home Audience 12 Pelleted feed is the key to success for livestock farmers. Compound feed: composition of mixture for pets

Pelleted feed is the key to success for livestock farmers. Compound feed: composition of mixture for pets

Compound feed in granular form is produced for all types of animals, poultry and fish. The quality of granulated feed must meet the requirements of the standards. Feed granulation organized on a special main production line or in a separate workshop.
The line is used to sequentially perform the following tasks:

control of bulk feed for the content of metallomagnetic and large impurities;
steaming feed and mixing it with liquid components;
pressing of granules;
cooling of granules;
sifting granules to separate small particles;
grinding of granules when producing grits;
sorting of grains;
weighing the finished product.

In enterprises where the transfer of bulk feed for granulation occurs not in the flow, but from the warehouse, it is recommended to install sieving machines that use sieve cloths No. 60-80 or wire meshes No. 5-7, and scales for weighing, to prevent damage to the press by random impurities loose feed.
The separation of metallomagnetic impurities from loose feed is carried out using magnetic separators, magnetic columns, etc.
Feed granulation carried out on installations of type B6-DGV, DG of domestic production, as well as various foreign companies. The installation includes a press granulator, a cooler, a grinder, and a separator.
In granulator presses, loose feed is steamed and pressed into granules.
Steaming is carried out in a press mixer in order to heat and moisten loose feed, ensuring the formation of granules, lower energy consumption, sanitary and hygienic processing and increased feed digestibility.
At the same time, animal feed fat, molasses and other liquid components can be introduced into the mixer-steamer.
Compacting feed into granules is carried out on ring matrices with different hole sizes depending on the purpose of the feed.
Recommended hole sizes (mm) of matrices when granulating feed:

for poultry - 3.2-7.7 mm;
for fish - 3.2-7.7 mm;
for pigs - 4.7-7.7 mm;
for cattle - 7.7-9.7;
for horses - 9.7-12.7mm.

The operating mode of the granulation plant must ensure the production of granules that meet the requirements of regulatory documentation.
Recommended Settings feed granulation:

humidity of steamed feed, % - 15 -18:
temperature of steamed feed, o C - 60-80;
steam pressure, kg/cm 3 - 2-5;
steam consumption, kg/t - 50-80;
congestion between rollers and matrix, mm - 0.2-0.4;
temperature of granules at the outlet of the press, °C - 65-95.

Each matrix must be operated with its own rolls. When replacing the dies, the rolls must also be replaced. The running-in of the new matrix must be carried out with new rolls. To break in the matrix, prepare a starting mixture (about 100 kg), consisting of 87% feed. 3% molasses. 5% fat and 5% sifted sand. Water is added in an amount of 3-5%. The mixture is fed manually (with a shovel) into the pressing chamber. The running-in operation continues until glossy granules are obtained (30-90 min).
Cooling of the granules is carried out in coolers (included in the granulation installation). The temperature of incoming granulated feed should not exceed the ambient temperature by more than 10 degrees, and the humidity of the granules should not exceed 14.5%.
After cooling, the granules are sifted on machines with a sieve No. 20-25 or wire mesh No. 1.8-2 installed for high-quality separation of mealy particles and the crumbs are supplied to the warehouse.
The production of granulated feed is possible without the use of steam when using water, molasses or other liquid binding additives.
When granulating feed using water, the loose feed is moistened by 3-4%. The humidity of the pressed mixture should be in the range of 16-17.5%. The cooling column is divided into two zones: the upper one is for drying, the lower one is for cooling the granules.
Drying and cooling mode:

R coolant consumption per 1 ton of product, m 3 -2500-3000;
air consumption for cooling 1 t of product, m 3 - 1500-2500;
coolant temperature at the inlet to the drying chamber, °C:for granules with a diameter of 4.7 mm - 60-80;for granules with a diameter of 7.7 mm - 80-100;
air filtration speed in the column cross section, m/s - 0.4-0.5;
drying duration, minutes: for granules with a diameter of 4.7 - 6 mm; for granules with a diameter of 7.7 - 8 mm ;
cooling duration, min - 5-6.
Granulation of feed for rabbits with a high content (up to 40%) of grass meal (fibrous component) is carried out with the mandatory addition of molasses or bentonite under the following conditions:
steam pressure, mPa -0.28-0.33;
steam consumption when using molasses, kg/t -40-60:
steam consumption when using bentonite, kg/t - 60-80.

