How To Make Pelleted Feed On The Farm

How To Make Pelleted Feed On The Farm ENERGY Alternative Fuels Making your own pelleted feed on the farm is likely much easier than you think Pelleting turns finely ground material into dense little cylinders by applying pressure and heat Pellets can be used for feed fuel and even animal bedding However most pellet mills will work best for one purpose or the other and shouldn’t be swapped between them Not only can it be cost-effective to make feed pellets at home but making your own feed allows you to choose from different ingredients to maximize animal health and safety Serving feed as pellets also prevents livestock from picking out the parts they don’t like which can lead to less waste in the long run The primary factors that affect homemade pellets are the ingredients used how finely you grind them whether they are softened with steam to enhance binding properties and how they are compressed into shape The logistics can vary based on personal goals For example the Martin family of Saskatchewan buys barley in bulk from a neighbor to grind with their Mix-Mill before adding whatever protein and mineral supplements they deem necessary at the time for the livestock they plan to feed The resulting pellets are bucketed and used as a scoop-and-go ration for their pigs chickens cattle and sheep each of which is fed a different mix Overall the family makes 60 tons of homemade pellets per year If you plan to make your own animal feed it’s best to follow an established recipe This ensures you provide the correct ratios of nutrients for healthy growth You need some ingredients that add moisture and some that act like glue to bind everything together The overall mixture will need an approximate moisture content of 15 percent to form pellets A scale works best for weighing out each component Next grind each ingredient to less than 3/4-in in size usually with a feed hammer mill Consider doing each ingredient separately to ensure a consistent texture and easier blending Once blended and measured you can mix the formulation with a ribbon blender or paddle mixer You can then move the prepared mixture to a pelleting press At this point you might need to use steam to add heat and moisture This softens the feed and helps the ingredients within it stick together when pressed into pellets Gently feed the conditioned meal into the press to create pellets Home setups allow ample time for pellets to cool naturally The completed pellets are ready to be fed out to animals immediately or stored for future use Storage requirements will vary based on ingredients One resource for homestead-scale pellet makers is PelletMasters With over 300 machines ready to ship the company has the largest in-stock selection of flat die pellet mills in North America Its selection of mills for feed ship with a standard 6mm die but will accommodate sizes 3 mm to 8 mm and even 12 mm upon special request Expect them to produce 20 lbs per horsepower per hour running on electricity and 13 lbs per hour powered on gasoline diesel or PTO Prices range by model and size but start around $1 600 Replacement parts are available for most models by request Contact: FARM SHOW Followup PelletMasters 1406 Lowater Rd Chippewa Falls Wis 54729 ph 715-726-3100; info@pelletmasters com; www pelletmasters com

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