How To Choose Animal Feed Pellet Machine
Animal feed pellet mills are playing an increasingly critical role in the modern farming industry. It is capable of making pellet feed from powdered feed or grass meal without adding or only a small amount of liquid. With this equipment, feed can be produced for all kinds of animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks and so on.
The finished feed produced by the feed pellet mill is rich in nutrition, which can reduce the waste of feed and prevent the animals from picking at their food, and at the same time, improve the digestibility of the feed for the animals and reduce the chances of the animals getting sick. Because of this, animal feed pellet mills are becoming more and more popular around the world. So, exactly how to choose the right animal feed pellet mill? That’s exactly what this article is going to explore.
Common Types of Feed Pellet Machine
There are two main types of common animal feed pellet mill: ring die and flat die.
Ring Die Pellet Mill: also known as large-scale feed pellet mill, it is widely used in complete feed pellet production line due to its high output, which is more suitable for large and medium-sized feed pellet production plants and large-scale farms. The raw materials it uses are usually concentrated feeds, such as corn, soybean meal, cotton meal, etc., which have high adhesion. Before pelletizing, it is usually equipped with a steam conditioner to soften and cook the raw materials, which not only makes the feed pellets of better quality, but also makes the final made feed pellets with better luster and taste, which are also more popular in the market.
Flat Die Pellet Mill: also called small feed pellet mill, it does not need to add water when producing pellets, belongs to the type of “dry in dry out”, especially designed for small-scale farms, the produced feed pellets can be stored for more than half a year. During the production process, the high temperature inside the feed pellet mill can kill the microorganisms in the raw materials without affecting the quality of the pellets. Flat die pellet mill has compact structure, low energy consumption, simple operation, and adopts stepless speed regulation motor speed regulation to control the feed amount to adapt to different raw material types and different diameters of production needs. For small-scale farms, if a single raw material is used to make simple feed, a flat die animal feed pellet mill is sufficient; if the raw material is of various types, it is recommended to equip with a pulverizer and a mixer to match the production.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Animal Feed Pellet Machine
Raw Material
When choosing a pellet mill, the first thing to consider is the raw material to be processed. For concentrated feeds, flat or ring die pellet mills are suitable, while for forage feeds or grass mixes, flat die pellet mills are more suitable. This is because the flat die pellet feed machine has strong overload resistance and is made of high-quality alloy steel, which has good abrasion resistance and a longer service life than ordinary materials. For example, when processing concentrated feed mainly made of corn and soybean meal, the ring die pellet mill can complete the work efficiently; while when a large amount of grass meal is the main raw material, the flat die pellet mill can cope better with it by virtue of its characteristics.
Pellet Requirements
Ideal feed pellets should have smooth shape, moderate hardness, damage rate less than 4% and moisture content less than 10%. During the pressing process, the temperature of the pellets should be maintained at 60 – 80°C, so as to avoid the loss of the various trace elements added during the pelletizing process. In addition, a dry type pellet feed mill is preferred because it produces pellets that do not require baking or solarization and can be bagged at room temperature for storage and preservation.
Farming Scale And Feed Consumption
When choosing a pellet feed mill, the type should be determined according to the scale of farming and feed consumption. For pellet feed made for pigs, fish and chickens, you can choose flat or ring die pellet feeders, which are more resistant to compression and have lower power requirements. For processing rabbit, cattle and sheep feeds, on the other hand, flat die pellet feeders are more suitable due to the high proportion of grass meal in them, which results in higher resistance and load during processing. For example, large-scale pig farms with large daily feed consumption, choose the ring die pellet mill with high output and good pressure resistance to meet the production demand; while for small-scale rabbit farms, the flat die pellet mill is enough to cope with daily feed processing.
Researching Feed Manufacturing Machines
Look for reputable manufacturers and suppliers of feed manufacturing machines. Also, take an in-depth look at different types of machines such as feed grinders, mixers, pellet mills, extruders and dryers. Different machines play different roles in the feed manufacturing process, and a thorough understanding of them will help you choose the combination of equipment that best suits your production process.
