Study on some factors affecting the manufacturing of cattle feed pellets

Abstract EN

The overall goal of the present study is evaluating the performance of extrusion machine to produce a strong and durable cattle feed pellets with minimum cost using a partial replacement of rice straw in the standard cattle ration (control).

Some operating parameters affecting the performance of machine were evaluated under different feeding rates of ١٠٠, ٢٠٠, ٣٠٠ and ٤٠٠ kg/hr., two percentages of rice straw residue ١٢.٥, ٢٥% and control, three distances between die and screw (compression room) ١, ١.٥ and ٢ cm, three holes diameters ٨, ١١ and ١٤ mm using constant ration moisture content of ٣٠% (wb) taking into consideration machine productivity, pellets quality, pelleting efficiency, energy requirements and total costs.

From the obtained results, the extrusion machine could be operated with rice straw percentage of ١٢.٥%, die hole diameter of ٨ mm, screw-die distance of ٢ cm and feeding rate of ٤٠٠ kg/hr., to achieve the highest values of bulk density of ١.١٢١ g/cm٣ , pellet durability of ٩٠.٧٠% and pelleting efficiency of ٨٢.٥٢% with machine productivity of ٩٢.٣٤ kg/hr., energy requirements of ٢٦٩ kW.hr./Mg and pelleting total cost of ٢٣٩٤.٩٠ LE/Mg.

The results revealed that ١٢.٥% replacement of rice straw in the standard ration with the previous parameters saved about ٢٣٦.٩١ LE/Mg.