Pellet feed production technology was first introduced in China in the 1930s. Since then, pelleting has become one of the most common techniques in animal feed processing. Pellets had lots of advantages over crumbles, such as less dust, no grading, balanced animal nutrition, enhanced feed intake and easy storage and transportation.

1. Digital Re-print -
July | August 2013
FEED FOCUS: Pelleted feed technology
for dairy cows
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3. Pelleted feed
technology
for dairy cows
by Amanda Zhou, Allance
Machinery, China
P
ellet feed production technology was
first introduced in China in the 1930s.
Since then, pelleting has become
one of the most common techniques in
animal feed processing. Pellets had lots
of advantages over crumbles, such as
less dust, no grading, balanced animal
nutrition, enhanced feed intake and
easy storage and transportation.
The aim of dairy cow farming is to
produce milk. Milk production and qual-
ity directly depends on daily feed nutrition
absorption. This means that dairy cow feed
should be formulated based on a scien-
tific ratio to ensure the animal gets enough
nutrients for its healthy growth and milk
production. Table 1 presents six types of
preliminary nutrients which should be con-
tained in a daily cow ration.
According to this table, the availability
of good pasture, sufficient feed and water
are crucial for sustainable milk production.
Cows are a typical ruminant and farmers
should ensure that rumen are not only
well-nourished but also that feed materials
are adapted to metabolism and digestion.
Therefore, a complete nutrition ratio should
be mixed into cow feed.
Feed types for dairy cows
Dairy cow feed is mainly divided into
roughage and concentrated feed. Roughages
are characterized by a higher fibre content
and contain a large amount of vegetative
matter. Concentrated feed includes energy
concentrated feed (such as corn, wheat,
barley, oats, wheat bran, broken rice, grain
powder, chaff, sweet potato) and protein
concentrated feed which mainly refers to
squeezed oil byproducts.
Daily rations for dairy cows
It is necessary to work out a reason-
able daily ration according to cow breeding
standards and meet the nutritional needs
to guarantee sufficient feed absorption. The
priorities of various nutrients are: fibre;
energy; crude protein; non-degradable pro-
tein; major minerals; micro ingredients and
vitamins. Crude fibre should be above 17
percent. In production, crude protein and
amino acid requirements could be satisfied
by cotton meal, rapeseed meal, corn protein
powder and so on.
TMR feeding system
A total mixed ration (TMR) is com-
posed of forages, commodi-
ties/byproducts (such as whole
cottonseed), grains, protein
supplement(s), minerals, and
vitamins that have been mixed
together to make a balanced
ration in which the weight
of each ingredient is known.
This mixture is then offered to
cows as their sole source of
feed. In view of comprehen-
sive and balanced nutrition, the
proportion of coarse material
is between 40-60 percent.
It is an advanced breeding
Feed focus
CATTLE
Table 1: Preliminary nutrients in a daily cow ration
Ingredients included Function
Water Free water, bound water Composing organism, solvent of nutrition
Crude ash Major mineral elements, trace elements
Bones composition, adjusting
metabolization
Crude protein Protein, non protein nitrogen content Cow organ composition, metabolization
Crude fat Fat, lipid Energy storage
Crude fibre Cellulose, semicellulose, lignin, pectin Energy source
Nitrogen free extract Starch, monose, fructose Energy supply
Active components Vitamins, enzymes Metabolization adjustment
Grain&feed millinG technoloGy24 | July - august 2013

