DEVELOPMENT OF A SMALL-SIZED STRAW PROCESSING LINE FOR THE PREPARATION OF GRANULATED FEED

Abstract

Straw as a roughage feed for animals is widely used in the feed industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan due to the numerous advantages. In doing so, obtaining a fodder product with high energy indicators from straw is possible through its special processing. In this regard, crushed straw granulation is one of the most effective ways of feed processing. For this, sets of equipment for feed shops are widely used. However, these equipments are mainly used in large processing lines. The equipment produced by various foreign enterprises is expensive. For small and medium-sized farms, expensive equipment is practically inaccessible and inefficient.

The purpose of the work is to increase the efficiency of using straw as roughage feed through its processing and granulation. For this purpose, a structural and technological scheme has been developed and a new small-sized straw processing line for the preparation of granulated feed has been manufactured. It is intended primarily for small and medium-sized farms. The article presents preliminary results of research tests of the proposed feed preparation line. It has been revealed that grinding fractions are obtained up to 1.5–20 mm in size, which corresponds to zootechnical requirements for animal feeding. In doing so, after granulation, straw feed has a density 8.0 times higher than the initial raw material. This has a positive effect on the conservation and digestibility of nutrients, feed intake, as well as conservation, transportation and rationed distribution.