Compound feed for young poultry, pigs, fish, and rabbits may be produced in the form of grits, the granulometric composition of which for different ages is specified in the current regulatory documentation.
Krup is a finished product that is obtained by grinding granulated feed with a diameter of 4.7-7.7 millimeters on roller grinders.
Depending on the required fraction of feed, a gap is set between the rollers:

for broiler chickens of the 1st period the gap is 0.4-0.5 mm;
for broiler chickens of the 2nd period - 0.7-1.0 mm;
for laying hens - 1.0-1.5 mm;
for fish fry - 0.1-0.5 mm.

To grind granules in the line, it is possible to install roller machines.
The crushed granules are sorted on sieving machines with two sieves - the upper sieve is returned for re-grinding, the lower sieve is returned to the finished product, the lower sieve is sent for re-granulation.
When producing semolina for poultry that meets the size requirements of the standard, the following is installed in separators of type A1-BLS and A1-BIS:
in the upper frames:

when producing compound feed for laying hens and broiler chickens of the 2nd period, punched sieves No. 60 and No. 55 with holes with a diameter of 6.0 and 5.5 millimeters or wire mesh No. 5.0 and No. 4.5 with cells of size 5, 0 x 5.0 and 4.5 x 4.5 mm;
when producing feed for broiler chickens of the 1st period, punched sieves No. 50 and No. 40 with holes with a diameter of 5.0 and 4.0 millimeters or wire mesh No. 4 and No. 3.5 with cells measuring 4.0 x 4.0 and 3.5 x 3.5 mm;
in the lower frames - punched sieves with holes with a diameter of 2.0 mm or wire mesh with cells measuring 1.8 x 1.8 mm.

In the production of grains for fish fry, sieving devices (1РШ-4М, etc.) are used. When receiving grit No. 3 (for fry), a package of frames with wire mesh with cells measuring 0.63 x 0.63 and 0.4 x 0.4 mm is installed in the sieving; grains No. 4 (for fry) - frames with meshes with mesh sizes of 1.0 x 1.0 and 0.63 x 0.63 mm; grains No. 5 (for fingerlings) - 1.6 x 1.6 and 1.0 x 1.0 mm; grains No. 6 (for yearlings) - 2.5 x 2.5 and 1.6 x 1.6 mm.
The first pass is sent for regrinding, the second is the finished product, and the pass is sent for re-granulation.
In order to increase the yield of grits, it is recommended that large particles obtained by draining the upper sieve be sent to a separate grinding machine.
If the requirements of the standard or consumer allow the production of grits without selecting the fine fraction, then the sorting of the crushed granules is carried out on one sieve with the direction of removal for re-grinding.
With the correct operating mode of the granulation installation, the yield of grains should be at least 70%.
Compound feed of equalized size is a new type of product produced according to technical specifications for a specific batch or a certain production period, approved by the director of the enterprise, agreed upon with the consumer and registered with the local center of mass distribution.
Mixed feed of equalized size is a homogeneous mixture of large particles of loose feed and grains from granules of the small fraction of feed, characterized by a reduced content of small and dusty particles. Designed primarily for laying hens, but also for other poultry and pigs.
Compound feed of uniform size is produced on a converted bulk feed granulation line according to separate technological regulations. The re-equipment of the pelleting line is carried out with the ability to produce both mixed feed of uniform size and grains from granules using traditional technology. At the same time, the productivity of the line increases by 60-80% compared to the production of grits from granules and energy consumption is reduced by 40-50%. steam consumption - by 35-40%.

The main nutrition for farmed cattle is special animal feed. The speed of weight gain of livestock and even the taste of meat depends on the quality of nutrition. Considering that in Russia many people raise cows, as well as Russian-made feed, they are very necessary. The production of grass meal is especially profitable.

To increase sales of your products, you must adhere to established standards during production ().

A little about the documents

Doing business legally requires registration. Fits . To register the production of animal feed, collect some documents:

articles of association;
agreement on establishment (concluded between those who create a company);
application for state registration (P11001).

In addition, you must pay a state fee of RUB 4,000.

Submit these documents to the tax office. Your application to open a business will be reviewed within 5 days.

To sell feed in bulk, get quality certificate. For this you need:

sample analyses;
veterinary certificate;
package of documents including business registration documents;
application for Rospotrebnadzor to obtain a certificate.

Certification takes about 30 days.

Business focus

The production of herbal flour in granules as a business is aimed at agricultural organizations and farms. At the latest data they number 11,225,000 and 979,000 head of cattle respectively.

This includes:

cows;
bulls, bulls;
oxen;
calves;
heifers, first heifers, heifers.

You can also target the production of green fodder for feeding horses, even.