Production Capacity
Depending on your production needs, choose a machine that can meet your hourly or daily production requirements. If it is a large-scale farm, you need to choose a pellet machine with high production capacity and fast production efficiency; while small-scale farmers can choose equipment with moderate production capacity according to their actual needs, so as to avoid the waste of resources caused by idle equipment.
Quality And Durability
Prioritize machines that are made of high-quality materials, durable and have a long service life. You can check customer reviews and product testimonials to understand the reliability of the machine. A quality machine not only ensures continuity of production, but also reduces the cost of repairing and replacing equipment at a later stage.
Efficiency And Performance
Consider the efficiency of the machine in terms of energy consumption and labor requirements. Choose machines with automation features that are easy to operate and maintain, which will reduce production costs and increase productivity. For example, a pellet mill with a high degree of automation can reduce manual labor and labor intensity, while improving production consistency and accuracy.
Feed Quality
Ensure that the selected machine is capable of producing feed of consistent quality and high nutritional value. The mixing, grinding and pelleting functions of the machine are critical to ensuring feed quality. Only high-quality feed can meet the growth needs of animals and improve farming efficiency.
Flexibility
Choose a machine that has the flexibility to process different types of feed ingredients and formulations. Flexibility of the machine is especially important if you plan to produce feed for many different animals, or to adapt feed formulations to market demands. This allows production to be adapted to different needs and improves the competitiveness of the enterprise.
Safety Features
Give preference to machines with built-in safety features to protect the operator and prevent accidents during operation. Safety is an important factor that should not be ignored in the production process, and a good safety design can prevent injuries and property damage.
After-Sales Service Support
Consider the technical support, spare parts supply and warranty service provided by the manufacturer or supplier. Good after-sales service can ensure that the machine in the use of the process of problems in a timely manner to solve, to ensure the smooth progress of production.
Cost Consideration
When choosing a machine, it is important to compare the prices of different machines and consider their overall value in terms of quality, performance and after-sales service. Maximize cost-effectiveness by choosing a machine that does not sacrifice key features within your budget.
Advantages Of Pellet Feed For Animals
Improved Nutrient Utilization
During the pelleting process, water, temperature and pressure interact to break down plant cell walls, resulting in higher digestibility of the feed. At the same time, carbohydrates are partially cleaved and starch is pasted, resulting in improved feed energy utilization. In addition, the pelleting process also destroys some toxic and harmful factors in the feed and improves the effectiveness of the nutrients in the feed.
Avoid Animal Picky Eating
Feed pellets contain a variety of nutrients, which can prevent animals from picking food and ensure that they receive a comprehensive supply of nutrients to meet their daily growth requirements.
Reduces Nutritional Consumption Of Animal Feeding Activities
Livestock usually eat pellets faster than powdered feeds, and the feeding time is only one-third of that of powdered feeds, which greatly reduces the nutrient consumption during feeding activities.
Convenient Feeding And Waste Reduction
Pellet feed is easy to feed, saves labor, and reduces feed waste due to irrational troughing, generally reducing feed waste by 8 – 10%.
Convenient Transportation And Economical
Animal feed pellets are small in size, the volume of ordinary pellet feed of the same weight is about 1/2 – 2/3 less than that of powdered feed, and the stacking density is increased by 40% – 100%, which is convenient for storage, packaging and transportation, and saves storage space, and does not produce automatic grading phenomenon, which is important for maintaining the homogeneity of the micronutrient composition of the feed. In addition, pellet feed is less susceptible to moisture, which facilitates mechanized feeding.
Improved Environmental Hygiene
Pelletized feed is not easy to fly, reducing natural loss and helping to improve the hygiene of the farming environment.
Conclusion
Choosing the right animal feed pellet mill requires comprehensive consideration of a number of factors, including raw materials, pellet requirements, farming scale, own needs, machine quality, performance, safety, after-sales service and cost. At the same time, it is important to have a clear understanding of the two main types of pellet mills, ring die and flat die, and understand their respective characteristics and applicable scenarios.
The correct choice of animal feed pellet mill is of great significance to improve the breeding efficiency and ensure the healthy growth of animals, which can help farmers gain advantages in the fierce market competition and realize sustainable development.
