Animal Feed Block Formation Machine

Animal Feed Block Formation Machine

India has a huge livestock population constituting 53% of the world’s buffaloes, 20% of goats, 15% of cattle, 4% of sheep and poultry an 1% of pigs. The problem of production, distribution and management of the animal feed is, accordingly, of very high magnitude. The animal feed in the country is based on major constituents of dry roughage from crops. The bulk density of the fodders, hay ad straws, after threshing, is very low requiring very large storage space. Transportation of these fodder crops is a serious problem because of their low bulk densities and low transport capacity of vehicles. This is further aggravated due to the very large size of the country and the diverse varieties of crops grown/used for animal feed. Thus, when a natural calamity strikes a region causing dearth of fodder, it becomes difficult to carry fodder from surplus regions. Farmers do not have sufficient time between harvesting of matured crop and sowing of next seasonal crop. As a result, crop residues suitable for feeding are being burnt in the field. The burning of crop residues pollutes the environment and is unlawful, even as a big gap is generated between the supply and demand of fodder. In and around urban area, cattle are forced to eat domestic garbage for their survival. A large number of cattle perish for non-availability of animal fodders and balanced feed. The problem can be solved only through a planned scientific management of transportation, storage, and management of crop residues and hay in different regions of the country. India produces 540 million tones of crop residues annually which could be used for feeding the country’s animal population. There are regions with deficit and excess production of these crop residues in the country. The feed management, with roughages diets, would improve manifold If processes are developed such that the deficit and disaster prone areas could be stocked with processed animal feed. Feed blocks: a solution for feed management Densification of roughage-based crop residues in compact, ready to eat feed block is an effective solution for animal feed management. It is possible to formulate complete animal feed blocks using straw and diet supplements such as molasses, concentrates, minerals and salts. Such feed blocks can be stored over a long period of time and transported economically over long distances. These could be stored in large quantities in less space. These feed blocks could be made into customized sizes, shapes and formulations for different animals according to the prescribed diet of the animal. The Division of Agricultural Engineering of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute developed an animal feed block formation machine to serve the purpose of animal feed management. Technology Feed processing units are available at present for pelletization of concentrate. However, these units cannot handle a feed mixture having large sized straw, high proportion of chopped fodder and crop residues. The available balers are used for baling high moisture crop plants, grasses and crop residues. The bale density and shelf-life is low and uniform mixing of ingredients with hay, straw and grasses is also not possible. Therefore, a machine for moulding animal feed into blocks using a whole range of crop residue, feed supplements and suitable binders was developed. It can form compressed bocks in the sizes appropriate and economical for handling, transportation and storage of large volumes of animal feed. The details of the machine are given in the following paragraphs.

Prototype of animal feed block formation machine A prototype machine for compaction of biomaterials using hydraulic cylinders for application of compaction pressure up to 425 Kg/cm2 was designed, fabricated and extensively tested. The machine is powered with a 25 HP electric motor to run its hydraulic system. The machine has been patented. Structural and operational details of the machine Frame The frame consists of a feeding chamber, a compression chamber and a feed block retention chamber. It also supports hydraulic cylinders. The frame is made out of mild steel plates and channels Hydraulic cylinders The machine has two hydraulic cylinders of different sizes. The bigger cylinder, which moves forward and backward, is used for compression of feed and ejection of feed block. The smaller cylinder moves upward and downward for opening and closing of the door provided in front of the compression chamber. Power pack Power pack of the machine consists of an electric motor, high and low pressure pumps, a pressure switch, a pressure gauge, a solenoid valve, an oil reservoir, a filter, etc. The operation of hydraulic cylinder is conducted through the high and low pressure pumps. The pumps supply the hydraulic oil from reservoir to both the hydraulic cylinders. Because of this, the main cylinder moves forward and the gate cylinder moves downwards. During backward and upward movements, the oil from the cylinders flows back into the oil reservoir. The solenoid valve governs the direction of movement of cylinders. Electric control panel The panel consists of contractor, relays, switch and timers. The panel operates the electric motor, oil pump and hydraulic cylinders. It controls the movement of the hydraulic cylinders. The machine is automatically and manually operated. It is achieved with the electric control panel. Working of the machine

1. Properly sized animal feed material is placed in the hopper of the machine. The quantity of feed is calculated according to the volume (20cm x 20 cm x L (thickness) and the density desired of the feed block. The fed material may include diet supplements, molasses and appropriate binders.

2. 2. Using the control on the console, the settings for cut-off pressure (and thickness of the feed block) are adjusted and the motor is started. The hydraulic cylinder moves with its crosshead compressing the feed material into the mould.

3. At the ct-off pressure, the cylinder stops; the second hydraulic cylinder is activated and opens the exit of the compression chamber.

4. The main cylinder pushes the compressed feed block out of the chamber. 5. The cycle of events comprises both manual and automatic steps. 6. Significant features of he machine 7. It is very simple in operation and only one person (unskilled/semiskilled) is required

to regulate the entire operations of the machine 8. The working pressure of the machine can be varied up to 425 kg/cm2

9. The output capacity of the machine is 250 kg per hour 10. It can compact all kinds of feed materials to square shaped blocks (20 cm x 20 cm) of

desired thickness and weight 11. The bulk density of the roughage based feed blocks from the machine was found to be

at least 4 to 5 times more than that of the original feed material. Advantages of complete feed blocks:

• Ease in handling of feed materials and saving of labour in feeding

• Require less transportation and storage space

• Less transportation and storage costs

• Reduction in wastage o crop residues

• Offer scope for ration manipulation according to the requirement of animals in different physiological states

• Offer scope for incorporation of hard or large-size feed materials into the feed blocks

