The main feedstuffs fed to cattle include: grass, hay, grain, silage and total mixed ration. There are in fact, many types of feeds that can be fed to cattle, for example, crumbles, meals, coarse mix and pellets made from raw material such as corn, wheat, soybean. In this article, Elena Forbes of Azeus Machinery takes a closer look at the processes involved in creating a good quality pellet. With the global demand for cattle feed ever increasing, the need to produce high quality and nutritionally balanced feed has become an essential issue in the feed market.

1. Feed formulation and nutrition focus
by Elena Forbes, Azeus Machinery co ltd, China
The cattle feed
pelleting Process:
a comprehensive
overview
Stage one: cattle feed grinding
Material is held in the grinding chamber until it is reduced to
the size of the openings in the screen. The number and size of
hammers on a rotating shaft, arrangement, sharpness, the speed
of rotation, wear patterns, and clearance at the tip relative to the
screen or striking plate are essential variables relating to grinding
capacity and the appearance of the product. Impact grinding is
most efficient with dry, low-fat ingredients, although many other
materials may be reduced in size by proper screen selection and
regulated intake.
Stage two: cattle feed mixing
Feed mixing may include all possible combinations of solids and
liquids. Mixing is recognised as an empirical unit operation, which
means that it is more of an art than a science and must be learned
by experience.
Three mechanisms are involved in the feed mixing process:
a. The transfer of groups of adjacent particles from one location in
the mass to another
b. Diffusion distribution of particles over a freshly developed
surface
c. Shear slipping of particles between others in the mass.
Stage 3: cattle feed pelleting
The goal in any feed pelleting operation is to produce good quality
pellets while simultaneously maintaining an acceptable production
rate at minimum cost.
There are many factors being involved in making a good pellet,
such as material density, source of supply, ingredient quality,
T
he main feedstuffs fed to cattle include:
grass, hay, grain, silage and total mixed ration.
There are in fact, many types of feeds that can be
fed to cattle, for example, crumbles, meals, coarse
mix and pellets made from raw material such as corn,
wheat, soybean. In this article, Elena Forbes of Azeus Machinery
takes a closer look at the processes involved in creating a good quality
pellet. With the global demand for cattle feed ever increasing, the need
to produce high quality and nutritionally balanced feed has become an
essential issue in the feed market.
What are the advantages of pelleted cattle feed?
Raisers have been using pellets for decades to feed their cattle.
Compared with other kinds of feed-stuff, a good quality pellet actually
offers a lot of benefits to the raisers such as decreased eating periods,
improved palatability, less segregation in the feed and reduced waste.
First of all, pelleted feeds take up significantly less storage space,
particularly in the case of pelleted hay products. A ton of baled hay can
take up 200 to 330 cubic feet of storage space in a barn; a ton of hay
pellets or cubes requires only 60 to 70 cubic feet.
Secondly, compared to other types of feed, they are very low in dust.
“Compete” pelleted feeds can include not only grains, but also vitamins
and other supplements. Manufacturers have created many types of
pelleted mixes to suit all sorts of cattle, no matter their activities. Almost
no commercial feed ration is left untouched by the pelleting process - sift
through a prepared sweet feed with your fingers, and you’ll discover a
smattering of pellets mixed in with the oats and corn and other grains.
That pellet generally contains a vitamin/mineral supplement for the
ration, bound up with a fibre source such as dehydrated alfalfa.
Moreover, cattle consume feed pellets more readily and rapidly when
compared to other forms of cattle food. Furthermore, the pellets produce
less waste as mentioned above making it a very economical method to
feed dairy animals as well. This is especially important for small raisers for
whom every penny counts. Similarly, the waste reduction also helps raisers
a lot during the droughts because they will have to spend less amount of
money feeding cattle. Pellets also improve the palatability of the cattle feed.
Finally, it is always good to feed pelleted concentrates to the cattle.
There is nothing wrong in doing so; rather it is a beneficial and fruitful
method of feeding cattle.
Demand for cattle feed pellets in the global market place
With the increasing awareness among people towards safety and quality
of beef choosing high quality and nutritionally well-balanced feed is
essential in order to promote cattle feeding standards.
