Animal Feed Pellet Coating: Problems and Solutions - APEC

For more information, please visit feed pellet coating machine.

Animal feed pellet coating presents a number of challenges to feed manufacturers. The consistency and properties of the pellets, as well as the consistency and properties of the liquid or powder coating, can all create unique obstacles to adequate and uniform coating. The right pelleting and liquid coating system can help to solve these challenges, with the right considerations and applications.

Animal Feed Pellet Coating: Problems and Solutions

Animal feed pellet coating helps to supply farm animals and pets with essential vitamins and nutrients, or make the feed more appealing for them to eat. This can help them gain weight faster, produce more milk, or maintain their general health and wellness. However, some of these vitamins, minerals, oils or fats also present challenges in feed manufacturing. When the animal feed pelleting process and liquid coating processes work in tandem, these problems can be avoided in many cases.

Pellet Breakage

When pellets break apart during the mixing and coating process, it not only reduces product quality and increases waste, but also creates dust and powders, which increases maintenance costs and hazards. Some of this breakage occurs during the mixing and pelleting process, while additional breakage can occur during the coating and packaging processes.

Preventing pellet breakage starts with the pelleting process. With the right levels of moisture and air flow, as well as the right equipment, animal feed pellets will resist breakage. During the coating process, animal feed pellet breakage can occur as the pellets move through a mixer or conveyor. If the conveyor or mixer has pinch points, the pellets can get stuck and destroyed. If the mixing action is too strenuous, this can also destroy the pellets. This may not be a problem for small, compact, dense pellets, and may present more challenges for larger, more porous or friable pellets. In this case, using a paddle mixer, rotating drum, or rotating disk for liquid coating can help to reduce pellet breakage.

Pellet Porosity

Some liquid coatings and processes require pellets to be somewhat porous in order to stick. If the pellets are too dense, processes like vacuum coating, which encourages liquid coatings to stick to the pellet’s pores, will not be as effective. Taking a closer look at the pellet consistency and improving air flow during the pelleting process can help with pellet porosity.

If the pellet is not very porous, vacuum coating might not be the ideal solution. The liquid additives might be included into the mash prior to the pelleting process. However, this must be applied carefully, as it can change the density or formation of the pellet. In this case, another liquid coating method might be ideal, such as liquid coating using a mixer or conveyor.

Liquid Coating Clogging

Liquid coatings with high oil, fat, sugar or salt content have a tendency to clog spray nozzles. Record the characteristics of the liquid and consult with your equipment manufacturer beforehand to ensure the liquid can move through the spray nozzles effectively. If it’s unclear whether the liquid will quickly clog the spray nozzles, it’s best to test these liquids with spray nozzles before installing them, so you can prevent unnecessary maintenance costs later on.

If the liquid is likely to clog, consider types of liquid coating processes that bypass spray nozzles. A liquid coating system using a rotating disk mechanism, such as the Mistcoater, allows materials to fall freely while the liquid coating atomizes. This coats the material uniformly and also removes the need for spray nozzles.

Liquid Coating Retention

If the liquid coating doesn’t stick to the animal feed pellet or another material, it can dramatically reduce the nutritional content, fat content, or flavor profile. Vacuum coating is an effective way to increase liquid coating retention, as it draws the liquid into the pellet’s pores. This process also allows feed manufacturers to coat the pellet multiple times.

If vacuum coating isn’t a viable option, a combination of powder coating and liquid coating can help to improve retention. If the porosity of the pellet isn’t suitable for vacuum coating, a rotating drum can be used to adjust retention time. If the pellet is being coated through a screw conveyor or mixer, adjusting the mixing time or the fill level can allow the liquid to coat the pellets more effectively. Or, if the spray nozzles are clogging, the pellet won’t be coated evenly and won’t retain the liquid coating. This problem can be solved by using a rotating disk applicator.

Related Posts:

4 Steps for Effective Post-Pelleting Liquid Application

Post-pelleting liquid application can make it easier to add many…

Read More

Comparing and Contrasting Liquid Coating Equipment Solutions

Additional reading:
Kombucha Equipment, Cleanliness & Sanitation
Dough Rounder Purchasing
Benefits of Gold Plating

Want more information on pet food production line? Feel free to contact us.

There are a number of ways to apply liquid coatings…

Read More

Choosing Specialty Coating Systems for Animal Feed Processing

The right specialty coating systems for animal feed will help…

Read More

6 Essential Food Coating Equipment Types

Food coating equipment and processes are an important part of…

Read More

Introduction to Feed Pellet Coating Machine

Feed pellet coating machine is mainly used to spray fat, enzyme, vitamins, organic acids or other liquid nutriments on the surface of feed pellets. Feed pellet coating is one important process during the feed pellet production line, which can improve the quality, nutritious value and features of animal feed pellets.

Characteristics of Liquid Coating Machine for Animal Feed

1.Excellent post-addition technology makes feed liquid coating machine have good coating effect.
2.Drum type spraying can ensure uniformly spraying because the liquid can fully contact with feed pellets.
3.Adding amount is more accurate because it is controlled by computer.
4.After spraying nutritious elements, feed pellets have attractive palatability and disease resistance ability.

Why Adopt Feed Pellet Coating Machine

1.Feed pellet coating machine can increase additive oil content greatly without affecting the pellet solidness.
2.With post-addition technology, it can reduce the residual oil on the processing machine, thus reducing the risk of cross contamination.
3.Feed pellet coating machine can produce pellets with high energy, better physical property and palatability. Coating can make animal feed pellets attractant as well as reduces abrasion. Higher quality feed pellets can bring in a higher price, new customer circles and then generate higher sales revenues.

Technical Parameters of Liquid Coating Machine for Feed

If you want to learn more, please visit our website animal feed coating machine.

Fluid reservoir capacity 1T Added gear pump motor power  1.5kw  Adding amount error  ±1% Spray coating uniformity  96%  Adding amount  0.04-0.14t/h Spray coating proportion  2%-7% Output 2-20t/h