed consumption while maintaining milk and fattening yields. CONCLUSION The growing demand for sustainable and efficient animal nutrition makes it clear that innovative solutions are needed - not just as a substitute for formaldehyde, but also as a sustainable, resource-efficient feeding strategy. Pressure hydrothermal processes are a promising approach that shows modern feed production can be free of chemical additives without sacrificing efficiency or sustainability. The expander technology from Amandus Kahl is a good example of this. Many feed producers worldwide already use it successfully. Photo: Amandus Kahl
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