Panduan FAQ Mesin Pelet Feed

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What is a feed pellet machine?

Feed pellet machine is a kind of processing equipment that converts powdered feed materials (such as corn, soybean meal, jerami, dll.) into pellet feed through compression and extrusion. Its core function is to improve the nutritional value and storage quality of feed.

It features a simple structure, strong adaptability to raw materials, and reasonable cost. It is ideal for small and medium-sized pellet processing, especially for farms and small processing plants that need to process a variety of raw materials into pellet products. It plays an important role in the fields of feed, biomass energy, organic fertilizer, dll..

Feed pellets are granular feeds made through steam conditioning and mechanical pressing, resulting in a dense structure and comprehensive nutrition. The production process includes raw material grinding, mixing and conditioning, and high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion, effectively improving starch gelatinization and protein digestibility. Compared to powdered feed, pellets can reduce transportation losses by up to 30%, and high-temperature sterilization reduces the risk of contamination with pathogens such as Salmonella. In practice, feed pellets can increase feed intake efficiency in livestock and poultry by 20%-30%, making them particularly suita ble for delicate feeding applications such as piglets and aquaculture.

The impact of feed pellet size on the digestive system of livestock.

Feed pellet size directly affects livestock chewing efficiency, digestive juice secretion, and digestive tract health. The specific impact varies depending on the animal species (ruminant/monogastric) and physiological stage (juvenile/adult), and is mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

(1) Monogastric animals (pigs, poultry): Digestive enzyme contact and digestive tract burden

Particles that are too large (>4mm, pigs; >3mm, poultry): Pig stomach emptying is accelerated, feed is not fully mixed with gastric acid and digestive enzymes, and protein digestibility is reduced; poultry gizzards (gizzards) need to grind feed, and large particles increase the gizzard burden, which may cause wear or slow feeding.

Particles that are too small (<1.5mm, pigs; <1mm, poultry): Dust is easily generated, causing respiratory diseases (such as poultry mycoplasma infection); at the same time, particles that are too fine have a short residence time in the digestive tract, and digestive enzymes are not fully effective, especially affecting the absorption of starch after gelatinization (pigs rely on pancreatic enzymes to break down starch).

Suitable range: 2.5-3.5mm for pigs, 2-3mm for broilers, and 3-4mm for laying hens, matching the grinding capacity of their digestive organs.

(2) Ruminants (cattle and sheep): Rumen function and digestive balance

Particles that are too large (>5mm): They require longer chewing time. If the feeding speed is fast, saliva secretion is insufficient (saliva contains buffer substances to maintain rumen pH), which can easily lead to rumen acidosis. Pada saat yang sama, large particles are slowly decomposed in the rumen, microbial fermentation is incomplete, and the utilization rate of nutrients (such as cellulose) is reduced.

Particles that are too small (<2mm): The number of chewing times is reduced, saliva secretion is reduced, and the stability of rumen pH is also threatened. Selain itu, small particles may pass through the rumen quickly, shortening the microbial action time and affecting roughage digestion (ruminants rely on microorganisms to decompose fiber).

Suitable range: usually 3-5mm, taking into account both chewing stimulation and rumen fermentation efficiency.

What are the commonly used feed ingredients for livestock?

Commonly used livestock feed ingredients can be divided into six categories based on nutritional function and source. Different livestock (ruminant/monogastric/aquatic) have slightly different priorities for raw materials. The core ingredients are as follows:

(1)Energy feed (provides carbohydrates and fat)

Its main function is to meet the energy requirements for livestock’s basal metabolism and activities, accounting for 50%-70% of the daily diet.

Cereals (most commonly used): jagung, gandum, jelai, sorghum.
Brans: rice bran, wheat bran.
Roots and tubers: sweet potato, potato.

(2) Protein feed (providing essential amino acids)

Accounting for 10%-30% of the daily diet, it is divided into two categories: plant and animal:

Plant-based protein: soybean meal, rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal

Animal protein: fish meal, plasma protein powder, whey powder

(3) Roughage (essential for ruminants, provides fiber)

Only ruminants (cattle and sheep) need to add large amounts (accounting for 40%-60% of the daily diet) to maintain rumen microbial fermentation and digestive tract health.