Most farm animals require grass feed, which is the main source of vitamins. Since the climate of our country allows animals to consume fresh grass only from spring to autumn, there has been a long-standing tradition of storing dried grass (hay) for the winter.

Despite the long-term use of this method, it has a number of disadvantages:

long preparation time;
the need for a lot of physical labor;
the need for a spacious drying room;
loss of nutrients.

Fortunately, technology does not stand still, so the production of herbal flour and herbal granules has already been developed and is actively used. The technology for making this food is quite simple, it takes a minimum of time, and most importantly, all the nutrients are preserved!

Making herbal granules

Grass granules are a natural protein-vitamin feed for animals and poultry, which is obtained from crushed and dried grass using granulation. Herbal meal is obtained by drying it at high temperatures and grinding the grass into flour. Pelleting provides better storage of feed.

In terms of energy value, such food is very close to concentrate, because per 1 kg it has:

about 0.9 feed units;
up to 140 g of digestible protein;
up to 300 mg of carotene;
vitamins E, K, group B;
amino acids.

Granules are used as feed additives or as main feed.

As an additional food, granules supplement the main one, but for each animal this indicator is different:

cattle - 30-40% of the diet;
pigs – 10-15%;
sheep, horses - 80%.

Like any product, herbal granules have several types. They differ in the quality and quantity of carotene (the more carotene, the more nutritious the food). This affects the cost of feed, so for better marketing, offer different types at different prices.

The shape of the granules is small - diameter 2.4-20 mm, length - 15-28 mm. Smaller ones are given to young birds, slightly larger ones to adult birds, larger ones to cattle, horses, and pigs.

Raw materials For food, stock up in the summer. Select forage crops that can be harvested at different times.

Suitable raw materials for your business:

Perennial legumes. The advantage of such crops is the increased content of vitamins, various minerals and digestible protein. Hence the high nutritional properties. It is preferable to stock up on alfalfa and red clover. Cereal herbs are often mixed with them.
Cereals, they are often mixed with perennial legumes in smaller proportions.

Don't go overboard with adding less nutritious herbs, because your products will undergo quality certification and receive confirmation of the nutritional value of the feed. Poor performance will hurt your business.

Feed production technology

When producing grass meal and grass pellets, strictly follow the following process:

1. Mowing the grass. The grass harvest is always greater than the grain harvest - this is another plus in a business plan for producing feed in the form of grass pellets or flour.

Please note that while mowing the grass, as well as loading it, you will certainly incur losses. The main thing is that they do not exceed 2% of the total mass.

2. Primary grinding of grass in which different plants are mixed into one mass;

The quality of grass chopping determines the quality of drying and fuel economy, respectively, saving the business budget.

Acceptable sizes of crushed particles:

80% of the mass is 30 mm particles;
20% of the mass - particles no more than 110 mm.

3. Transportation of crushed mass. Minimize the loss of chopped grass by using mesh sides in transport. Also make sure that the raw materials are not contaminated.

The maximum time between mowing and drying is 3 hours. If it is longer, the grass will begin to lose all its beneficial substances, which means your product will be of poor quality.

4. Drying– a very important process, the observance of which determines the quality of your products. The grass dries very quickly (in just a few seconds) to 9-12% humidity;

The heating temperature of the grass is up to 70°C.

The loss of carotene should be no more than 5%.

5. Grinding to obtain flour. It is very important to consider the percentage of carotene here. If the food is artificially grown, technology for adding antioxidants is applied to it. This process reduces the loss of carotene.

6. Granulation– a stage due to which all useful substances are preserved in the product, and transportation becomes more convenient.

Requirements for granules (according to GOST 18691-88):

diameter - 3–25 mm;
length - up to 2 diameters;
density - 600–1,300 kg/m3;
crumbability - up to 12%;
dry matter share - 85–90%.

After making the granules, they need to be cooled for 15 minutes to minimize the loss of carotene (up to 5%).

7. Packaging and storage of feed. Product packaging depends on the method of sale:

craft bags of 30–50 kg. - retail and small wholesale;
“big bags” of 1,000 kg - average wholesale;
loading into transport without packaging in bags - large wholesale.

Feed production technologies are quite simple, with this you will not have any problems when starting a business.

Premises for production and personnel

An animal feed production plant must meet certain indicators:

A large area, because equipment for grass meal occupies a fairly large area (about 250 sq. m.) + space is required for storing finished feed and raw material supplies;
Darkened storage room so as not to destroy carotene;
Ceiling height – from 4 meters;
Temperature in the workshop – from +2 to +4ºС;
Air humidity 60–75%;
Availability of good ventilation;
In the warehouse, the aisles between stacks are about 1 m, between the walls of the room and the rows - at least 0.7 m;
Ceiling height - from 4 m;
Area for equipment - 250 sq.m.

