Feed mill can be broadly defined as a building, which
is mechanically equipped with machinery, device or mechanism for grinding
grains into a finished or industrial
products like flour or meal
It
is sub divided into two feed mill
a.Poultry feed mill
b.
Fish feed mill
a. Poultry feed mill: This is
the unit where different poultry mashes
are produced like layers mash,
pre-layers mash, growers mash, broilers
starter and finisher etc
TYPES OF MASHES
1.
Chick mash : These are the mash
which are given to chicks from day one
(1) to their eight (8) weeks of age
depending on the choice of the farm it is very high in protein and energy
2. Growers mash: These are the mash given to the birds from their eight
(8) weeks to sixteen (16) weeks of age. The
energy and protein level is reduced
while the fibre content is increased.
3. Pre-layers mash : Pre layers
mash are the feed given to the pullet from their seventeen (17) weeks to their
twenty (20) weeks of age. Energy and protein level will be
increased a bit
4. Layers mash:These are the
mash given to the layer from their 20
weeks of age and above. The protein and energy level will be increased while the
fibre level will be reduced.
5. Broiler starter mash: It is the mash given to the broiler from their day
one (1) to their four (4) weeks of age
6.
Broiler finishers mash: these is
the mash given to the broilers from their fourth (4) weeks of age and above
FISH FEED MILL
It is a feed mill where fish feed of different sizes are produced and sold commercially
IMPORTANCE OF FEED MILL
It is necessary to have feed mill with in a farm and produce any type of animal feeds because of the followings
i.
Sure of
requirement in the feeds in terms of quality and quantity of the nutrient
ii.
Feed
accessibility
iii.
Lower cost of
production
The major activities performed in the feed mill unit
are outlined and explained as follows
1. Crushing and
grinding of feed materials
2. Weighing of feeds materials
3. Feed formulation exercise
4. Maintenance of
crop processing machine
5. Preservation of feed materials
DESCRIPTION BASED ON PROCEDURES
Crushing and grinding of feed materials: Crushing or grinding is one of the size reduction of grains or other feed
materials into smaller particles to be used for feed formulation materials available in the crushing
house are as follows:
·
Crushing machine
·
Table
·
Gains
·
Oyster shell
·
Truck
·
Sack
·
Packer
·
Broom
·
Nose guard
·
Razor blade