Digital Re-print September | October 2012

Pellet production to save energy, improve feed efficiency and safety

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FEATURE

Pellet production
to save energy, improve feed efficiency and safety
by Murray Hyden C Biol, MSB, Director of Biosecurity, Kiotechagil, United Kingdom

subsequently less wastage. All these benefits however depend on pellet quality after the cooler. If pellet quality is expensive to achieve then costs increase and financial benefits are lost and the selection of a low inclusion binder makes sense for so many reasons. Nutritionally, pelleted feeds are more Efficiency of the pelleting process is the key to feed mill profitability. With 90 percent digestible as a result of starch pregelatinisaof animal feed in Europe being pelleted, tion and protein denaturation. The finer every feed mill needs to optimise their pel- grist size used in pellets has been found to increase digestibility in pigs. leting efficiency. In birds, weight gain and feed efficiency are improved when the pellet quality is good. Pelleting positives Pelleting feed increases the bulk density Even when pelleted diets are re-ground to of the ration, allowing more tonnage to be the consistency of mash, the performance delivered per truck, saving costs for the benefits are still found indicating direct benfarmer and space in storage. Pelleted feeds efits from the pelleting process. Body weight improvements and monare easy to use in either bulk or bags. Pellets also improve conveying by screw augers, and etary returns are inversely proportional to discharge from feed bins due to reduced the level of fines in finisher diets. Birds need to use less energy to consume the same bridging. Pelleted feed is nutritionally consistent level of nutrients in pellets as those fed mash from pellet to pellet with each pellet con- feeds; in fact birds fed pellets can ingest their taining the correct balance of amino acids, total energy requirements in four percent of minerals and vitamins. This means that there the day compared with 15 percent of the is no opportunity for ingredient selection day for mash feeds. In pig production, heat treatment durduring consumption by fussy feeders and ing pelleting improves the digestibility of maize which can result in a six to eight percent improvement in daily gain and feed conversion. Reduced fines and improved digestibility lead to further improvements that are often overlooked. For example, Figure 1: The effect of temperature on viscosity of a gum and corn starch improved feed conversion and
16 | September - october 2012

nergy doesnt get any cheaper, raw material prices continue to climb and margins are squeezed. There is no doubt that pelleting improves efficiency and biosecurity but can it be made more cost effective?

nutrient utilisation reduces the volume of excreta which benefits the environment, so we have less feed being used to improve growth rates and improve to the environment. However, probably the best-known indirect benefit of pelleting is biosecurity. Most of the common pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia and Campylobacter are non-spore forming bacteria and are therefore sensitive to heat. The temperature required is often not as high as expected with S. typhimurium being killed after just 10 seconds at 70C but requiring 7 minutes at 60C.

Binding benefits
None-the-less, pelleting is a very high cost process (and is becoming more so with energy prices increasing). The use of high efficiency pellet binders can reduce energy requirements in three ways: 1: Poor pellet quality results in higher fines levels and more returns which is energetically inefficient. 2: Pellet binders help lubricate the die which reduces energy requirements as well as increasing mill throughput. Lubricating dies minimises wear so they should last for 25-30,000 tonnes with just one refurbishment. Changing dies takes upwards of 2 hours during which time the line cannot operate. 3: Pellet quality can be enhanced at lower temperatures that still permit the biosecurity benefits but where starch gelatinisation may not be sufficient to contribute to pellet quality. This saves energy and speeds up throughput. To achieve good pellets moisture is essential; typically 16 percent moisture content is required in the conditioner to hydrolyse the starches. Moisture content and temperature are related because it is the steam that provides both the heat and the water for adequate pellet production. Temperature should ideally reach 80C
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communication to ensure starch gelatinisation but this is not Apart from Consequently the starch in always achieved. the direct gut bacteria modification and immune is effect,able to recent the ration formulation not new constudies pellet quality. By using gums in tribute tohave demonstrated the effect aof some bacteria belonging moisture spp. pellet binder a much faster to Bacillusuptaketo isdisrupt bacteria communication, to fact that achieved at lower temperatures a ensure can explain some of the effects and better higher viscosity in the conditioner of probiotics based on this bacterium. heat transfer into the grist. has been described that there is IfItthe feed is very dry then not only is a communication water for gum hydrolysis there insufficient between gut bacteria, called quorum sensing that for the heat transfer but the feed is too dryallows bacteria to get a consensus on whether the gelatinisation. If necessary to achieve starch intestinal environthis is the case it may be necessary to resort ment has been effectively colonised before to spraying water directly in the mixer to making the energetic investment required add one initiation percent metabolic the mix for the to two of their water to response to increase pellet temperature in the condito colonize or infect the host (by producing tioner and get better gum gelatinisation. toxins, adherence factors). Moist feed is generally more palatable and In particular, some gram-negative bacdigestible too.from the gastrointestinal tract teria typical However, too much water increases the risk of moulding so it may be (Yersinia, E. Coli, Salmonella) produce spenecessary to check that (N-acyl-homoserinecific kinds of molecules the pellets dry to 12 14 percent MC after the cooler only lactones). These molecules are not to minimise the but of moulding. produced risk also recognised by these High giving steam tends possibility bacteria,pressure to them the to be drierto and does not achieve such high temperaknow when the population has reached tures optimal population conditioner, therethe or moisture in the level to start animal fore different feedWhen will bethreshold level host infection. types this more difficult to pellet than enteropathogens start inducing is reached, others if the pellet binders and starches do not activate specific genes that the expression of some Recommended pressures for different express for invasion and infective factors. products are: In this way, bacteria belonging to this Ruminant (fibrous) 3.5 bar / 50 time to group, guarantee the -most suitablepsi Pig - 2.5 bar / 35 psi

