Key Production Stages for High-Quality Feed
Key Production Stages for High-Quality Feed
Blog Article
In feed production, three main factors generally impact feed quality: raw material quality, feed formulation, and production processes. These elements influence each other and must be managed collectively. Once raw material quality and formulation are under control, improving specific production stages is crucial for enhancing feed quality, as many feed companies now focus on refining these processes. Below are key factors in improving feed quality.(feed additive)
1. Effective Moisture Control
The moisture content of finished feed is a critical factor that affects both livestock performance and production costs. Scientific moisture management throughout the production process ensures product quality, reduces energy consumption, minimizes losses, and stabilizes feed quality, all of which increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Appropriate moisture content enhances feed palatability, improves animal performance, and ensures optimal feeding effectiveness and economic value. Key considerations in moisture management include:
Reducing mold and bacteria counts,
Enhancing pellet quality,
Minimizing dust,
Increasing production efficiency while reducing energy consumption,
Efficiently using and cooling steam to maintain suitable feed moisture.
Maintaining adequate moisture levels helps produce better pellets, reduces mechanical wear, saves energy, and extends equipment life. Seasonal and raw material variations affect moisture levels, typically fluctuating between 10% and 13%. Low moisture can harden pellets, reducing palatability and digestibility.
To counter low moisture, water retention equipment is used. By spraying a mix of surfactants and water onto feed ingredients, the equipment increases moisture content, starch gelatinization, and pellet quality while reducing friction and energy waste during production.
2. Importance of Raw Material Cleaning
Removing impurities from raw materials, particularly through magnetic separation, is vital to protect equipment. Equally important, however, is eliminating debris in grains (corn, wheat, rice) like broken or oxidized grains and sand, which can harbor mold toxins and harmful bacteria. Unclean raw materials impact product quality and animal performance, wear down equipment, and disrupt production.
Corn, a major component in many formulas, often contains impurities like corn stalks and sand that promote mold and bacteria growth. Using wheat as a partial corn replacement can reduce feed costs, but wheat contains more impurities. Effective impurity removal, combined with adjustments in processing techniques and high-quality enzyme additives, ensures the efficient use of wheat.