Compound Feed Production Technology

Compound Feed Production Technology

1. Compound Feed Raw Material Reception

• Reception of bulk raw materials: Bulk raw materials transported by trucks or trains must be weighed using a weighbridge and then discharged into a discharging pit.
• Reception of packaged raw materials: This is divided into manual handling and mechanical receiving.
• Reception of liquid raw materials: Bottled and barreled raw materials can be transported manually.

2. Compound Feed Raw Material Storage

There are many types of raw materials used in compound feed production, so different storage methods are required. A feed pellet factory typically uses two types of storage: silos and warehouses (storage houses).

• Main raw materials like maize, sorghum, and other grains have good flowability and do not clump easily, so they should be stored in silos.
• By-products like bran, soybean meal, and other powdered raw materials have poor dispersion and tend to clump after storage, so they should be stored in warehouses.

3. Compound Feed Raw Material Cleaning

Impurities in feed raw materials not only affect feed quality but also pose safety risks to processing equipment and workers. In severe cases, they can damage machinery and disrupt production, so they must be removed promptly.

Cleaning equipment in feed plants includes:

• Screening equipment – Removes large impurities like stones, mud blocks, and sacks.
• Magnetic separator – Removes iron contaminants.

4. Feed Raw Material Comminution (Crushing)

The crushing process depends on feed granularity and variety requirements. There are two main methods:

1. Primary crushing technology – The simplest and most common method, where raw materials (single or mixed) are crushed in one step.

   • Single-machine crushing – Used in small feed plants.
   • Parallel crushing – Used in medium-sized plants (two or more crushers). However, this can lead to uneven particle size and high power consumption.

2. Secondary crushing technology – Includes three forms:

   • Single-cycle crushing – Material is crushed, sieved, and oversized particles are re-crushed.
   • Stage crushing – Uses two crushers with different sieves for precise particle control.
   • Combined crushing – Uses different crushers (e.g., roller mill + hammer mill) for efficient grinding.

Other methods:

• Batching before crushing – Ingredients are mixed first, then crushed.
• Crushing before batching – Raw materials are crushed first, then batched.

5. Compound Feed Batching Technology

Common batching methods include:

• Manual addition batching
• Volumetric batching
• One bin, one scale batching
• Multi-bin, multi-scale batching
• Multi-bin, one scale batching

6. Compound Feed Mixing Process

Two mixing types:

• Batch mixing – Ingredients are blended in fixed proportions using a batch mixer. This is widely used because it allows easy formula changes and minimal cross-contamination.
• Continuous mixing – Ingredients are continuously measured and mixed in a stream. While efficient, it causes more residue buildup and intermixing between batches.

7. Compound Feed Pelletizing Process

• Conditioning – The most critical step, where steam is added to soften feed for pelleting.
• Pelletizing methods:
  • Ring die pellet mill – Material is pressed between rollers and a die to form pellets.
  • Flat die pellet mill – Material is spread on a flat die and pressed into pellets.

8. Feed Pellets Cooling

Fresh pellets have high moisture (16-18%) and temperature (75-85°C). Cooling reduces moisture to <14% and temperature to <8°C above ambient to prevent spoilage.

9. Crumbling

Large pellets are crushed into smaller particles for young animals, improving digestibility and saving energy.

10. Screening

After crumbling, pellets are screened to remove excess powder and ensure uniform size.

For high-quality feed pellet production solutions, contact MAIKONG: 📞 WS/TEL: 0086191-549010-65