What is the process of extrusion of animal feed

1. Raw Material Preparation
This is the foundational step to ensure feed quality and extrusion efficiency.
Ingredient Mixing: Combine main ingredients (e.g., corn, soybean meal, wheat) and additives (e.g., vitamins, minerals, probiotics) in a pre-mixer. The mixture must be uniform to avoid nutrient imbalance in the final feed.
Crushing & Sieving: Crush large raw materials (e.g., whole corn) into fine particles (usually 1–3 mm) using a crusher. Sieving removes impurities (e.g., stones, metal fragments) to protect the extrusion equipment.
Moisture Adjustment: Adjust the moisture content of the mixed material to 15–20% by adding water or steam. Proper moisture ensures smooth extrusion and prevents raw or overcooked pellets.

 

2. Extrusion (Core Processing Step)
The extruder is the key equipment, where the material undergoes physical and chemical changes under high temperature, pressure, and shear force.
Feeding: The prepared material is continuously fed into the extruder's barrel by a screw feeder to maintain stable pressure.
Heating & Cooking: The barrel is equipped with heating jackets (electric or steam-heated), and the rotating screw generates friction heat. The material is heated to 80–130°C, and starch gelatinizes (improving digestibility) while protein denatures.
Pressing & Shaping: The high-pressure (2–10 MPa) inside the barrel pushes the material through a die (a metal plate with holes of specific sizes/shapes, e.g., cylindrical, spherical). The material expands slightly as it exits the die (due to sudden pressure release) and forms the desired pellet shape.
Cutting: A rotating cutter at the die outlet cuts the extruded material into pellets of uniform length (usually 3–10 mm, adjustable by cutter speed).

 

3. Post-Extrusion Treatment
This step stabilizes the feed's quality, extends shelf life, and meets storage/feeding requirements.
Cooling: 刚 extruded pellets have a temperature of 80–100°C and high moisture (18–22%). They are cooled to room temperature (≤30°C) and moisture content (≤12%) using a cooler (e.g., air-cooled, water-cooled) to prevent mold growth.
Drying (If Needed): For feeds requiring ultra-low moisture (e.g., aquatic feed), a dryer is used to further reduce moisture to 8–10%.
Coating (Optional): For high-value feeds (e.g., pet food, aquatic feed), a coating machine sprays liquids (e.g., oil, molasses, probiotics) onto the cooled pellets. This improves palatability and adds heat-sensitive nutrients (which would be destroyed during extrusion).
Screening & Packaging: Use a sieve to remove broken pellets or powder. The qualified pellets are packaged into bags or bulk containers, with labels indicating feed type, nutrient content, and shelf life.

 

4. Quality Control
Key indicators are monitored throughout the process to ensure feed safety and effectiveness:
Moisture Content: Check before extrusion (15–20%) and after cooling (≤12%) to prevent spoilage.
Pellet Hardness & Uniformity: Ensure pellets are hard enough to resist breaking during transportation, with consistent size/shape.
Nutrient Retention: Test for heat-sensitive nutrients (e.g., vitamins) to confirm they meet standards (HTST minimizes nutrient loss).
Microbial Safety: The high temperature during extrusion kills harmful bacteria (e.g., Salmonella), so microbial counts are tested to ensure food safety.

 

 

 

Model	DGP-40	DGP-60	DGP-70	DGP-85	DGP-90
Capacity(kg/h)	40-50	120-150	200-250	300-350	400-450
Main motor(HP)	12	25	30	35	50
Feeder motor(kw)	0.4	0.4	0.4	1.5	1.5
Cutter motor(kw)	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.55	0.55
Screw diameter(mm)	φ40	φ60	φ70	φ80	φ90
Machine size(m)	1.4 * 1.25 * 1.2	1.47 * 1.12 * 1.25	2.05 * 1.4 * 1.3	2.15 * 1.5 * 1.3	2.2 * 2 * 1.35
Weight(kg)	360	560	740	850	1200

 

 

 

 

 

1. What is the price of the animal feed pellet line?

The price ranges from approximately $20,000

2. Do you provide maintenance services for your customers?
Yes, we offer comprehensive after-sales maintenance services to our customers.

 

For more information on process flow design, equipment layout, factory construction plans, individual equipment pricing, or turnkey project proposals, please feel free to contact us!!!

 

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