Photo: Joris Telders

5 ways to make your feed mill more

efficient
Finding significant moisture retention gains, quality improvements and
new efficiencies in a feed mill can lead to cost savings, a lower carbon

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footprint and more efficient production. All About Feed spoke to Lloyd
Phillips, of Dynamic Feed Processing and Hygiene Ltd to get some tips.
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Livestock producers, whether poultry, dairy, aqua or even swine operate in
highly competitive environments. Efficiency savings across the supply chain
can yield great results from a relatively low investment. One area often ripe
for improvement is in feed mills, where adjusting operations, settings or
processes can yield huge savings. By finding ways to get more from existing
equipment, improving staff knowledge and minimising wastage, feed mills
can often gain efficiencies and save cost. Dynamic Feed Processing and
Hygiene Ltd aims to do just that, by reviewing how feed manufacturers
operate and advising on ways to improve the quality of their output. Here, its
managing director Lloyd Phillips gives 5 key areas manufacturers should look
at to ensure their mills are working profitably, productively and sustainably.
 Optimising the production processes
There are often gains to be made by improving batching processes
– whether that’s weighing out raw materials, or timings of wet and dry mix
applications. “We first look at individual processes within a mill, measure
performance and then try to build some efficiencies into that process,” says
Mr Phillips. “It’s important to periodically look at your batching system, how
you weigh out raw materials, and finding gain time between each batch, and
timings of wet mix and dry mix applications – there are often ways you can
save either time or cost by working more efficiently.”

“We were recently able to save a European mill £60,000 based on batching
improvements.”

Pelleting, too, can benefit from outside scrutiny. “We look at the process and
current running parameters, monitoring the steam system and conditioning
processes. Each feed formulation requires different tweaking – manipulating
settings to get feed to gelatinise effectively before the pelleting process is
key to improve efficiencies.”

Reducing energy consumption

Costs are rising, and there is increasing scrutiny on businesses’
carbon footprint makes the need to use energy as efficiently as possible –
reducing waste is an important part of this drive for efficiency. Mr Phillips
says that he first looks at moisture levels to create a base-line from which to
work. “We look at the moisture within conditioned feed, and based on the
levels of conditioning and gelatinisation; we can then introduce methods to
improve energy consumption.

“In terms of waste, we look at how much product has been returned to pre-
processing bins and try to reduce the amounts returned for reprocessing. It’s
based on mechanical know-how and steam know-how.

“Most of the time we can make significant improvements – one example is

that we recently were able to reduce KWh/t usage by 23.2% in a European
feed mill.”

Securing feed hygiene

The livestock industry has had to deal with several recent
epidemics and biosecurity continues to be a focus of processors and
consumers alike, and with good reason. Anti-microbial resistance, African
Swine Fever and Avian Influenza are yet to be overcome – despite best
efforts.

“In a mill setting, we would begin by looking at the CFU levels of stored raw
materials and then measuring the finished product, and again three-to-seven
days later.

“Based on our findings we can look at measures of how to improve the

sanitisation of the entire mill process and transport to ensure feed is free of
any nasties.”
Another part of this work is validating products which are used by feed mills
to improve hygiene, such as those designed to reduce CFU levels and to
ensure salmonella free feed, proving their efficacy through these trials.

Moisture management
A usual range for moisture loss in the feed process is between 1-
1.5%, says Mr Phillips, and mills should be challenging and reviewing their
losses from season to season. “This is a topic always under scrutiny,” he
explains. “We find ways to reduce the amount of moisture loss within the
feed processes by adjusting settings– each mill is unique, and we would have
to survey it first to find ways of improving moisture management.”

In addition to reducing moisture loss through adjusting machinery, it is also

possible to add moisture management products, or use an in-line sensor to
monitor levels. Ensuring those products are working efficiently is crucial for
ongoing testing and refining.

The cooling process is another aspect where you can lose moisture – so it’s
essential to review this process, as well.

“There is a direct link between moisture management and reprocessing of

fines – and complaints about product quality,” says Mr Phillips. “There’s no
right or wrong answer for any mill – it has to be tailored to an individual site.”

Mill personnel training

An essential part of an efficient mill is having confident, well-
trained staff. “Quite often, A lot of people come into the industry and might
not understand how systems work. We often find knowledge has been
handed down and thinned in the process, and there’s a lot of historical
settings that might not match current best practice, machinery or
formulations.

“Part of what we do is offer hands-on training on the mill floor to give people
the confidence to make decisions with equipment.

“Although training in a classroom environment does add value, I believe that

mill personnel gain unsurpassed benefits from practising rather than reading.

“No matter what you do to your process, or what equipment you use, it is
important to challenge your processes to extract optimum mill performance
thus achieving tangible savings for the business and its supply chain.”

About Dynamic Feed Processing and Hygiene Limited

Dynamic Feed Processing and Hygiene Limited is a global consultancy that

specialises in improving processes and input for businesses producing
animal feed. It offers broad resourcing services and unique value-adding
products and product support to the industry. It is managed by Lloyd
Phillips, who has held a range of senior roles in feed mills across the world,
including most recently as operations director in a major UK feed business.