Utilization of Chuni-Bhusi Byproduct as Animal Feed

Every dal mill generates more than just the neatly split, polished dal that ends up in our kitchens. The milling process inevitably produces a mixture of broken grain pieces, fine powder, and husk fragments that cannot be sold for human consumption – this material is collectively called chuni-bhusi. Far from being waste, chuni-bhusi has long been recognized across India as a practical and cost-effective ingredient in livestock and poultry rations. Understanding what it is, how it is formed, and what nutritional role it plays helps both dal millers and animal farmers make the most of every kilogram of pulse grain processed.

What is chuni-bhusi? 🔗

Chuni-bhusi is the byproduct obtained during the milling of pulses into dal. According to ICAR’s e-courses on pulse processing, the term “chuni” refers specifically to the dust or fine powder generated during milling operations, while “bhusi” refers to the separated husk. In practice, both components are often collected together and marketed under the combined name chuni-bhusi. As described in veterinary nutrition literature, the material consists primarily of broken pieces of the endosperm and germ along with a portion of the husk, obtained as a byproduct when pulse grains are processed for human consumption.

It is important to distinguish chuni-bhusi from the main milling outputs. The primary product of pulse milling is dhal – split, decorticated grains. Gota refers to unhusked whole grains that pass through the roller mill. Brokens are larger broken grain fragments that can sometimes still be graded for human use. Chuni, on the other hand, is the fine powdery fraction mixed with husk that is unsuitable for human consumption in any grade. This makes it exclusively a feed-grade material, which is precisely what gives it its commercial relevance in the animal nutrition sector.

How is chuni-bhusi formed during pulse milling? 🔗

The formation of chuni-bhusi is directly tied to the mechanics of the dehusking and splitting process. ICAR’s pulse processing module explains that the fundamental challenge in dal milling is achieving clean separation of the husk from the cotyledon without damaging the grain interior. The outer husk of many pulses – particularly arhar (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), and moong (green gram) – is tightly bonded to the underlying cotyledon. To loosen this bond, millers use conditioning treatments such as alternate wetting and drying, oil application, or hydrothermal processing before the grain enters the dehusking rollers.

When conditioning is insufficient or the husk is not adequately loosened, the rollers must apply greater abrasive force to strip the husk. This excessive force does not just remove the husk – it also chips and breaks the edges of the cotyledons, generating fine particles of endosperm and germ. Pulse milling academic material from CUTM notes that at the cottage and small-scale level, breakage is typically quite high because the husk is often not completely loosened before dehusking begins. The consequence is a reduced yield of head dal and a larger volume of broken and powdery material – the chuni fraction.

Losses in traditional versus commercial milling 🔗

Traditional milling methods typically yield only 65-70% as compared to the 82-85% potential yield achievable with proper conditioning and modern equipment. The gap between actual and potential yield is largely accounted for by powder and broken material. This means a mill processing poorly conditioned pulses or using worn equipment will produce more chuni-bhusi per ton of input grain. Byproduct analysis of pulse milling confirms that the key outputs apart from dal include husk, chaff, germ meal, chuni (dust or powder), and broken grains – all of which represent nutritionally useful fractions even if they lack the appearance quality needed for human food markets.

Nutritional composition of chuni-bhusi 🔗

Because chuni-bhusi originates from the internal portions of pulse grains – the endosperm, germ, and partially adhering cotyledon fragments – it retains meaningful nutritive value. Data published by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and cited in veterinary nutrition literature places the crude protein (CP) value of chunies at 15-20% and the total digestible nutrients (TDN) value in the range of 55-65%. This nutritional profile positions chuni-bhusi clearly as a concentrate feed – relatively low in crude fibre and higher in energy and protein compared to roughage sources like straw and dried fodder.

The germ fraction present in chuni is particularly important. Germ meal recovered from pulse milling dust is specifically used in the preparation of cattle and bird feeds because of its concentrated protein and energy content. The husk portion of bhusi contributes dietary fibre, which supports rumen function in cattle and buffaloes when included in appropriate proportions. The combined chuni-bhusi fraction therefore offers a useful blend of digestible nutrients and fibre that can fit into a variety of livestock ration formulations.

Comparison with other concentrate feeds 🔗

To put chuni-bhusi’s nutritional profile in context, it is helpful to compare it with other commonly used milling byproducts. Wheat bran, for instance, has a crude protein level of approximately 13-16% and a TDN of 65-70%, making it slightly higher in energy but comparable in protein. De-oiled rice bran carries a similar crude protein range of 13-16% with a TDN of 55-65%. Chuni-bhusi matches or exceeds the protein content of these cereal byproducts, which explains why it has been a staple ingredient in Indian livestock rations for generations. Its pulse origin also means it carries amino acid profiles typical of legume proteins, which are richer in lysine compared to cereal-derived feeds – a nutritionally beneficial characteristic especially for monogastric animals like poultry.

