Meaning of Cattle Feed Making Machines
Cattle feed making machines are farm machines that are manually or electronically operated to provide an adequate mixture of nutrient-rich feeds for optimal growth and productivity of the animal.
Cattle require a well-balanced diet for proper normal body functioning. During the winter or dry season, most of the cattle grass and legumes dry off thereby creating a scarcity of forage.
The quantity of forages for cattle is therefore not enough to provide the needed nutrients for cattle productivity. The availability of quality nutrient-rich hay and silage is also inadequate for providing cattle ration.
Cattle is a heavy feeder compared to other ruminate animals which makes ranchers and herders look for supplementary or additional feed during this period of year. This alternative feed is highly nutritious for the overall well-being of cattle.
Cattle like other simple stomach animals still have a preference for pellet feed and they can generate adequate sources of nutrients from pellets. These machines are available in different types or models to create a well-balanced feed for the cattle.
The discovery of these cattle feed making machines has made the availability of quality-rich nutrient feed possible in the market.
Importance of Cattle Feed Making Machine.
Cattle feed making machines are crucial in the face of the depletion of cattle forage due to urbanization and development.
The demand for cattle coupled with the rapid growth of population has made ranchers and herders look for alternative ways of making food available to cattle, some of the important cattle feed making machines are:
- Formulation of Adequate Feed for Cattle: the presence of high-technology feed processing machines has made the formulation of quality nutrient feed possible. Cattle require a good amount of essential minerals, vitamins, and energy for milk, meat, and work. This nutrient plays a crucial role in the overall health status of the animal. In the ranch, forages do not necessarily provide all the needed nutrients element that the cattle require except, it is well blended with legume forages which rancher and herder do not have an adequate understanding of forage combinations to give the cattle good nutrients for normal body functioning. When there are obvious signs that these forages do not supply enough nutrient elements for growth and development there is a need to provide supplementary feed to balance the shortage of nutrients resulting from poor forage combination. The presence of modern feed processing machines in the cattle industry has changed the narrative by formulating good nutrient-rich feed for cattle.
- Reduce the Drudgery: good feed processing machines will help to reduce the drudgery of harvesting and establishing forages for cattle grazing and feeding. Though cattle are ruminated animal that drives pleasure feeding on forages, urbanization, and population pleasure have reduced the number of forages for cattle grazing as ranchers and herders spend a lot of capital importing hay and silage for feeding cattle. Forage harvesting and preservation require a lot of energy. The presence of modern technology feed processing machines has reduced drudgery by producing and formulating highly nutritious and palatable feed for cattle without going through the rigorous process of harvesting and establishing forages.
- Reduced cost: Modern feed machines have helped to reduce the cost of establishing, maintaining, harvesting, and preserving pasture. In developed countries where there is inadequate land, the cost of establishing pasture forages will be expensive compared to feed formulation. Formulating cattle feed will also help to manage cost effectively as less capital is used in feed formulation. In the summer the farmer imports hay and silage which leads to an increase in the cost of production.
- It saves time and Quickens the Availability of Quality Cattle Feed: High-technology livestock feed machines have helped to save time and quicken the availability of cattle feed. Formulating feed for cattle ensures the availability of high quality and quantity of feed for the animal compared to the uses of forages. In developing countries where pasture is poorly managed during the summer or dry season the harder or the rancher scamper for forages to feed their cattle which reduces growth and development. But with the presence of high-technology feed machines quality feed can be available within a short time.
- Increase Farmers’ Revenue: the use of quality cattle feed mixers helps to formulate high nutrient-rich feed that will help the cattle convert feed to meat and reach the market value within a short period. Formulating cattle feed enables the farmers to incorporate all the supplementary feed into a complete whole feed for animal consumption. This high-quality feed reduces the cost of consulting a veterinary, and buying supplementary feed and medication for the animal which reduces the farmer’s cost of production and increases the profits.
Types of Cattle Feed Making Machines.
Some of the most widely used cattle feed making machines are:
Batch Machine.
The Batch feed Mixer is the most commonly used animal processing machine for grinding and intermixing feed for cattle. This machine consists of a U-shape bin, mixer blade, belt, or chain.
The feedstuff that is to be processed is poured into a U-shape bin containing a central mixer blade mounted on a rotating shaft, as the machine works the blade of the shaft cuts through the feedstuff to produce a thoroughly mixed feed for the animal.
There are two types of batch feed making machines, they are batch vertical and horizontal types. The Batch Cattle feed Mixer is designed purposely for grinding and intermixing the dry feed feeds.
Maintenance of the Batch Machine.
Since batch feed machines are used for grinding and intermixing dry feed, a lot of maintenance practices have to be carried out to ensure the safety of the machine. Some of the maintenance practices to be observed include.