The feed production business needs labor, so hire staff. You don’t need any special knowledge, just distribute responsibilities between employees and conduct mini-training. Hire 3 workers per shift.

Equipment for the production of granulated feed

Grass cutting equipment(at the same time grinding):

self-propelled forage harvesters: Don-680, Maral-125 or KSK-100A are suitable;
semi-mounted forage harvesters: “Polesie-3000”;
forage harvesting complexes.

Raw material supply conveyor;
Herb chopper;
Drying equipment:

drying units: productivity - 0.5–1.5 t/hour;
low-temperature dryers (air heating to 130°C) speed up the drying process. without loss of product quality.

Cyclone;
Grass crusher;
Granulator;
Feed cooling conveyor. The granules are cooled by a fan and sent to the sieving table. The granules are separated from small particles, which are sent back to the granulator.

Filling apparatus including scales. Kraft bags are filled with granules and then packed using bag sewing machines.
Universal loader for moving and loading bags of feed.

Some manufacturers prefer to wilt the grass before drying, but in this case additional equipment will be required.

Video: the process of obtaining granules from grass

Business costs

Costs for production 1 ton grass meal, from which the granules will be made.

Raw materials:

3 tons of grass = 2,500 rubles.

Types of fuel for drying:

electric power - 154.25 kW = 500 rubles;
gas - 86 nm3/h = 200 rub.;
firewood - 80 kg = 150 rub.

Payroll fund:

1 ton = 350 rub. for salary

Additional expenses business = 700 rub./t.

In total, the main business indicators:

the cost of flour is 4,000 rubles.
wholesale cost - 10,000 rubles.
The wholesale cost of granulated feed is RUB 14,000.

Costs of a feed business

Different production scales will require different investments in equipment:

0.5 t/hour – RUB 3,500,000;
3 t/hour – 9,300,000 rub.

If you organize a home business without using a full production line and renting premises, you will need about 700,000 rubles.

If you open a full-fledged production of herbal flour in granules, the costs will be different. Below are the averages taking into account the purchase of grass.

Pellet production equipment line:

productivity 0.5 tons of granules/hour - RUB 3,500,000;
productivity 1.5 tons of granules/hour - 6,300,000 rubles;
productivity 3 tons of granules/hour - 9,500,000 rub.

Equipment line for the production of bulk product:

productivity 0.5 tons of granules/hour - 2,000,000 rubles;
productivity 1.5 tons of granules/hour - 4,000,000 rubles;
productivity 3 tons of granules/hour - 5,000,000 rub.

To the cost of equipment, add the costs of delivery and installation of equipment, and personnel training.

After the initial costs, monthly business expenses will include:

purchase of raw materials;
employee salaries;
communal payments;
taxes;
additional expenses.

Total: about 750,000 rubles. per month.

Profitability and payback of business

1 ton of granules per hour = 12,000 rubles.

6 tons per day = 72,000 rub.

120 tons per month = 8,640,000 rubles.

The net profit of the business is about 7,500,000 rubles.

Combined feed is very common among farmers and livestock breeders. In principle, you can manufacture these products privately or on an industrial scale.

However, before you buy equipment for the production of granulated feed, you need to decide how much such a business will pay off.

Is it worth doing something like this?

It should be noted that the presented feed is in demand in agriculture. The fact is that it may contain completely different ingredients and additives that can satisfy all the needs of the animal body. In addition, the product has other advantages:

Nutritional value;

Small size, which allows not to overload the animal’s intestines;

Ease of storage and warehousing;

High demand for the product.

Naturally, if you want to organize such a business, then you need to pay attention to where exactly you will sell your products. That is, it is best for you to open production where there is some kind of livestock farm. Although over time you will be able to expand your mini-plant and provide feed to other consumers.

What raw materials are needed for the work?

Before buying equipment for the production of granulated feed, you need to understand what you will make it from. So, in order to make a standard product, you will need the following ingredients:

Feed grain (it has a low cost, but this does not make the food less nutritious and healthy);

Herbal flour, which has a large amount of fiber necessary for proper digestion;

Grains of various cereals (barley, wheat, corn);

Sunflower meal;

Chemical, molasses and mineral additives.

Various vitamins and nutritional supplements are often added to the combined feed, which promote good intestinal function and rapid growth of the animal.

What equipment do you need?