Cattle feed pellets being made from corn, wheat bran, rice, sorghum, and
beans, appears to be the obvious choice, as it decreases feed wastage, has
high bulk density and better material handling characteristics. Pelleted cattle
feed prevents selective feeding on preferable ingredients in a formulation.
52 | Milling and Grain
F

2. Since all ingredients have been moulded together, cattle must eat a balanced
formulation, minimising waste and improving feed conversion.
Capitalising on the growth trend in the global cattle feed pellet
market, some leading companies are rushing into the development and
manufacturing of feed pellets. The increasing demand for cattle feed pellets
is prompting the global players to turn their attention to feed pellet products
in order to meet growing needs.
Cattle feed formulas
- Cattle require adequate
levels of protein, energy,
vitamins and minerals
in their diet, which will
vary according to each
animal’s age, size, weight
and stage of reproduction.
Thus, design of feed
formula should be based
on the cattle raisers own
requirements.
Formula 1 - calf feed
Ingredients % Ingredients %
Ripe-bean cake 40 Wheat bran 15
Corn 22 Oyster meal 2.0
Sorghum 20 Salt 1.0
Tips: the average daily weight gain of 6 months old
calves is 549g; 12 months calves have a weight of
286kg; 18 months old calves have a weight of 380kg
Formula 2 - calf feed
Ingredients Dosage/g Ingredients Dosage/g
Ripe-bean cake 19 Wheat bran 29
Corn 48 Oyster meal 2.5
Salt 15 - -
Tips: the average daily weight gain of 6 months old
calves is 607g; 12 months old calves have a weight of
273kg, 18 months old calves have a weight of 360kg
Formula 1 - dairy cattle feed
Ingredients % Ingredients %
Bran 17 Corn germ dross 4.0
Corn 10 Dry hay 9.0
Sorghum 7
Soybean curb
residue
15
Bean cake 4.5 Corn silage 32
Oyster extract 1.5 - -
Tips: averagely daily milk production is 17.52kg, annual
production is 6200kg
Formula 2 - dairy cattle feed
Ingredients Dosage/g Ingredients Dosage/g
Corn 49.5 Zinc oxide 0.3
Wheat bran 32.9 Cobaltous sulfate 0.043
Bean cake 16.5 Sodium selenite 0.044
Calcium
hydrophosphate
1.1 Potassium iodide 0.017
Tips: supply 9kg concentrated feed one day; the expected daily
milk yield is 18.12kg and the feed/milk ratio is 0.5:1.
protein content, temperature, moisture, die specifications and
pellet mill operation.
Incoming raw material flows into the feeder and (when
conditioning is required) is delivered uniformly into the
conditioner for the controlled addition of steam and/or liquids.
From the conditioner, the feed is discharged over a permanent
magnet and into a feed spout leading to the pellet die. Inter-
elevator flights in the die cover feed the material evenly to each
of the 2 rolls. Feed distributor flights distribute the material across
the face of the die. Friction drive rolls force the material through
holes in the dies as the die revolves. Cut-off knives mounted on
the swing cover cut the pellets as they are extruded from the die.
The pellets fall through the discharge opening in the swing door.
Stage four: cattle feed pellet cooling
The purpose of cooling is to remove heat and moisture after the
pelleting process. A pellet is in its most fragile state as it leaves
the die. It has been formed but is a soft plastic, easily deformed
product at this time. Every endeavor should be made to handle this
product as gently as possible until it is cooled, dried and hardened.
From a system standpoint, the pellet should drop directly from the
pellet mill into the cooler, since any type of mechanical handling
will generate fines.
Stage five: Pellet Crushing
Crushing is an important part in the feed pellet line. By crushing,
large feed pellets can be divided into different particle sizes in the
certain range. Crushing has a direct impact on both the cost and
the nutrition of feed pellets.
Cooled pellets may be ground on
corrugated rolls and the resulting
product sifted into various sizes
of granules. The specifications of
cattle feed pellets are usually as
follows:
Diameter: 3-5mm
Length:15-20mm
February 2015 | 53
F
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