Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.

FEED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY -

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

DENNIS FORTE

SUMMARY
The handling of Feed Pellets during storage at the Mill, transport and transfer to bins on the
farm has a direct impact upon the proportion of intact pellets that finally reach the Feeding
Troughs. The degradation of the pellets leads to the generation of fines. Pellet Durability is
therefore one of the primary Quality Attributes for manufactured feeds.

There are numerous means that can be used to improve the pellet quality. These
include Formulation Design (providing better binding ingredients), Equipment Design and
Optimal Processing Parameters (for the chosen equipment). The following article will focus
upon the design and performance characteristics of a range of alternative process
technologies suitable for the manufacture of feeds.

_________________________________________________________________________
Dennis Forte & Associates Pty. Ltd, P.O. Box 8179, Wodonga, VIC 3690, Australia. Phone
/ Fax (02) 6056 0004; Email: forte1@iinet.net.au

88
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

INTRODUCTION
Numerous alternative technologies are available for the preparation of manufactured feeds.
The major factors to be considered (and benefits to be gained) when making the decision to
manufacture feeds includes the following:
o Improved Feed Efficiency (or Feed Conversion)
o Reduced Segregation of Feed Ingredients
o Reduced Losses (due to Fines etc.)
o Improved Feed Handling
o Increased Bulk Density
o Improved Flowability (in Bins and Silos)

The performance of the manufactured feed (with respect to both the Handling and
the Conversion of the feed) is dependent upon the quality of the feed, which is
predominantly controlled by the Pellet Durability.

FACTORS INFLUENCING PELLET QUALITY

Numerous studies have been completed to assess the impact of various factors upon the
pellet durability. The measurement criteria have considered both the handling
characteristics and also the feed conversion (in numerous species). A review of the
published data indicates that the following “rule of thumb” can be applied when assessing
pellet quality issues.

Likely Source of Problems

o Formulation 40%
o Grinding 20%
o Steam Conditioning 20%
o Die Design (and Condition) 15%
o Drying and Cooling 5%

89
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

THE FEED MANUFACTURING PROCESS

The Feed Manufacturing Process is presented schematically in Figure 1. The key points of
difference between the various alternative technologies that are available relate to the
Conditioning, the Pressing and Cooling / Drying technologies that are employed. The
following discussion will focus on a limited number of the steps in the process.

Figure 1 - An overview of the Feed Manufacturing Process

Each of the technologies that are on offer has particular features to offer the feed
manufacturer. The major points of difference relate to:
o Complexity of Design
o Ease of Operation
o Economics (Purchase Price and Operating Costs)
o Pellet Quality Limitations

Steam Preconditioning Technology

The primary objectives of the Conditioning Process (or Steam Preconditioning) are to
ensure uniform mixing of the Added Liquids (typically Water and Molasses) and the Steam
with the Feed Mash, in order to initiate the Cooking Process. The cooking process relates
to both the Gelatinization of the Starches and also the Denaturation of the Proteins. The

90
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

achievement of an appropriate Degree of Cook is dependent upon providing sufficient

Hydration Time and also an Elevated Temperature.

Numerous alternative design options are available for feed manufacturing and these
include the following:
Pressurized vs. Atmospheric - Use of an elevated pressure allows the process to operate at a
temperature above 100oC.
“Open” vs. “Weir” Designs - The Residence Time within the Preconditioner is directly
affected by the Paddle Configuration (and Paddle Speed) in open design systems. The
provision of a Weir ensures an almost constant residence time regardless of the
configuration and/or speed.
Vertical vs. Horizontal - Most systems are horizontal, however, a vertical design will
ensure more intimate contact between the mash and the steam.
Single Shaft vs. Twin Shaft - The provision of multiple shafts seeks to enhance the Mixing
Characteristics of the Preconditioner.
Single Stage vs. Multiple Stages - The provision of multiple stages seeks to both enhance
the residence time within the system and also to the mixing, since each of the stages may be
individually optimized.

Pellet Forming (or Pressing) Technologies

Once again a significant number of alternative technologies are available for the Forming
(or Pressing) duty. The options continue to grow as further refinements and improvements
continue to be sought by the equipment manufacturers.

Some of the more common technologies currently being used throughout the
industry include the following:

91
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

Pellet Milling Technology - This is the traditional technology used for manufacturing feeds
and continues to be the most popular. (Approximately 80% of the feed currently
manufactured is prepared using this technology.)

A typical pellet mill is shown in Figure 1 and the operating principle is presented in
Figure 2. The preconditioned mash is fed into the centre of the Die. A series of rotating
Rollers then both compress the mash and also drive it through the Die Holes. A
combination of the Frictional Heat Generated due to the Shear (also referred to as Viscous
Dissipation) by the rollers and the Residence Time in the die lead to the formation of a
stable pellet.

Figure 1 - A typical Pellet Mill Figure 2 - Operating Principle of the

Pellet Mill

For some applications (such as when durability and Water Stability are important)
the use of Double Pelleting has become common practice. This involves taking the hot
pellets from a pellet mill and feeding these directly into a second pellet mill. This results is
a more compacted and durable pellet.

92
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

Compacting Mills - In this device the Preconditioning stage and the Compacting stage are
combined into a single unit (see Figure 3). The primary Mixing Cylinder ensures uniform
mixing of the mash with the added liquids. The heated mash then enters the compacting
stage, where a number of rollers force the mash through a V-shaped Gap between two
Friction Rings. One of the rings is fixed and the other may be moved in order to adjust the
gap. The process is only suitable for the manufacture of Crumbles and Cooked Mash. A
typical compacting mill is shown in Figure 3.

Pellet Cookers - A hybrid of all of the above technologies the Pellet Cooker, wherein a
well-conditioned mash is fed into a short High Speed Screw, which serves to both convey,
shear and cook the mash (thereby Plasticizing it) prior to forcing it through the Die. The
system may be characterized as a High Temperature Micro Time cooking technology. The
residence time in the screw is very short (typically only 3 to 5 seconds). An example of this
technology is presented in Figure 4.

Figure 3 - The BOA Compacting Mill

93
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

Figure 4 - The Universal Pellet Cooker

Extrusion Technology - The last refinement of the options for feed manufacturing is that of
Extrusion Cooking technology. The key components of a typical system are shown in
Figure 5.

94
 Proceedings of the NZ Poultry Industry Conference, 2006. Vol.8

Figure 5 - Key components of a typical Extrusion Cooking system

This technology uses a combination of steam preconditioning and Frictional Shear

to achieve a very degree of cook of the mash. Both the Screws and Barrels are typically of
a modular design, thus the process can be optimized each different application.

95