So, you cannot make this product manually, so you will have to buy equipment for the production of granulated feed. In principle, you don’t need any very expensive machines, but when choosing devices you need to pay attention to their performance and quality. That is, give preference only to those manufacturers who have proven themselves well in the market.

So, for work you will need the following devices:

A crusher with which you can grind grain.

Granulator. It can have holes of different diameters. This determines how small the granules will be. A standard granulator can produce approximately 60-130 kg of product per hour.

Screw press for granulated feed. Thanks to it, the mixture is forced through the holes.

Hay dryer and chopper.

If you prefer to grow your own ingredients for later processing, then you will also need a mower.

As you can see, you can organize such a business quite quickly, especially since the equipment has a relatively low cost.

Is it possible to build a homemade granulator?

If you want to make feed only for your own farm, you must know how to make a device for producing granulated feed yourself. Moreover, you don’t have to buy too expensive spare parts. You can make some design elements from scrap materials.

The process of constructing the presented device is not complicated and consists of several stages:

Matrix production. It is through this element that the mixture will pass and turn into granules.
Rollers for skating rinks. The size of this element must correspond to the diameter of the working area of the matrix.
Frame. It is made from some kind of durable vessel (an old barrel) or sheet metal. The container should be divided into 2 parts: a compartment for raw materials and a receiving part for granules.
The output shaft of the gearbox is installed at the bottom of the device.
A frame made of metal corners on which the entire structure will be installed.

The assembled granulator will need to be painted to prevent rusting.

Product production technology

It's quite simple. The production of granulated feed occurs in several stages:

Drying ingredients;

Crushing grain and other feed components;

Mixing all elements into a single mixture;

Processing the “porridge” using a press – granulation;

Cooling or drying of finished elements;

Packing and packaging of the finished product.

Today, in large industries, there are entire lines that can do all these actions automatically. However, to get started, simple machines will suffice. In any case, you can always expand your business.

In connection with the widespread introduction into practice of the method of preparing and feeding feed to farm animals, many studies have been carried out to determine the effect of these feeds on the physiological processes of digestion and on the digestive organs of animals.
In finishing steers fed pellets alone, there was a decrease in the strength of rumen contractions, but no significant difference in the number of rumen contractions was noted. During 4-6 months of feeding with pellets, bulls undergo partial erasing of the papillae of the rumen mucosa, but this, according to many researchers, does not negatively affect the absorption of nutrients through the rumen wall into the blood.

Compared to growing young animals, ruminal fermentation occurs less intensely and food passes more quickly from the proventriculus to other parts of the digestive canal. Education in young cattle livestock A larger amount of saliva between chewing periods compared to adult animals contributes to better wetting of the feed and increases the buffering of the rumen contents. All this allowed researchers involved in the study to consider it possible and advisable to use complete pellets prepared with the inclusion of roughage as the only feed for fattening bulls.
Granules prepared with the addition of roughage as the only feed in feeding dairy cows and replacement upskirt not suitable.
Experiments carried out in the GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany, in which dairy cows were fed alone granules over a longer period of time, showed that in animals not only productivity and fat content in milk decrease, but also rumen activity and health deteriorate. The force of contraction of the scar decreases, and the number of contractions decreases by 1.5-2 times. Cows develop acidosis and ketosis. To improve the functioning of the rumen and increase the digestion of nutrients, according to experts, the total amount of all components of the diet should contain at least 35% of feed (calculated on a dry matter basis), crushed into particles longer than 8 mm. It is believed that in the diet of cows consuming 18-22 kg of dry matter per day, 7-9 kg of which should be bulk feed (silage, hay, etc.). It is usually recommended to feed granulated feed mixtures with no more than 50-60% nutritional value. In this case, the productivity of cows increases.
Prolonged feeding of heifers with granulated feed alone also leads to negative results. It has been established that when feeding heifers from 4 to 12 months of age with hay, silage and concentrates, weight gain upskirt were approximately 100 g per day higher than when feeding them straw-grain pellets with the addition of diammonium phosphate. The amount of dry matter in the diets of heifers of both groups was similar, 5.1 and 5.5 kg, respectively, but the content of digestible protein was 25% less in the diet consisting of pellets. After 8 months of feeding, it was revealed that in heifers receiving pelleted feed, the muscular layer of the rumen wall was weak, and fatty deposits were observed along the blood vessels. The force of contraction of the rumen was 4 times, and the frequency of contractions was 40% less than in heifers that were fed in the usual way. Digestion of feed was also different. The overall digestibility of nutrients was lower when feeding the granulated feed mixture. Moreover, digestibility decreased significantly in the stomach. In the intestines, it increased slightly compared to the digestibility of nutrients in heifers receiving non-pelleted feed. When protein digestibility was low in heifers that consumed pellets, nitrogen utilization was higher.
In heifers of breeding age, the undesirable consequences of feeding only pellets were even more obvious. Experiments were carried out on heifers with a live weight of 400-450 kg, in which animals in the control group received a diet consisting of 57.2%, 14.3% alfalfa hay, 28.5% barley hay in terms of nutritional value. From mineral feed, heifers received 50 g of diammonium phosphate per day. Granules consisted of 68.30% artificially dried green corn, 14.9% alfalfa, 16.8% barley turf and 12 g of diammonium phosphate per 1 kg of mixture. The heifers of the experimental group received 9 kg of pellets, 1 kg of which contained 0.7 feed. units and 118-120 kg of digestible protein. Animals in the control group were given natural food in the following quantities: corn silage - 20 kg, alfalfa hay - 2, barley derti - 2 kg. The diets for both groups of animals were equivalent in dry matter and digestible protein. was different. In the control diet, heifers ate 84.5% of the specified amount of silage, granules- by 92.2%. Taking into account the actually eaten feed, the total nutritional value of the diet of heifers in the control group was 6.6 feed units, and in the experimental group - 6.3 feed units. units In heifers that received granules, the intensity of rumen work decreased. The time for chewing has also decreased several times. stern. As a result, the nutrients in the pellets were less digested than in a multi-component diet consisting of non-pellet feed. Moreover, all nutrients were digested 5-7% less.

