Development of a processing unit for the production of extruded poultry feed | ||
| Al-Azhar Journal of Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Volume 9, Issue 1, June 2025 PDF (1.22 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/azeng.2025.370965.1031 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Yasser Kamal Osman Taha* 1; Samir Hafez Desoki1; Abdelrafea Ahmed Elshafie2; Ibrahim Mahmoud Abo-Elsaood3 | ||
| 1Department of Agricultural Machinery and power Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 2Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| 3Post Graduate Student, Department of Agricultural Machinery and Power Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| This study addresses a major challenge in Egypt's poultry industry, where small- and medium-scale farmers struggle to meet market demands due to a lack of efficient feed processing machines. To overcome this issue, a single integrated machine was developed to combine milling, mixing, and pelleting into one horizontal unit. The machine features a feeding hopper with a 3 hp three-phase electric motor, which powers all three functions via pulleys and V-belts. The milling unit is equipped with rotary knives for grinding ingredients, the mixing chamber utilizes levers to ensure uniform blending, and the pelleting section incorporates an auger and die plate to shape the feed into pellets. This study evaluated the performance of the poultry feed pelleting machine using a 3×3×3 factorial design to examine the effects of liquid amounts (15, 17, and 20 L/100 kg), auger speeds (1.2, 1.8, and 2.4 m/sec), and die diameters (4, 6, and 8 mm) on pellet quality and machine effiency. Results indicated that machine efficiency averaged 81.06% (ranging from 70% to 91%), with the optimal performance achieved using higher liquid levels, smaller die sizes, and lower auger speeds. Productivity varied between 67.44 to 97.99 kg/h, increasing with greater liquid amounts, while specific energy consumption decreased with more liquid but increased with higher auger speeds and larger dies. With a production cost of 20,000 Egyptian pounds and the advantage of local manufacturability, this system offers an economical solution for small- and medium-scale farms in developing countries, enhancing feed production efficiency and shelf life. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Integrated feed processing; pelleting efficiency; moisture content; auger speed; die diameter | ||
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