With the rapid development of the breeding industry, the demand for efficient, nutritionally balanced and easily digestible feed is growing. Driven by this trend, feed processing equipment has also been evolving. Among them, feed extruders have become key equipment in modern feed processing with their unique processing principles and multifunctional adaptability. So, what types of feed are suitable for feed extruders? How is its application effect in different breeding fields? This article will provide you with an in-depth interpretation from multiple angles such as technical principles, applicable feed types, usage advantages and typical application cases.
The feed extruder is a device that uses high temperature, high pressure and high shear environment to physically and chemically modify feed raw materials. During the extrusion process, the raw materials are rapidly heated and pressurized under the action of the screw extrusion force, and then the pressure is quickly reduced at the die mouth, so that the materials are puffed, gelatinized, matured and formed to form granular feed with floating or sinking properties.
This process can not only improve the palatability and digestibility of the feed, but also sterilize and sterilize, and improve the level of feed hygiene and safety.
Feed extruders have a wide range of applications, from aquaculture, poultry and livestock to pet food, feed raw materials of different formulas can be processed by extrusion molding, mainly including the following categories:
2.1 Aquatic feed
Aquatic feed is one of the key application areas of feed extruders. Especially for aquatic animals such as fish, shrimps, crabs, etc., they have high requirements for the floatability, stability in water and digestibility of feed.
Floating fish feed: suitable for tilapia, goldfish, koi, grass carp, etc. The feed extruder can make the feed float in the water for more than 8 hours by adjusting the moisture content, screw structure and mold, which is convenient for observing feeding and reducing feed waste.
Sinking fish feed: suitable for benthic aquatic products such as catfish, carp, and turtle. Sinking feed can sink directly to the bottom of the water to meet the needs of different feeding habits.
Shrimp and crab feed: requires high hardness of feed particles and strong stability in water. The extrusion process can strengthen the bonding force to ensure that the feed does not fall apart for a long time.
2.2 Poultry and livestock feed
The application of feed extruders in the field of poultry and livestock is also gradually expanding, especially when processing compound feeds such as pig feed, chicken feed, duck feed, cattle feed, and sheep feed, extrusion technology can effectively improve the utilization rate of nutrition.
Extruded feed for pigs: Extrusion treatment can destroy anti-nutritional factors (such as trypsin inhibitors and antigenic proteins) and improve the nutrient absorption efficiency of weaned piglets.
Chicken and duck feed: The extruded particles are uniform and dust-free, which helps poultry to eat quickly and reduce feed waste.
Ruminant feed: Such as dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, etc., high-temperature extrusion can moderately decompose the cellulose in roughage and improve the feeding rate of ruminants.
2.3 Pet food
Pet food is one of the fastest growing application markets for feed extruders in recent years. Modern pet owners have extremely high requirements for the quality, taste and nutrition of cat food and dog food.
Cat food and dog food: Through extrusion molding, the shape of the particles can be uniform and the puffing degree can be good, which increases the chewing interest of pets.
Functional pet food: Vitamins, minerals, probiotics, etc. can be added to maintain nutritional stability through the extrusion process.
Wet food and semi-wet food: Some high-end pet foods also need to be processed through low-temperature extrusion technology.
2.4 Special feed for ruminants
For feed for ruminants such as cattle and sheep, extruders can process high-fiber, high-protein raw materials, such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and distiller's grains, making them easier to digest and absorb, and enhancing the utilization efficiency of daily diets.
2.5 Special feed types
In addition to common feeds, feed extruders can also process some special feed products, including but not limited to:
Ornamental fish feed: requires bright color, diverse shapes, and stable floating performance.
Experimental animal feed: extremely high requirements for nutritional ratio and particle uniformity.
Chinese herbal medicine added feed: better protection of heat-sensitive components, improving the medicinal value of feed.
Industrial by-product feed: such as rice bran, corn husks, cassava residues, etc., can be converted into high-value feed resources after extrusion.
Different feed types require different adjustment of extrusion parameters. The following core parameters are particularly important:
Raw material moisture content: aquatic feed is generally controlled at 18-25%, while pet food is mostly 22-30%;
Screw speed and structure: adjust shear force and control the degree of expansion;
Temperature and pressure control: ensure thorough maturation and no loss of nutrients;
Mold diameter and shape: determine particle size and appearance;
Formula adjustment: accurately proportion protein, fat, starch and other ingredients according to the needs of different animals.
Improve feed palatability: puffed feed has a crispy taste, and animals are more motivated to eat;
Improve nutrient utilization: starch gelatinization, protein denaturation, and improved digestibility;
Sterilization and disease prevention: high-temperature extrusion can kill harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella;
Improve storage performance: low moisture content, stable structure, and extended shelf life;
Save feed costs: agricultural and sideline products and scraps can be used to replace some expensive protein sources;
Environmentally friendly production: the production process is continuous and automated, with low energy consumption and less dust.
A certain aquatic feed factory in Guangdong uses a twin-screw feed extruder to produce floating tilapia feed, successfully increasing feed feeding efficiency by 15% and reducing daily feed waste by 20%;
A pet food company in Shandong uses low-temperature extrusion technology to produce functional dog food, achieving precise nutritional ratios, and its products are exported overseas;
A pig farm in Sichuan introduced a single-screw extruder to make its own piglet feed, which increased the growth rate after weaning by 12% and significantly reduced the incidence of diarrhea.
In summary, feed extruders are suitable for almost all major feed processing needs of farmed animals due to their strong adaptability and functionality. From aquatic products, livestock and poultry, pets to special functional feeds, extrusion technology can play an important role. When choosing a feed extruder, companies should combine their own feed types, processing output, nutritional requirements and other factors to scientifically evaluate the machine model and process parameters to maximize production efficiency and feed quality.
In the future, with the upgrading of breeding models and the popularization of refined management, feed extrusion technology will be used in a wider range of fields and become an indispensable part of intelligent breeding production.
If you need to know more about the technical parameters, capacity design plans or selection guidance of different types of feed extruders, please contact our technical consultants, and we will provide you with one-to-one customized services.
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