ANN 121: Applied Animal Nutrition-I (2+1)

 FEED PROCESSING

Various steps involved in Feed compounding 

• Selection of locally available ingredients based on price and nutrient density.
• Quality check of raw materials.
• Formulation of balanced ration
• Weighing the ingredients according to formulation.
• Processing such as Grinding, flaking, etc.
• Uniform mixing.
• Quality check of processed feed
• Packing and storage of mash feed.
• Further processing for preparation of other forms of feed (pelletting, crumbling etc.)

Purposes of feed processing:

• To alter the physical form or particle size.
• To prevent spoilage
• To isolate specific parts of a seed or plant
• To improve palatability
• To inactivate toxins or anti nutritional factors .

Grinding

• Grinding is the first and important processing method.

Advantages of grinding

•  The particle size reduction, increases the surface area  exposed to enzymes, resulting in better digestion.
• Grinding helps mixing of ingredients and prevents segregation
• Pelleting can be done only if the feed is ground uniformly
• Selectivity of feeds is not possible by the animal and so the nutrient intake will the optimum
• Palatability is improved
• Feed intake is increased
• Improves digestibility
• Improves growth rate
• Improves feed efficiency
• Consumers like uniformly ground feed
• Grinding of some ingredients contributes to ease to handling.

Types of grinding

• Coarse - sieve size 3/8, 4 and 8
• Medium - sieve size 14 and 28
• Fine - sieve size 48 and 100. 

Types of mills

• Hammer mill – Impaction
• Attrition or Buer mill – cutting, crushing and shearing
• Roller mill – cutting, crushing and shearing

Hammer mill

• It is commonly used for particle size reduction of
  • Grains
  • Oil cakes
  • Forages