Feed alternatives for winter | AgMarket

Are you looking for feed alternatives for winter months in South Africa?

With winter fast approaching, colder weather, reduced daylight hours and limited access to fresh pasture can all impact the nutritional needs of animals. It is therefore important for farmers and animal breeders to have a backup plan to ensure their animals have an alternative feed source when their pastures and fields cannot provide the necessary nutrition for healthy, happy animals.

There are two types of pelletizers. Ring Pellet Mills and Flat Die Mills. The Flat Die Pellet Mill is designed with a stationary die and a rotating roller. These flat die pellet mills are smaller and more affordable than the ring pellet mills, making them ideal for small-scale production and home use. Ring pellet mills have rotating dies and stationary rollers. Ring pellet mills are larger and more expensive than flat die pellet mills, but they are more efficient and can produce quality pellets at a faster rate. The ring pellet mills are ideal for large-scale production and industrial use.

With this in mind, AgMarket has acquired two relatively cost-effective flat die pelletizers to minimise your feed costs on the farm during the winter months.

How does a flat die pelletizer work?

The pelletizer or flat die pellet mill is an electric machine that produces pellets by compressing raw materials between a stationary die and a rotating roller. To operate the machine, the raw material is fed into the pellet chamber, where it is compressed between the rollers and die. The pressure applied by the rollers and die, forces the material through the die holes, forming pellets with a diameter of 3-6 millimetres.

AgMarket offers the 3KW 220V Flat Die Pelletizer for single-phase applications and a 4kw 360V unit for 3-phase electricity applications.

With its unique design and compact size, the flat die pellet mill is perfect for small-scale feed production of up to 150kg/hour. It is easy to transport and maintain, making it a cost-effective choice for feeds for farmers, breeding plants and feed mills of all sizes.

Types of Feeds for animal husbandry

The mill can be used to mill a variety of raw materials, from corn flour and wheat bran to soybean meal and more. Customise your feed recipes to suit the nutritional needs of your animals, however, it would be very advantageous to discuss the dietary needs of your animals with your local veterinarian.

When creating your feeds, prepare the raw materials for the specific animal’s nutritional needs. Cows, for instance, require high-fibre feed, so your feed recipe would include corn flour, wheat bran, alfalfa and soybean meal. You can feed them a mix of hay and pellets. Pigs require a higher protein diet so the recipe for their feed would include corn flour, soybean meal, barley and wheat bran. Sheep requires a diet high in fibre and energy, so the recipe could include oats, corn, soybean meal and wheat bran. Sheep and pigs can be fed a mix of pellets, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Your different livestock will also have different pellet sizes ideal for their consumption and size. For example, cows require larger pellets, a 6-millimetre die can be used, while pigs and sheep will use smaller pellet sizes where a 3–4-millimetre die can be used.

Pellet mill production

For a new pellet mill, it is suggested that you need to polish the die to avoid a blockage caused by imperfections in the die holes due to the drilling process. You can polish the die by processing a mixture of river sand and oil through the die several times. This will help remove corrosion and cleans the surface of the die holes.

You can increase the rate of production of your feeds by reducing the size or density of the initial raw material you put in. This can be done by pre-grinding the materials to reduce how hard the pelletizer needs to work to grind the pellets into the desired consistency. Adding larger raw materials to grind down may also lead to blockage of the die.

The moisture content of your raw materials also plays a major role in the production of your feed pellets.

The ideal moisture content when making feed pellets is between 12 & 15%. If the raw materials you are using are too moist, it will cause a blockage in your die as it is too soft and sticky and the machine cannot compress the materials properly. If your pellet’s moisture content is too dry, the pellets will crumble and risk not binding together.

These mills do need to be cleaned and maintained regularly to ensure the parts are working correctly and that there are no moving parts that are getting more wear and tear than normal. These machines are manufactured in South Africa meaning that you can ask the manufacturer to assist if there are any unforeseen problems with your machine or for replacement parts.

In conclusion, the flat die pelletizer can be a valuable tool for animal breeders and farmers looking to provide their animals with high-quality feed, year-round, including the challenging winter months. By considering your production capacity, raw materials and maintenance needs before buying a pellet mill, you can ensure that you choose a tool that meets your needs and helps you keep your animals happy and healthy.