• Prevent selective eating by animals

• Useful to induce animals to consume proper proportion of roughages and concentrates for optimum performance

• Since feed material becomes soft under compression, animals prefer eating blocks

• Milk yield and fat contents increase on feeding complete feed blocks

• Strategic utility of the machine The main and far reaching utility of the technology lies in its process and capacity to compress crop materials reducing the volume by 4 to 42 times (Table 1). In case of transportation and storage of these materials, the savings and profits would also accrue by the same factors. Essential crop residues could be stored, densified into blocks and weather protected in the form of feed blocks and stored over much longer durations in strategically located animal feed banks in scarcity prone areas. Available for use during dire situations, these feed reserves could save immensely on management of animal feed during natural disasters like floods and famines. The machine is also capable of custom sizing the feeds blocks for animal feed and other uses. The machine can compact animal feed into transportable blocks. Besides, the machine is capable of compacting a variety of other crops residues and wastes for fuel and industrial purposes. It would be a very eco-friendly and environment protecting process. Bulk desnsity and volume reduction of raw feeds and blocks at compaction pressure of 300Kg.cm2 and moisture content of 12% (wb) S. No. Feed/crop residue Bulk density of

feed (Kg/m3) Bulk density of feed block (Kg/m3)

Volume reduction factor

1. Groundnut straw 81 553.63 6.8 2. Ardu leaves 51.5 539.06 10.4 3. Mustard straw 51.48 562.21 10.9

4. Gram straw 66.48 471.94 7.1 5. Wheat straw 51.2 305.22 5.9 6. Wheat straw (with 5%

molasses) 57 443.5 7.8

7. Sorghum straw 70.0 437.20 6.2 8. Paddy straw 70.0 279.00 3.9 9. Forest grass 66.33 503.00 7.6 10.0 Pearl millet 119.6 511.10 4.3 11 Cenchrus grass 67.5 486.84 7.2 12 Arhar straw 55 689.06 12.5 13 Sugarcane baggase 61 567.50 9.3 14 Cluster bean 109.0 596.67 5.5 15. Mango leaves 17 643.20 37.8 16 Khejri leaves 67.5 542.0 8 17 Pala leaves 65.5 538.4 8.2 18 Maize (chooped) 90.7 520.8 5.7 19 Sugarcane top

(with mustard cake 10% + molasses 10%)

105.0 422.0 4.0

20 Sewan 91.6 700 7.6 21 Groundnut halum 77.1 500 6.5 22 Moth chara 84.7 901 10.6 23 Cotton stalk 140 785 5.6 24 Rice bran 361 1197 3.3 25 Hay (Berseem) chopped 55 1050 19 26 Korean lawn grass (Zoysia

japonica) 38 597 15.7

27 Doab grass (Cynodon dactylon)

15 630 42

28 Maize cob (ground) 498 843 1.7 Testing of the machine Sustained testing of the machine has been done to formulate feed blocks using wheat straw, mustard straw, bajra kadbi, doab grass, pasture grasss, guar phalgati, moth chara, chane ki khar, groundnut straw, maize cobs, etc. The feed blocks were used for feeding sheep, cows, bufalloes, camels and goats,. Reports from the animal nutrition scientists from CSWRI, Avikanagar; CSKHPKVV, Palampur; NRC on Camel, Bikaner; IGFRI, Jhansi and RAU, Bikaner indicated very positive improvement in animal productivity and material handling and management Impact of technology The Animal feed blocks have been installed at the following places by the institute Sl. No.

Address Number installed

1 Department of Animal Nutrition, CSWRI, Avikanagar, Rajasthan 1 2 Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal

Science, CSKHPKVV, Palampur, (H.P.) (Stationary & Mobile) 3 (2+1)

3 Division of Plant Animal Relation, IGFRI, Jhansi (H.P.) 1 4 College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Rajasthan Agricultural

University, Bikaner, Rajasthan 1

5 Division of Agricultural Engineering, IARI, PUSA, New Delhi 2 6 National Dairy Development Board, Anand (Gujarat) 1 7 BAIF Development Research Centre (NGO), Pune, Maharashtra 1 8 Central Institute for Research on Buffallo, Sirsa Road, Hissar, Haryana 1 9 Division of Animal Nutrition, S.K. University of Agricultural Science

and Technology, Srinagar 1

10 Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Berasia Road, Nabi Bagh, Bhopal (MP)

1

11 Malbros Farms (Pvt) Ltd, Village Lodhi Walla, Roorkee Haridwar, Uttaranchal

1

12 Khosboo Feed Mills Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon, Haryana 1 13 Instructional Dairy Farm, GBPUAT, Pantnagar 1 14 University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) 1 15 NRC on Mithun, Jharnapani, Nagaland 1 16 Regional Forage Production and Demonstration Station, Kalyani, West

Bengal 1

17 Regional Forage Production and Demonstration Station, Gandhinagar (Gujarat)

1

18 Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Mobile 1 19 NRC on Camel, Bikaner (Rajasthan) 1 20 Indian veterinary Research Institute, Izzatnagar (UP) 1 21 Regional Station, IVRI, Muktshwar (Uttaranchal) 1 22 Uttaranchal Livestock Development Board, Hrishikesh (Uttaranchal) 1 23 NRC on Yak, Dirang (Arunachal Pradesh) 1 24 National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal 1 25 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Barapani 1 26 Mithila Dough Ptadak, Samastipur. 1 27 SKUAST, Srinagar (Mobile unit) 1 28 Department of Animal Husbandry, Govt. of Bihar 8 29 SKUAST, Jammu (Mobile unit) 1 30 CSK HPKVV, Palampur (Mobile unit) 2 41

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ANIMAL FEED BLOCK FORMATION MACHINE