by Blake SandnesMajor animal producers look to feed mills to provide a quality, consistent product that meets the nutritional requirements for optimal animal health. Mills are responsible for appropriate quality assurance to monitor various elements, including the particle size of feed grains. They also need to be aware of potential issues and where, when, and how they occur in production.
Effective feed mill quality assurance encompasses the entire production process. The integration of advanced technologies like ParticlePro™ can significantly elevate the standard of feed production.
What Goes Wrong When Producing Quality Feed Grains?
Producing animal feed is much more complicated than simply grinding up grain, corn, or other materials. It requires a careful recipe, efficient and consistent equipment, precise calibration, and of course, quality control. Many things can go wrong in the process, which can produce errors in an otherwise perfect feed formula:
- Ingredients. Every feed production process begins with raw materials, which must be of the highest quality. The ingredients also need to be fresh and free of spoilage. Raw materials must be sourced responsibly and laboratory tested for quality and accuracy.
- Formulation. Feed mills use careful recipes to produce the right nutritional mix for particular animals. Errors in the formulation, missing ingredients, and inadequate mixing can lead to an inconsistent product or a feed that doesn’t contain all the nutrients animals need for healthy, efficient growth. The formulation must be checked regularly for accuracy as part of quality control.
- Contamination. Contamination can occur at any step of the process, including in the raw materials right at the beginning of the process. Potential contaminants include mold, bacteria, heavy metals, and foreign objects. Regular testing of feed samples along with proper procedures can reduce the risk of contamination.
- Particle Size Errors. Animal producers need specific particle sizes in feed for a balance between animal growth rate and animal health. Roller mills that are not set up correctly, not calibrated, or not monitored can easily produce incorrect or inconsistent particle sizes in the feed. Checking machines regularly and assessing particle sizes keeps this issue under control.
- Storage and Handling. Finished feed can be high quality but stored or handled poorly, leading to issues like moisture, pests, or cross contamination. Quality control includes regularly cleaning and checking storage areas.
The Importance of Particle Size
Particle size is one of the most important elements to control in animal feed production. Different particle sizes of animal feed can have a big impact on animal growth and health. When particles are too large, animals don’t maximize nutrient absorption. When particles are too small, they can develop health issues, like ulcers.
Optimal particle size varies for different feed types, even within the same type of animal. For example, a quality chicken feed mill uses different particle sizes when making product for broiler versus egg-laying chickens. Growth is more important in broilers, which require a consistent particle size between 600 and 900 microns.
Quality Control and Particle Size
While every aspect of feed mill quality control matters, animal producers really rely on mills to create feed with the right particle size every time. One way they can do this is with the RMS ParticlePro™ system.
ParticlePro™ is an automated analysis system that replaces manual sieving to quality check particle size. It takes a continuous material sample from the discharge conveyor on a mill, and measures particle size using Dynamic Image Analysis. The samples go right back into the stream, so the mill gets continuous data without losing any material. If the samples have strayed from the desired size range, the machine makes automatic adjustments.
Animal producers insist on getting a quality product from feed mills, but it’s hard to prove. If you buy feed from mills, ask them how they manage particle size. If they use ParticlePro™, they can easily provide a record of data over time that shows what you’re getting in your feed.
It’s true that a lot can go wrong in creating a high-quality animal feed, but RMS has solutions. The RMS VersaMill® is an advanced roller mill that allows for better control, while ParticlePro™ provides efficient, ongoing sampling and corrections. If you’re buying feed from a mill, insist on quality in all aspects of the process, including particle size.
At RMS Roller-Grinder, we focus on providing the best and most reliable solutions for your business needs. Contact us with questions or to learn more about ParticlePro™.