5. system of a mobile feedstuff mixer and
free-roaming herds leisurely grazing. As for
captive breeding dairy cows, all feedstocks
need to be cut shortly, fully mixed and
direct sent to manger. TMR is applied to
large-scale dairy cow feeding, improving milk
production, reducing labour requirements
and decreasing feed costs.
Pelleted feed as a concentrate
supplement
It is uneconomic for small-scale dairy
farmer to adopt TMR. To ensure good
health, high conception rates and optimum
milk yields throughout the lactation period,
an appropriate concentrate supplement avail-
able in either a pellet or meal form is essen-
tial. Pelleted feed is compounded with highly
digestible fibrous
feed ingredients
and supplement-
ed with mineral,
vitamins and pro-
tein. The protein
and mineral com-
ponents can be is
pelleted for easy
feeding and offers
sufficient pro-
tein, energy and
mineral to cattle
during gestation
and lactation. The
recommended
feed rate is 8-10
percent of the
body weight of
the animals.
Pelleted feed
is regarded as a
concentrate sup-
plement but
not whole
daily ration.
For opti-
mum perform-
ance, the balance
of the dry mat-
ter requirement
must be met by
feeding rough-
ages such as
hay, cut grass or
leaves like palm
fronds.
Grain&feed millinG technoloGy July - august 2013 | 25
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CATTLE

6. Pellet quality and productivity
Calves, breeding cattle and lactating cows
have different nutritional requirements and
will need different feed formulations. Raw
materials have great effect on milk quality;
for instance, rapeseed dregs, worse slag, fish-
meal, and silkworm chrysalis powder should
be strictly limited. Otherwise, it may make
the milk with a peculiar smell. Conditioning
is a key factor in pelleting for starch pasting
and sterilization, improving the quality of
grain, grain hardness and durability including
material moisture content, retention time,
and the temperature.
Feed additives have an obvious effect on
improve milk yield and milk composition and
reduced milk production stress, but should
be strict control of the dosage.
Table 3 lists common additives for
dairy cows.
Conclusion
Since cattle eat primarily for-
age, cow pellets are a concen-
trate. Feeding pellets to dairy
cows gives the ability to package
minerals, buffers, rumen modifiers
and other ingredients required
in small quantities in a homog-
enous way. There is nothing inherently
special about cow feed pelleting technology
but particle size, mixing time, conditioning
degree, feed additives dosage should all be
considered.
Table 3: Common additives for dairy cows
Cow feed additives
Dosage (per
day)
Suitable growth
period
Anionic salts 200 g
Prenatal 3 weeks
(calves)
Bentonite 300-500 g Lactating dairy cow
Baking soda 110-225 g Lactating dairy cow
Magnesium oxide 50-90 g Lactating dairy cow
Isomeric acids 50-80 g Lactating dairy cow
Choline 30 g Lactating dairy cow
Monensin 50-200 mg
Dairy heifer, young
cows
Methionine
Hydroxy Analogue
30 g Lactating dairy cow
Niacin 6-12 g
Prenatal 2 weeks,
postnatal 16 weeks
Yeast culture 10-120 g
Prenatal 2 weeks,
postnatal 8 weeks
Biogen 10-50 g Lactating dairy cow
Zinc methionine 5 g Lactating dairy cow
Propylene glycol 0.25-0.5 kg
Prenatal 1 week,
postnatal 2 weeks
Table 2: Roughage and concentrated feed
Cow Feed Main Species Properties Nutrition Feeding Value
Roughage
Grass, hay,
crop straw,
alfalfa, chaff
species
Good
palatability,
easy
digestible,
large volume,
high water
content.
Rich in crude
protein,
carotene,
vitamin D,
inorganic salts
Low
Concentrate
Corn,
cottonseed
meal, wheat
bran, etc.
High quality,
low fibre,
easy to store
and transport
Abundant
in digestible
energy and
protein
High
More InforMatIon:
Email: info@pellet-machine.net
Website: www.pellet-machine.net
Grain&feed millinG technoloGy26 | July - august 2013

8. www.gfmt.co.uk
LINKS
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INCORPORATING PORTS, DISTRIBUTION AND FORMULATION
In this issue:
• Pig feed
pelletizing
technology
• Feed focus
Cattle
• Exploring
the challenge
of single
versus multi-
enzyme dosing
comparisons
July-August2013
• Improving
poultry health
and production
efficiency with
probiotics
• Aflatoxins in
Europe:
a new risk in maize
production?
• Sweeping
changes
to OSHA’s
sweep auger
enforcement
first published in 1891
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