The invention relates to a rotary shaft for processing foodstuffs, the rotary shaft has a rotation axis and the rotary shaft comprises at least one tool which extends along the rotation axis. The tool has an airfoil profile such that the tool comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. Further, the tool comprises at least one fluid channel between the mean camber line of the airfoil profile and the upper surface of the tool.

An animal food composition comprising cannabis and two or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of insects, a fiber-starch material, a binding agent, a density improving textural supplement, and a moisture improving textural supplement is described. The animal food composition may include bacteria, fungi, water, fermentation waste, spent microorganisms, an alcohol production coproduct, scales of fish, soft tissues of fish, radulae of mollusks, taurine, a fatty acid, or meat. The composition includes inflammation reduction properties, cannabis volatile feedstock components and wherein the cannabis includes powdered cannabis, ground cannabis, or dried cannabis.

The invention consists of novel systems and methods for mixing and/or applying biologies including live biologies and/or any additive having therapeutic or growth promoting value with and/or to animal feed, thereby creating treated animal feed, and for delivering such treated animal feed to animals in need via a delivery system. The invention also provides a system and method to treat seed with biologies prior to or contemporaneously with packaging, storing, and/or planting.

The invention provides a feed mixer for mixing feed including a mixing container for receiving feed, wherein the mixing container has a bottom and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom, wherein the mixing container includes at least one mixing auger rotatably arranged in the mixing container, wherein the at least one mixing auger is rotatably drivable about a vertical axis, characterized in that the pitch of the at least one mixing auger increases upwardly.

A method of preparing a feed ration for an animal includes storing a cut crop material in an accumulation having an oxygen barrier. The cut crop material is fermented within the accumulation to form a silage material. A nutritive value of the silage material is determined with a nutrition sensor. A desired amount of maceration of the silage material is determined based on the determined nutritive value of the silage material. The silage material is then macerated with a mechanical macerator to achieve the desired amount of maceration. The macerated silage material is then combined with other feed materials to define the feed ration, and may then be fed to the animal.

A method of preparing a feed ration for an animal includes determining an initial nutritive value of a forage material, and then macerating the forage material with a mechanical macerator. An actual amount of maceration of the forage material achieved by the mechanical macerator is then determined with a macerator sensor. The initial nutritive value may then be corrected to define a corrected nutritive value that accounts for the change in digestibility of the forage material caused by maceration. A formulation for the feed ration may then be defined or determined based on the corrected nutritive value of the forage material.

A method of preparing a feed ration for an animal includes storing a cut crop material in an accumulation having an oxygen barrier. The cut crop material is fermented within the accumulation to form a silage material. A nutritive value of the silage material is determined with a nutrition sensor. A desired amount of maceration of the silage material is determined based on the determined nutritive value of the silage material. The silage material is then macerated with a mechanical macerator to achieve the desired amount of maceration. The macerated silage material is then combined with other feed materials to define the feed ration, and may then be fed to the animal.

A process to remove the glucosinolates of oilseed meals, such as Brassica carinata oilseed meals, is provided. In one embodiment, exogenous myrosinase is used to convert the glucosinolates to volatile isothiocyanate compounds, which can then be removed under conditions of mild heat and negative pressure. In another embodiment, heat and pressure are used to remove glucosinolates from Brassica carinata oilseed. The processed meals may contain less than 80% of their starting levels of glucosinolates and may be suitable for use in various applications, including as animal feeds.

A method for allowing the custom mixing of liquid and dry enhancers with pet food kibbles comprising a tumbler into which the kibbles are placed; a means for adding a pre-determined amount of liquid/dry enhancers to the kibbles; a means for mixing the enhancers with the kibbles; and a means for feeding the enhanced kibbles into packages.

Apparatus and methods for food production including a food preconditioner (228) operable to heat and partially pre-cook food ingredients, and a twin screw extruder (20) operable to further cook the preconditioned ingredients to create final food products. The extruder (20) includes a pair of hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) having elongated hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) equipped with helical fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) along the lengths thereof. The fighting (132, 134, 194) is also of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes forward, reverse pitch sections (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the extruders (20), without adding additional moisture.