1. Should be used for the purpose for which it is designed
2. Should be dismantled and washed after use
3. Should be stored in a cool and dry place
4. The metal part should be oiled and greased to prevent rusting and corrosion
5. bolts and nuts should tighten regularly.
6. Replace worn-out part
7. Lubricate movable parts.
Advantage Batch Cattle Feed Mixer
The advantages of this type of machine are
1. It is cheap to purchase, i.e., less expensive compared to other types of machines.
2. It is the most widely used type of machine across the globe
3. It is suitable for both local and international uses
4. It can be used both in small and large feed processing industries
5. It requires less technical knowledge to construct
6. It is cheap to maintain.
The disadvantages of The Batch Cattle Feed making Machine
The disadvantages of the batch feed Mixer are:
1. That it can only handle a limited quantity of feed
2. The mixture may not be homogeneously blended.
Continuous Feed Making Machines
These Machines are primarily used in the commercial feed industries for the grinding and mixing of dry, moist, powered, and past feed.
The continuous feed Machine is made up of an inlet, several blades, the control, a discharge system, and a mixing chamber that is suitable for fixing uniform feed.
The machine’s working mechanisms consist of several blades mounted on the shaft, as the shaft rotates the feed ingredients are thoroughly mixed to produce smooth feed. The machine has an adjustable part for a good feed mixture.
This machine is designed in various capacities to suit the needs of the users, it can be operated manually or electronically depending on the model. The machine is available in different types such as ribbons, screws, and paddle types.
The continuous feed Machine compared to the batch machine is more efficient in the homogeneous blending of feeds, but it is generally more expensive.
Maintenance of the Continuous Cattle Feed Machines.
The following maintenance practices should be observed as submitted by J R Boone to ensure the safety of the machine.
1. The purpose of designing the machine should be strictly adhered to.
2. It should be thoroughly washed after use since it contains several blades that could harbor particles
3. store in a ventilated environment, avoid dump and open areas where raindrops can easily splash the machine
4. The metal part should be oiled and greased
5. Tighten bolts and nuts regularly.
6. Replace damaged parts
7. Lubricate movable joints to prevent friction
The Advantages of the Continuous Cattle Feed Marking Machines.
The advantages of this type of machine are:
1. they are suitable for commercial industries,
2. they are more appropriate for mixing large quantities of feed,
3. It is more accurate in mixing feed with premix
4. It has a low energy consumption rate
5. damage spare can easily be removed
6. It is very easy to clean
7. It requires little maintenance
The Disadvantage of the Continuous Cattle Feed making Machines
The continuous feed machine has the following disadvantages
1. It is more expensive compared to batch mixer,
2. It requires skills to operate.
Hammer Mills
This type of cattle feed-making machine is mechanically constructed for crushing, cutting, and grinding fresh, semi-dried, and dried feedstuff.
This type of machine can be manually or electronically operated. The Hammer mill is made of buckets, discharge outlets, shafts, and a small hammer mounted on the central rod and adjuster.
The hammer mill working principle involves pouring feed into the bucket, the rotating shaft collects the feed ingredients which are crushed, cut, and ground with the aid of the small hammer in the central rod and the adjuster to get a uniform mixture of the finely blended feedstuff is discharged from the outlet.
Maintenance of the Hammer Mills
The following precautions should be observed while using the Hammer Mills.
1. Adhere strictly to the producer manual
2. The bucket, shaft, and central hammer should be thoroughly washed with water after use
3. It should be kept in a well-ventilated environment from adverse weather effects.
4. Oiled and greased metals to prevent rusting and corrosion.
5. Loosed bolts and nuts should be regularly tightened.
6. Replace damaged parts
7. Check the oil fuel or diesel gaged on the small power machine before used
The Advantages of Hammer Mills
The advantages of the hammer Mills are:
1. It is used to blend both wet and dry feed,
2. it is cheap to maintain
3. it is more efficient in processing raw feeds in the industries
4. it is suitable for small, medium, and large-scale feed processing
5. it does not require special skill to operate like the pellet-making machine
The Disadvantage of Hammer Mills
Some of the disadvantages of these cattle feed making machines are:
1. it can easily when not adequately maintain
2. feed can easily contaminate when poorly managed
Liquid Additive Mixer
The Liquid additive Mixer machine is an electronic or mechanical operated device that is used in the commercial cattle industries for the introduction of liquids nutrients, and preservatives into feed during processing and packaging.
The machine is made of a pump, tank, and valve used for introducing liquid feed additives into livestock feed to increase sweetness and ensure well-balanced diet feed for livestock.