Use of chuni-bhusi as livestock feed 🔗

A Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) publication on pulses and their byproducts confirms that pulses play an important role in providing valuable products for animal feeding, thereby indirectly contributing to food security. Chuni-bhusi is one of the most practical expressions of this role – it redirects milling losses into the feed supply chain, supporting affordable nutrition for livestock without competing with human food demands.

Dairy cattle and buffaloes 🔗

In Indian dairy farming, chuni-bhusi is commonly incorporated into the concentrate mixture fed to milch cattle and buffaloes alongside other ingredients such as cottonseed cake, wheat bran, and mineral supplements. Its moderate energy density and reasonable protein content make it a useful filler ingredient that reduces ration cost without significantly compromising the nutritional quality of the total mixed ration. Because it is a concentrate rather than a roughage, it is typically offered alongside a separate roughage component – green fodder, hay, or silage – to ensure an adequate fibre supply for proper rumen function. The NDDB Animal Nutrition booklet lists mung chuni as a recognized feed ingredient, reflecting its established place in Indian dairy ration formulation practice.

Poultry feed applications 🔗

In poultry nutrition, chuni-bhusi is used as part of mash or compound feed formulations for broilers and layers. The germ meal fraction of chuni is particularly suited to bird feeds because of its digestible protein and energy. Pulse milling byproduct utilization data specifically identifies that the germ meal from chuni dust is mainly used in the preparation of cattle feeds and bird feeds. In poultry rations, chuni-bhusi functions as a partial substitute for more expensive protein and energy ingredients, helping to reduce feed costs. Given that feed accounts for 65% of poultry production costs, cost-effective ingredients like chuni-bhusi have significant economic relevance for commercial poultry operations.

Goats, sheep, and other livestock 🔗

Chuni-bhusi is also fed to small ruminants including goats and sheep, where it serves as an affordable energy-protein supplement to low-quality roughage. Its palatability is generally acceptable to most livestock, and its fine particle size means it can be mixed easily into mash feeds or moistened and offered as a soft feed. For working animals and growing stock, it provides a practical way to improve the nutritional density of the ration without sourcing expensive imported or specially processed ingredients.

Economic and sustainability significance 🔗

India is among the world’s largest producers and consumers of pulses. Research published on pulse byproduct utilization notes that pulses are an affordable source of protein, with their share in total protein consumption in some developing countries ranging between 10 and 40 percent. The volume of dal milled nationally means that even a small percentage of chuni-bhusi generated per ton of input translates into very large absolute quantities of available feed material. Rather than discarding this material or treating it as waste, channelling chuni-bhusi into the livestock feed supply is both economically rational and environmentally responsible.

For small and marginal dal millers, chuni-bhusi sale provides an additional revenue stream that partially offsets the cost of milling losses. For livestock farmers, particularly smallholders who form the backbone of India’s dairy sector, chuni-bhusi offers an accessible, locally sourced concentrate feed that does not require cold storage or special handling. India’s cattle feed market is increasingly moving toward scientifically formulated rations, and chuni-bhusi occupies a legitimate place in this evolution as a recognized, nutritionally validated ingredient.

Limitations and quality considerations 🔗

While chuni-bhusi is a useful feed material, a few practical points deserve attention. Because it contains fine particles and husk, its fibre content and digestibility will vary depending on the pulse variety being milled and the efficiency of husk separation during processing. Chuni-bhusi from well-processed mills where husk separation is thorough will have a higher proportion of endosperm and germ material, resulting in better protein and energy values. Poorly processed material with a higher husk fraction will be higher in crude fibre and lower in digestible nutrients.

Moisture control is important during storage. The fine particle size of chuni makes it susceptible to moisture absorption and mold growth if stored in humid conditions. Farmers and feed formulators should ensure that chuni-bhusi is purchased from reliable sources, stored in dry and ventilated conditions, and used within a reasonable time period to prevent spoilage and mycotoxin risk. When included in rations, it should be proportioned carefully alongside other ingredients to ensure the complete nutritional requirements of the target animal species are met, rather than used as the sole concentrate source.

What do you think? Given that chuni-bhusi is generated as a direct consequence of milling efficiency – with poorly conditioned grains producing more of it – do you think improving milling technology to reduce chuni-bhusi generation would ultimately help or hurt smallholder livestock farmers who depend on it as an affordable feed ingredient? And with India’s compound feed market growing rapidly, how should the quality and traceability standards for byproduct feeds like chuni-bhusi be strengthened to protect animal health and feed safety?

References

1. https://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=801
2. https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/feeding-of-livestock-with-milling-by-products-and-its-nutritive-value/
3. https://course.cutm.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Session-4.4-–-Pulse-Milling.pdf
4. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/waste-management-in-wheat-and-pulses-milling/255043994
5. https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210472579
6. https://www.nddb.coop/sites/default/files/pdfs/Animal-Nutrition-booklet.pdf
7. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/india-feed-additives-market-industry
8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321026581_Pulses_and_their_by-products_as_animal_feed
9. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/india-cattle-feed-market-48829