International Grains Program

Feed Manufacturing Short Course

Overview

The two week IGP Feed Manufacturing Short Course is a comprehensive course covering ingredient selection, feed formulation, feed manufacturing and the feeding of animal feeds with class room courses and work, laboratory demonstrations and field visits to actual farm and feed milling operations. The course is designed for persons with some or no feed milling experience to introduce them to the whole scope of feed manufacturing. It will also be of interest and value to both non-feed and other feed industry personnel and executives.

Lectures are given by university professors and feed industry executives. Laboratory demonstrations are conducted in the Kansas State University pilot feed mill and extrusion plant. Field trips are escorted by IGP staff members.

The following is a syllabus of the course work by category and subject.

A. Introduction

1. U. S. Grain Production and Marketing System - An overview of how grain is produced, marketed and transported in the United States.
2. World Feed Industry - An overview of world feed production capacities as related to ingredients, types of animals and manufacturing practices, and the use of world grain production.
3. Tour of Kansas State Pilot Feed Mill and Extrusion Plant - An introductory tour of the feed and petfood manufacturing facilities at Kansas State University

B. Ingredient Selection

1. The Federal Grain Inspection Service - An understanding how the service is organized operates and the roll it plays in grain procurement and storage.
2. Grain Grading Practicum - A basic introduction to grain grading and how the different grains are rated for value, specific uses and characteristics.
3. Benefits and Risks of Genetically Modified Grains - An introduction to the differences found in genetically modified grains and the uses, purposes, advantages and disadvantages of these grains.

C. Feed Formulation

1. Feed Formulation for Poultry - An introduction to poultry feed formulation including processing methods and feeding results.
2. Feed Formulation for Ruminants - An introduction to ruminant feed formulation including processing methods and feeding results.
3. Feed Formulation for Swine - An introduction to swine feed formulation including processing methods and feeding results.

D. Feed Processing

1 Receiving - An explanation of proper receiving, cleaning and testing procedures to insure the quality and proper handling of each ingredient received.
2. Grinding - A description of various equipment such as hammermills and roller mills as used for proper particle sizing and processing of grains and other feed ingredients including how to analyze particle size distribution as related to feed processing requirements and animal performance.
3. Mixing - A review of mixer types and their applications to the feed manufacturing process including measurement of mixing performance.
4. Pelleting - A explanation and review of pellet feeds and the pelleting process including test for pellet durability.
5. Extrusion - An explanation and review of the extrusion process and its application to petfood, fish feed and other specialty feeds.

E. Quality Assurance

1. Quality Assured Receiving - Procedures for proper ingredient specifications, procurement, receiving and testing including appropriate tests and procedures.
2. Molds and Mycotoxins - The affect of molds and mycotoxins, rules affecting them, and how to identify them and their presence.
3. Maintaining Quality of Stored Grain - How to properly handle and store grain for extended periods of time while maintaining grain quality.
4. Plant Quality Control - The use of Statistical Process Control and other methods to measure mill performance and efficiency, and determine finished product quality.
5. Plant Sanitation - An understanding of proper procedures and methods to eliminate or control insect, bird and rodent and other animal affects on the mill, ingredients and finished products.

F. Mill Design and Operation

1. Process Flow - An introduction to process flow and how to prepare, read and use process flow diagrams in the mill.
2. Material Handling - An introduction to the characteristics of material handling and flow for proper equipment and bin design including angle of repose and coefficients of static and dynamic friction.
3. Equipment Selection - A review of the types of material handling and processing equipment available and the proper selection and application of each for the intended purpose.
4. Feed Mill Design - An overview of principles of design and construction for a feed mill.
5. Electricity and Control - A basic understanding of electrical power and controls, including automation, as used in the feed manufacturing industry.
6. Steam Generation - The proper use of steam in feed processing including steam system design and operations of a boiler and its associated equipment.
7. Safety and Dust Control - An emphasis on safe plant operations and how to perform and monitor them including the dangers of dust explosions and how to minimize or avoid them.

G. Laboratory Demonstrations

1. Grinding - A demonstration of a hammermill, roller mill, and other grain sizing equipment and how to perform a particle size analysis.
2. Mixing - A demonstration of mixers in operation mixing dry ingredients, the addition of liquids, and how to determine mixer performance and mix uniformity.
3. Pelleting - A demonstration of pelleting and how the pelleting equipment and system work including how to measure pellet quality using the tumbling can Pellet Durability Index to determine pellet quality.
4. Extrusion - An introduction to the extrusion process and feed products made with the process.

H. Field Trips

1. Soybean Processing Plant - Visit a large commercial soybean processing facility.
2. Feed Manufacturing Plants - Visit selected commercial and/or large dedicated species feed mills and animal complexes.
3. Related Farm Visits - Visit farms and observe feed handling and dispersion systems and procedures.
4. Other Points of Interest - Visit other feed manufacturing or special use facilities as they are available.

The course includes appropriate books, literature and other handout materials for the participants' use and application.