This Liquid mixer has an inbuilt working system that operates with precision to achieve optimal feed mixtures
Maintenance of the Liquid Additive Mixer
The following precautions should be observed while using the Liquid additive mixer
1. follow the manufacturer”s or the producer’s manual strictly
2. Check electronic connection properly before used
3. The tank and pump should be thoroughly cleaned after use
4. store in a well-ventilated shed free from adverse weather effects.
5. Oiled and greased metals to prevent rusting and corrosion.
6. Loosed bolts and nuts should be regularly tightened.
7. Replace damaged parts
The advantage of the Liquid Additive Mixer
The advantages of this type of liquid additive machine are:
1. it is very efficient in adding and mixing liquid feeds additive
2. it reduces the wastage of feedstuff
3. It helps to mix oil, minerals, and vitamins to dry feed.
4. It is cheap to maintain
5. It is very easy to clean since it is made of steel
The disadvantage of the Liquid Additive Mixer
The following are the disadvantages of this type of machine
1. it requires special skill to operate,
2. the electronic-operated additive mixer depends on electricity which may not be available all the time on the farm,
3. maintenance and repair require technical skills,
Pellet- Making Machine or Mills
The cattle pellet-making machine is one of the most frequently used machines in the feed industries that are systematically designed to turn a well-mixed cattle feed into different shapes and sizes.
This Machine is made of a hopper, conditioning, pellet-making chamber, cooling, screening, and control system.
In the feed processing industries, the pellet-making machine is specially used and designed to convert well-formulated feed stuff into different shapes and sizes. This shape could be, rectangular, cylindrical, or spherical feed.
Maintenance of the Pellet Making Machine
The following precautions should be observed while using this cattle feed making Machines or Mills
1. Strictly adhere to the producer manual
2. the hopper, pellet, and cooling chamber should be washed after use
3. store in a well-ventilated environment, avoid areas where rainfall and sun can easily reach and wet the machine
4. The metal part should be properly oiled and greased
5. Tighten bolts and nuts regularly.
6. Replace worn-out parts
7. oiled and greased movable joints to prevent friction
The advantage of the Pellet Making Machine
Some of the advantages of these cattle feed Making Machines are
1. it is efficient in converting feed into different shapes,
2. it helps to minimize feed wastage,
3. It can be used to convert a large quantity of feed within a short time
4. it used in commercial feed-processing industries
Disadvantage of the Pellet Making Machine.
1. The machine requires special skill to operate,
2. the electronic or sensor-operated pellet-making depends on electricity which may not be available all the time on the farm,
3. it requires technical skills to service and replace damaged parts.
4. It is not suitable for local use.
Frequently Ask Questions
What are cattle feed making machines?
Cattle feed machines are farm machines that are manually or electronically operated to provide an adequate mixture of nutrient-rich feeds for optimal growth and productivity of the animal.
Some of the Cattle feed machines that are often used in the cattle feed processing industries for grinding and mixing feeds are
- Batch feed machines,
- Continuous mixing machines
- Pellet mixing machines
- Additive machines, and
- Hammer mills.
What are the machines used in feed formulation?
Some of the machines used in feed formulating cattle feeds are Additive machines, Continuous mixing machines, Pellet making machines, batch mixers, and hammer mills.
What are the raw materials for cattle feed?
There are two types of cattle feed, they are pellet feed or forages. The raw material for the forage includes legumes forages and grasses while that of the pellet includes the feedstuff that contains the essential mineral element required by cattle for adequate growth and development.
The raw materials for the pellet cattle feeds are Maize, wheat, cotton seed cake, sunflower meal, linseed meal, sorghum, soybeans, groundnut, maize seeds, guinea corn, sorghum, wheat, bone meal, eggshell, fish meals, and oyster shell meal food additives.
What is the process of manufacturing cattle feed?
- Weigh the feed ingredient according to the quantity of nutrients required by the cattle
- Pour all the weigh feedstuff into a batch grinder and grind thoroughly
- Pour all the weighed ground feed stuff into a clean cattle feed mixer, a big bow, clean flower, and mix thoroughly to achieve a good mixture
- The thoroughly mixed cattle feed.
- Sun-dried or put in the dryer to ensure good drying before storing.
- The thoroughly mixed cattle feed should be properly stored in a silos, storage bin, or airtight container to prevent the growth of mold
- The feed should be fed to the cattle
In conclusion
The presence of cattle feed making machines has made the formulation of adequate feed for Cattle very easy as well as reduced drudgery, saved time, and quickened the availability of high-quality cattle feed.
Cattle feed making machines such as pellet mixing and grinding machines, additive machines, hammer mills, and continuous mixing machines have been considered the best forms of feed processing machines in the cattle industry.