In connection with the widespread introduction into practice of the method of preparing and feeding feed in granular form to farm animals, many studies have been carried out to determine the effect of these feeds on the physiological processes of digestion and on the digestive organs of animals.

In finishing steers fed pellets alone, there was a decrease in the strength of rumen contractions, but no significant difference in the number of rumen contractions was noted. During 4-6 months of feeding with pellets, bulls undergo partial erasing of the papillae of the rumen mucosa, but this, according to many researchers, does not negatively affect the absorption of nutrients through the rumen wall into the blood. Compared to adult cattle, in growing young animals, ruminal fermentation occurs less intensely and food passes more quickly from the proventriculus to other parts of the digestive canal. The formation of a larger amount of saliva in young cattle compared to adult animals between periods of chewing promotes better wetting of feed and increases the buffering of rumen contents. All this allowed researchers involved in the feeding and physiology of animal nutrition to consider it possible and advisable to use complete pellets prepared with the inclusion of roughage as the only feed when fattening bulls.

Pellets prepared with the addition of roughage are not suitable as the only feed for feeding dairy cows and replacement heifers.

Experiments carried out in the German Democratic Republic and Germany, in which dairy cows were fed pellets alone for a longer period of time, showed that not only the productivity and fat content of milk decreases in animals, but also rumen activity and health deteriorate. The force of contraction of the scar decreases, and the number of contractions decreases by 1.5-2 times. Cows develop acidosis and ketosis. To improve the functioning of the rumen and increase the digestion of nutrients, according to experts, the total amount of all components of the diet should contain at least 35% of feed (calculated on a dry matter basis), crushed into particles longer than 8 mm. It is believed that in the diet of cows consuming 18-22 kg of dry matter per day, 7-9 kg of which should be bulk feed (silage, hay, etc.). It is usually recommended to feed granulated feed mixtures with no more than 50-60% nutritional value. In this case, the productivity of cows increases.

Prolonged feeding of heifers with granulated feed alone also leads to negative results. It was found that when feeding heifers from 4 to 12 months of age with hay, silage and concentrates, the weight gain of heifers was approximately 100 g per day higher than when feeding them straw-grain pellets with the addition of grass meal and diammonium phosphate. The amount of dry matter in the diets of heifers of both groups was similar, 5.1 and 5.5 kg, respectively, but the content of digestible protein was 25% less in the diet consisting of pellets. After 8 months of feeding, it was revealed that in heifers receiving pelleted feed, the muscular layer of the rumen wall was weak, and fatty deposits were observed along the blood vessels. The strength of rumen contraction was 4 times, and the frequency of contractions was 40% less than in heifers that were fed hay, silage and concentrates in the usual way. Digestion of feed was also different. The overall digestibility of nutrients was lower when feeding the granulated feed mixture. Moreover, digestibility decreased significantly in the stomach. In the intestines, it increased slightly compared to the digestibility of nutrients in heifers receiving non-pelleted feed. When protein digestibility was low in heifers that consumed pellets, nitrogen utilization was higher.