Disrupting bacteria

start gut colonisation and invade host to between them. This new information opens succeed in host infection new in reduced pellet quality which is Broiler 1.5 bar / 20 psi to cause damage. cana result concept in the probiotics mode of In particular, different in vitro trials run action studies. Recommended conditioning temperatures by because the main binding agent, starch, has Rubinum SA products are: for different in collaboration with CRESA, been Taking this to mind, the use of one probiotic removed in produce ethanol. Whilst have demonstrated 50/60C with systems have been developed to Ruminant (fibrous) that B. cereus var. toyoi enzyme this ability may be helpful in some specific has effect against the gut colonisation by improve the in those situations in which pellet situations digestibility of the DDGS, a we want Pigan 65/70C some potential gut enteropathogens, not is often required amount of these specific Pig creep (milk powder) 45/50C such as binder only to reduce theto achieve a suitable Broiler 80/85C pellet quality from this high fibre ingredient. Pelleting larger fibrous materials for rumiOne other important factor of pellet nants requires a different approach to the binders is that they help maintain pellet qualsmaller broiler pellets where biosecurity is ity during seasonal changes in raw material "The paramount. use of one probiotic with The pelletability of may be quality. this ability freshly harvested The thermal processing during pelleting is cereals is often quite different to the last helpful in some specific situations in those situations not the only cost consideration. It is gener- of the previous harvest grains. So it is likely ally accepted that using a roller mill is less that this years UK harvest, which has been expensive that usingwe want not only to reduceabnormal weather pattern, in which a hammer mill mainly as subjected to an the amount of a result of lower maintenance costs. will be reflected in pellet quality.

Feed formulation issues

these specific enteropathogens in the gut, but also

Improving pellet quality

Feed formulation plays a major part in A low inclusion binder, like Kiotechagils to avoid the potential of these bacteria to invade final pellet quality and high protein cereals Mastercube, can really help overcome many such as wheat will contribute more to pellet of the problems associated with the feed forgut epithelium and Dietary mulation and can also help quality than maize, oats or barley. therefore animal body" overcome some fat is known to have an inverse relationship of the engineering shortfalls such as short with pellet quality, hence the use of post conditioners or poor steam quality. pellet fat spraying for certain rations. When Mastercube is both a binder and a hardfat is incorporated into the spp by destroying ener and it uses onlythe gut, but alsoingrefeed the added Yersinia and Salmonella enteropathogens in EU approved to avoid fat coats starch substances cited above. the chemical granules, and prevents water dients. potential of these bacteria to invade gut the The primary binder is a gum that uptake, seems therefore that probioticstrans- gelatinises at much lower temperatures than It which in turn impairs the heat are not epithelium and therefore animal body. fer necessary for gelatinisation. gut specific bac- traditional starches (Figure 1) and provides only able to directly modify When high levels of profile host used, teria populations anddietary fat are immune higher viscosity and improved lubrication at orresponse, but also they can interruptin the theMore inforMation: throughput and when maize is the primary cereal the way die. The result is faster ration formulation, traditionalto communicate lower fines. www.rubinum.es Website: used by enteropathogens binders such as thixotropic bentonite clays or lignosulphoAs the pellet cools the hardener in nates (the waste Mastercube, a high quality calcium sulphate, product from the which is approved as a nutrient, has a dual wood pulping function as a calcium source and a hardener. process to man- Pellet breakage during transport and storage ufacture paper) due to soft or badly formed pellets is also have been used wasteful. The hardener increases pellet durato improve pellet bility to enable pellets to be blown, augured quality. However, and transported without being crushed. neither of these The selection of a low inclusion binder binders provides has the advantage that it minimises the any substantial impact of nutrient density so feed costs can nutritional value be maintained. to the diet. In A feed mill operating efficiently and dustWELCOME TO THE TWENTY FIRST EDITION fact, both these free is a pleasant place to work. It is safe for ingredients are the operators and easier to keep clean. OF THE INTERNATIONAL MILLING DIRECTORY incorporated at From a biosecurity viewpoint, fines, setThe premier resource for the global feed and our milling industries high inclusion tling as dust on floors and equipment, will rates and actually soon pick up moisture and will become a dilute the nutri- habitat for enteropathogens. The requireent content of ment today must be for pellet binders the feed resulting that do not compromise nutrient density, in more expen- throughput or biosecurity. sive raw material Genetic selection of meat producing usage to com- animals that maximise feed intake ensures Bredol technology pensate. emulsifierthat the response to pelleted diets much opens up a multitude of technical With cereal more significant than was reported just opportunities bringing values in feed prices ever as on the farm. production as well twenty or thirty years ago. www.bredol.com increasing in price Using an effective pellet binder is cost the temptation effective in so many ways and can be a to use more co- real benefit in terms of digestibility, bioseproducts such curity and mill throughput thus making a as DDGS from quality pellet binder pay for itself many bioethanol pro- times over. duction is much greater. However, More inforMation: DDGS inclusion Website: www.kiotechagil.com

Bredol for effective feed production and nutritional performance

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A packaging evolution

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Pellet production
to save energy, improve feed efficiency and safety

Insect damaged wheat:

suni bug, cereal bug, sunn pest, wheat bug, shield bug, shell bug

Probiotics:
modulators of gut bacteria dialogue

Managing mill maintenance Global grain & feed markets

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