(4) Mineral feed (supplementing macro- and micro-elements)

Accounting for 1%-3% of the daily diet, the precise proportion should be adjusted according to the needs of the livestock (excessive intake can be toxic).

(5) Vitamin feed (to maintain physiological functions)

Accounts for 0.01%-0.1% of the daily diet and needs to be artificially synthesized or extracted (the content in natural feed is low and easily destroyed).

(6) Feed additives (to improve efficiency/stability)

Account for 0.1%-1% of the daily diet and must comply with national additive standards.

Ringkasan: The selection of feed raw materials needs to be combined with livestock species, growth stage and nutritional needs. The core is the balance of energy, protein and fiber, while taking into account cost and safety.

Raw materials and nutritional combination

The key to combining feed ingredients lies in two words: complementarity. Misalnya, combining high-energy corn (rich in starch) with high-protein soybean meal (high in protein) balances energy and protein. Combining roughage (jerami, hay) with concentrates (jagung, soybean meal) allows ruminants (cattle and sheep) to nourish their rumens with fiber, while monogastrics (pigs and chickens) can also digest it.

The key depends on the needs of the livestock: Ruminants must include roughage (30%-60% of the daily diet), otherwise their rumen will “go on strike.” Pigs and chickens should primarily use concentrates (no more than 15% of the daily diet), otherwise the digestive burden will be heavy.

Simply put, it’s about supplementing what’s lacking, combining them to ensure that nutrients are not wasted and are easily absorbed by the livestock.

Effect of grinding process on feed particle size

The primary factor affecting particle size is the milling method used for feed. Ingredients such as soybean meal, fish meal, and premixes often cannot be further milled to reduce particle size. Cereals (jagung, gandum, and other grains) require milling, and the same milling process produces different sizes of wheat and corn particles. Hammer mills and roller mills are two primary methods for reducing raw material size.

A hammer mill uses a series of rotating hammers to beat the grain, which rotate at high speeds until the crushed material can pass through a peripheral screen. The particle size and uniformity of the feed produced by this method depend on the size, shape, and rotation speed of the hammers, as well as the shape and aperture of the peripheral screen. Hammer milling can produce a variety of pellet sizes and can also be used to produce wheat by-products.

A double-roller mill uses a pair of cylindrical rollers to crush feed into small particles. These rollers have corrugations and grooves that act on the feed surface.

One roller, with its higher speed, exerts absolute pressure on the other. The size of the feed particles is determined by the number of rollers, the distance between them, their diameter, their speed, and the area of their corrugations. Generally speaking, the double-roller milling method produces more uniform feed particles.

How does an animal feed pellet mill work?

The feed pellet machine operates in three steps:
Conditioning and Gelatinization: Powdered feed (jagung, soybean meal, dll.) is mixed with steam (64-85°C), which gelatinizes starch and denatures protein, improving cohesiveness and sterilizing the feed.
Compression Molding: The conditioned material enters a ring die/flat die, where rollers (made of alloy steel) rotate and squeeze the material through the die aperture (2-10mm) to form cylindrical pellets. High temperatures (80°C+) harden the pellet surface.
Cutting and Cooling: The pellets are cut to the desired length (2-5mm) by a cutter and then thrown through a throw tray to a cooler to cool to room temperature to prevent clumping before packaging.

How to reduce the energy consumption of feed pellet machine?

Equipment optimization (accounting for 40% of energy saving potential)

Ring die upgrade; roller gap adjustment; motor frequency conversion control

Process adjustments (accounting for 35% of energy saving potential)

Raw materials management (accounting for 25% of energy saving potential)

Moisture control; scientific addition of oil; fiber raw material pretreatment

How to prevent feed pellets from getting moldy?

Four-step mold prevention method:

Control finished product moisture content: <12.5% (using a rapid moisture meter for random inspection);

Add mold inhibitors: calcium propionate (0.2%-0.5%) or potassium sorbate (0.1%);

Packaging and sealing: Use aluminum foil bags and vacuum packaging to block oxygen;

Storage management: Temperature ≤25°C, relative humidity <60%, stacked 20 cm above the ground;

Learn about related pelletizing equipment: feed pellet machine, single screw extruder, feed crusher integrated machine