In heifers of breeding age, the undesirable consequences of feeding only pellets were even more obvious. Experiments were carried out on heifers with a live weight of 400-450 kg, in which animals in the control group received a diet consisting of 57.2% corn silage, 14.3% alfalfa hay, 28.5% barley turf in terms of nutritional value. From mineral feed, heifers received 50 g of diammonium phosphate per day. The granules consisted of 68.30% artificially dried green corn, 14.9% alfalfa, 16.8% barley dirt and 12 g diammonium phosphate per 1 kg of mixture. The heifers of the experimental group received 9 kg of pellets, 1 kg of which contained 0.7 feed. units and 118-120 kg of digestible protein. Animals in the control group were given natural food in the following quantities: corn silage - 20 kg, alfalfa hay - 2, barley derti - 2 kg. The diets for both groups of animals were equivalent in dry matter and digestible protein. The palatability of the feed varied. In the control diet, heifers ate 84.5% of the specified amount of silage, and 92.2% of pellets. Taking into account the actually eaten feed, the total nutritional value of the diet of heifers in the control group was 6.6 feed units, and in the experimental group - 6.3 feed units. units In heifers receiving pellets, the intensity of rumen work decreased. The time for chewing food has also decreased several times. As a result, the nutrients in the pellets were less digested than in the multicomponent diet, being from non-pelleted feed. Moreover, all nutrients were digested 5-7% less.

Just as when feeding dairy cows, the greatest effect from feeding pellets is achieved when they are given no more than 50-60% nutritional value in a mixture with silage and other bulky feeds.

In order for rabbits to develop properly, gain weight and not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to select a well-balanced feed containing all the necessary nutrients and minerals.

To prepare feed for rabbits, special enterprises use natural ingredients mixed in certain proportions. Compound feed for rabbits usually includes the following ingredients:

What is compound feed

Compound feed is a mixture of plant materials containing the necessary set of vitamins and microelements that nourish a pet. First it is crushed, then mixed, pressed and divided into granules. Therefore, it is also considered a pelleted food.

All feedstuffs are divided into:

Full blown;
Feed additives;
Feed concentrates.

Complete feeds fully satisfy the animal's nutritional needs and do not require additives. Concentrates are usually added to mixtures of succulent and roughage feeds. And the supplements contain a set of vitamin-mineral and protein complexes.

A unique percentage of ingredients used in the feed has been developed specifically for each group of rabbits:

Pregnant and lactating individuals;
Fur breeds;
Meat breeds;
Young animals;
Adults.

Green feed

Green food is well absorbed by rabbits and is rich in nutrients. Nutrient mixtures of legumes and legumes-cereals are especially useful for animals:

Adding green food to the diet allows you to reduce the amount of grain and significantly reduce the cost of food.

Rabbits can eat almost all meadow, steppe and forest herbaceous plants. And the wild ones that are useful are:

In spring, it is better to add herbs to your diet in small doses. During this period, the basis of the feed is hay. Freshly cut grass contains more useful substances and is easily digested by animals, while it is advisable to dry wet grass first.

Adult rabbits are given 1-1.5 kg of grass, and young rabbits 150-500 g.

In the fall, rabbits can add the following to their food:

Potato tops;
Carrot;
BeetrootNo.
Cabbage leaves;
Turnips.

In order to do this, it is better to wash and dry the root vegetables. Tops are added to the food of rabbits, starting from 150 g for adults and 30 g for young animals.

Roughage

Rabbits eat straw

Rough feeds include:

Hay;
Straw;
Tree branches without leaves.

Bean and legume-cereal hay is considered especially valuable. If there is a lack of hay, you can include pea, oat or millet straw in the diet.

If digestion is impaired, animals can be fed oak and alder branches. And from other trees branches are suitable for food:

Branches can be given no more than 200 g per day per individual.

Roots

Rabbits eat gardening waste, corn, root and tuber vegetables, and melons. This type of food saturates animals with carbohydrates and vitamins that are easily digestible. It is recommended to pre-boil and chop potatoes, feeding them together with mixed feed and bran. It is better to chop fresh root vegetables before serving to rabbits.

Silage

Silage is a mass of healthy root crops, herbs and vegetables, which is perfect for winter feeding of animals. The silage is poured into a barrel, after which it is compacted and covered with film, straw and earth. You can sprinkle plant humus on top with sawdust from non-resinous tree species, and then cover it with clay. The duration of the process is about two months.

The starter mixture is made from the following ingredients: radishes, carrots, turnips, herbs, legumes. This mass is crushed and loaded into a barrel. You need to pour 1-2% table salt on top, and then compact it until the juice appears, covering it with a wooden circle on top.

