Method for producing an extruded feed containing fibres

Abstract

A process for obtaining extruded animal feed including fibers, especially sugar cane and corn straws, applied in the agricultural and cattle-raising field for the nutrition of ruminants, contributing for higher productive performance (meat or milk) than conventional animal feeds, making use of the non-used sources of fibers for that purpose, with extruded characteristics, as well as for equines, wherein the process follows exactly the same procedure as shown by the patent application, but without the mixture of urea and additives.

Claims

1. A process to obtain extruded animal feed, the process consisting of the following steps: treating a harvested sorghum dry straw with an antifungal including ammonium dipropionate; pre-milling the harvested sorghum dry straw from the previous step to a particle size of 5-10 cm; milling the pre-milled treated harvested sorghum dry straw from the previous step to a particle size lower than 6 mm; milling sugar cane as a fiber source to a particle size lower than 6 mm; preparing a dry mixture by mixing: wherein the dry mixture consisting of: the milled treated harvested sorghum dry straw, 40-70% by weight; at least one of sunflower bran and cotton bran, 1-4% by weight; and the milled sugar cane, as the fiber source, 15-50% by weight; weighing the mixture to a pre-set weight; adding to the dry mixture: urea 0.01-3% by weight, and at least one of potassium chloride, limestone, calcium sulfate, dicalcium phosphate, potassium, monensin, virginiamycin, yeast, white salt, molasses, powdered milk, or ready formulations under the ratio of 0.2-6% by weight; milling the dry mixture from the previous step in a hammer mill having a 1.5-2.0 mm screen; steaming and pressure cooking the mixture of the previous step; extruding the mixture of the previous step; determining a particle size of the extruded mixture; drying the extruded mixture of the previous step until a humidity between 4% and 12%; and cooling the mixture of the previous step with cold air jets.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The present patent application discloses a process for obtaining extruded animal feed, including fibers, especially sugar cane and corn haystacks, for the nutrition of ruminants and equines.

(2) The process for obtaining extruded animal feed comprises the following steps:

Treatment of Straw

(3) Dry straw receives the application of an antifungal (active principle: ammonium dipropionate or similar) in the bundling process, under dose of 0.5 liters/ton of straw, by using a commercial product.

Pre-Milling

(4) Harvested and treated straw is chopped in a rotating drum chopper into 5-10 cm particles.

Milling

(5) The straw is milled in a rotating drum chopper with 4 knives, being reduced to average particles lower than 6 mm.

Dosage

(6) The dosage of macro products is performed on scales, according to the proposed formulation.

(7) The following macro products are used: corn and/or sorghum, 40-70% by weight; soy bran and/or sunflower bran and/or cotton bran, 1-4% by weight; and at least one source of fiber, which may be pre-chopped sugar cane straw or corn straw, 15-50% by weight.

Weighing

(8) According to the proposed formulations, dosage is performed on scales with capacity for 1,000-2,000 kg; wherein the quantity of each product is controlled by the pre-defined weight.

Mixture

(9) After weighing the macro products, these are delivered to a horizontal helical 3-stage mixer, into which the micro products are inserted, and the mixing process subsequently starts with a pre-set time of 1 to 5 minutes, depending on the formulation.

(10) The following micro products are used for the nutrition of ruminants: urea for cattle raising, 0.01-3% by weight; potassium chloride for cattle raising; limestone; calcium sulfide; dicalcium phosphate; potassium; monensin; virginiamycin; yeast; white salt; molasses; powdered milk; and ready formulations: 0.2-6% by weight each.

(11) For the nutrition of equines, no micro products are used.

Milling

(12) After the mixture, the product passes through a hammer mill, with a 1.5-2.0 mm screen. This is the last milling step before the extrusion process.

Extrusion

(13) It consists of steam and pressure cooking the product after fine milling, wherein the product characteristics are changed after this procedure.

(14) At the end of the extrusion process, according to each formulation and purpose of use, a grain size is established, and the following matrixes may be used: 6 mm diameter; 8 mm diameter; or 10 mm diameter.

Drying

(15) After the extrusion process, the product is collected with humidity varying between 18 and 26%, and drying is required by using a steam (vertical or horizontal) drier. After drying, humidity will vary between 4% and 12%.

Cooling

(16) Despite the product leaves the drier under ideal humidity for storage, its temperature is above the room temperature, and cooling is required before the bagging process, so to avoid product transpiration inside the bags, which would form a favorable environment for fungus development.

(17) Said cooling is performed by using a (vertical or horizontal) cooler with cold air jets.

Bagging

(18) After cooling, the product is transported to bagging silos or carried bulk.

(19) For the bagged product, raffia bags are used (laminated or not), measuring 60×100 cm and 65×100 cm with capacity for 25 kg each.