Adult rabbits can be given no more than 300 g of the mixture, and young rabbits up to 100 grams. It is better to add chalk to the feed at the rate of one to four per 100 g.

Animals and vitamin-mineral feeds

Animal feed includes:

Cow's milk (whole);
Buttermilk;
Serum;
Meal (meat, bone, meat, blood, fish).

Whole and skim cow's milk, buttermilk or whey are mixed with other mixtures at a rate of 5-10 g per rabbit per day.

Young animals and lactating rabbits are given 5 g of whole milk. Meat, fish or meat and bone meal contains 20-60% protein, it is introduced into mixtures at 1-2% by weight.

The diet of rabbits must include vitamins A, D, E, B12. Especially during the off-season. Together with silage or fermented green food, animals are fully provided with vitamin A during this period. Pine and spruce branches supply the body of rabbits with carotene.

Concentrated feed

This group includes grain feed and compound feed. The diet of animals must include at least 40-50% of concentrated nutritious feed. It's better to mix the grain. Grain feeds suitable for rabbits include:

Grains of cereals and legumes must be crushed for better absorption. It is recommended to soak cakes and bran or give them in combination with root vegetables and silage.

Corn must be crushed or soaked, and millet is brewed. Maslenitsa seeds can be given whole.

The concentrate can be mixed with dried, peeled, ground acorns. There are several standard recipes for rabbit feed.

Feed recipe as a percentage of the total weight.

Component	Feed including a complete diet. For young individuals.	Concentrate
For adults	For young individuals
PC 90-1	K 93-1	K 92-02	K 91-3
Herbal meal	30	40	—	—
Ground oats	19	—	30	40
Ground barley	19	30	45	45
Wheat bran	15	5	12	—
Sunflower cake	13	10	12	8
2	—	—	6
Hydrolytic yeast	1	2	—	—
Ground peas	—	8	—	—
Molasses	—	2.5	—	—
Bone flour	0.5	—	—	—
Meat and bone meal	—	1.4	—	—
Feed phosphate	—	0.8	—	—
Salt	0.5	0.3	0.5	0.5
Chalk	—	—	0.5	0.5
100 g of feed contains g:
Feed units	84	95
Crude protein	17.8	15.8	15.8	16.3
Twisted protein	13.6	13.5	12.3	13
Crude fiber	11.1	12.2	8.7	4.9
Phosphorus	0.59	0.58	0.45	0.56
Calcium	0.96	0.4	0.45	0.69

Compound feed concentrates are added to the feed along with hay and grass. As a rule, it is made in the form of granules.

Do-it-yourself compound feed

Granular feed is high in calories, and animals grow faster on it., than with other types of feed, it is easier to work with. It is cheaper to make compound feed with your own hands, but for this you will have to buy special equipment:

To grind the mass you will need a meat grinder or mixer. You can take a special device for mixing cement (drill) or buy an extruder; with its help you can quickly produce large volumes of feed. To press feed into granules, a granulator is used, which allows you to adjust the size of the produced granules.

It is better to cover the drill while mixing the mass so that the feed does not spray out. The ingredients should be taken and added in the proportions described in the recipe for the feed recommended for rabbits.

Rabbit diet

When feeding rabbits with compound feed, it is better to add hay. Young animals can be given up to 30% hay from the total volume of the mixture.

Pelleted feed contains approximately 40% grass meal, so it has a nutritional value of 80 units per 100 g. 100 g of hay contains about 40 calories. This must be taken into account when combining a mixture of hay and feed.

Depending on the breed and condition, rabbits are prescribed different diets:

Breeding rabbits during the non-mating period are given up to 180 g of mixture per day. During the mating period, the same breed is given 230 g. Pregnant queens are given 180 - 170 g.

Lactating rabbits together with baby rabbits, which are from 1 to 10 days old, are given 330-110 g per day. For female rabbits with rabbits from 11 to 20 days - 440-190 g. If rabbits are from 21 to 30 days - 560-200 g. If cubs are from 31 to 45 days - 700-230 g.

Young rabbits from 46-60 days are given 140 g per day. Rabbits 61-90 days old are given 205 g. Young rabbits 90 to 120 days old are given 280 g per day. Replacement young animals after 120 days receive 200 g.

When feeding granulated feed, you need to calculate how much feed you will need for the year. Calculations can be made according to the following scheme:

What you need to know about compound feed

It is not worth buying compound feed in reserve, because it quickly deteriorates and harms the rabbit’s stomach. When stored for a long time, toxins and bacteria are activated.

It is better to store feed in plastic bags in a cool, dry, dark place.