GB2304298A - An animal feed production system - Google Patents

Abstract

An animal feed production system has ingredient materials collected at intake hoppers 10, 14 for delivery to storage bins 12, 17. From the storage bin 12, 17, selected ingredient materials are weighed in weighers 19, 23 and delivered to holding bins 22. Apparatus is provided for the efficient handling of poultry offal for delivery of the poultry offal from the intake hopper 14 to an associated storage bin 17 and for the discharge of poultry offal from the storage bin 17 to the weigher 23. From the holding bins 22, the material is delivered through a grinder 34 and then through a filter 36a to a charge bin 37. The ingredient materials are delivered from the charge bin 37 into a mixer 38. Oil ingredient materials including tallow and soya oil are delivered into a weighing tank 43 and then into the mixer 38 for mixture with the dry ingredient materials and with water which is delivered into the mixer 38. A feed mix produced in the mixer 38 is delivered to either both feed storage bins 48 or to pellet meal bins 49. Feed material from the pellet meal bin 49 is pelletised and delivered to pellet bins.

Description

"An Animal Feed Production System" This invention relates to an animal feed production system, in particular for producing pig and poultry feeds.

In the production of pig and poultry feeds where poultry offal is used as an ingredient material, this presents handling problems due to the relatively high oil content and viscosity of this material. To facilitate handling, the poultry offal is typically mixed with a dry ingredient material and may be handled separately from other ingredient materials which is inconvenient and inefficient from a production point of view. Further, oils such as tallow are widely used as ingredient materials in feeds.

Due to its corrosive and viscous nature, tallow presents difficulties in the accurate measurement of quantities of tallow for batches of feed mix with the consequent variation in product consistency and quality.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an animal feed production system which overcomes these and other problems for the production of a high quality feed in an efficient manner.

According to the invention, there is provided an animal feed production system comprising the steps of: receiving grain ingredient material at a first intake hopper and conveying the grain to one of a number of grain storage bins; receiving additional ingredient materials, including poultry offal at a second intake hopper; discharging the additional ingredient material from the second intake hopper to one of a number of storage bins; discharging preset amounts of one or more selected grain ingredient material from the grain storage bins to a grain weigher; conveying weighed grain ingredient materials from the grain weigher to a holding bin; discharging preset quantities of one or more selected additional ingredient materials from their storage bins to a second weigher; discharging a preselected amount of poultry offal into the second weigher by means of a plurality of juxtaposed screw augers mounted at an outlet of the poultry offal storage bin, the screw augers mounted across and forming a base of the poultry offal storage bin which has vertical sidewalls; conveying weighed additional ingredient materials from the second weigher to a holding bin; emptying ingredient materials from a holding bin through a grinder; grinding the ingredient materials to a pre-desired maximum particle size in the grinder; delivering the ground ingredient materials into a mixer; delivering out predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials into the mixer; adding a preset volume of water to the mixer; and mixing the ingredient materials in the mixer to form a feed mix.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials are prepared by : weighing out predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials into an oil weighing tank; and discharging the oil into the mixer.

Preferably the system includes the steps, after mixing, of : discharging the feed mix from the mixer into a mixed meal bin; closing an outlet of the mixer to prepare the mixer for another charge of ingredient materials; and conveying the feed mix from the mixed meal bin to either bulk meal storage bins or pelletiser meal bins.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the additional ingredient material is discharged from the second intake hopper by means of a discharge auger having a pair of juxtaposed screws for delivery to one of a number of storage bins. Preferably the weighed grain ingredient materials from the grain weigher are conveyed to an associated pair of holding bins, and the weighed additional ingredient materials are conveyed from the second weigher to the same holding bin as the grain ingredient materials. Preferably the system includes the step of filling one of the holding bins with ingredient materials while at the same time emptying the ingredient materials from the other holding bin through the grinder.

In one embodiment of the invention the system includes the step of passing ingredient materials discharged from the grinder through a filter to the charge bin. Preferably the ground ingredient materials are delivered into the mixer by dropping the ground ingredient materials from the charge bin into a mixer mounted directly below the charge bin.

In another embodiment of the invention the process further includes the steps : delivering the feed mix from a pelletiser meal bin through a conditioner to a pelletiser; pelletising the feed mix in the pelletiser thus forming a pelletised feed; cooling the pelletised feed in a cooler downstream of the pelletiser; passing the pellets over a vibrating sieve to remove fines; delivering the pellets to a pellet storage bin; discharging preset amounts of pellets from the pellet storage bins on demand, the pellets being carried on a conveyor from an outlet of the pellet storage bin and being delivered through a sieve to a truck filling chute; and delivering fines removed from the pellets in the sieve for addition to associated material being conveyed to the ingredient material holding bins.

In this case, preferably the system includes the step of extracting dust from the cooler and discharging the dust into a settling chamber and venting air from the settling chamber, dust collected being delivered for addition to associated material being conveyed to the holding bins.

The invention also provides animal feed whenever produced by the system of the invention.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an animal feed production system according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of an ingredient intake portion of the system; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a weighing station used in the system; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the weighing station; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of ingredient material holding bins used in the system; Fig. 6 is a plan view of dust handling apparatus used in the system; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a feed discharge station used in the system; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of feed recycling apparatus used in the system; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a waste feed collecting bin used in the system.

Referring to the drawings, an animal feed production system according to the invention will be described.

Ingredient materials are delivered to intake hoppers, namely a first intake hopper 10 for grains such as wheat and barley which are delivered through a rubble remover to bulk grain storage bins 12. At a second intake hopper 14, additional ingredient materials are received. These additional ingredient materials include fish and bone meal and poultry offal. It will be appreciated that these ingredient materials have a relatively high oil content, in some cases up to about 40%. This presents handling problems. To overcome this, a twin screw auger 15 is provided at an outlet of the second intake hopper 14 for discharging material from the second intake hopper 14 to an elevator 16 for delivery to one of a number of ingredient storage bins 17.

Selected grain ingredient materials are delivered from one or more of the grain storage bins 12 into a grain weigher 19 and then delivered via an elevator 20 to one of two holding bins 22.

At the same time, additional ingredient materials from the bins 17 are delivered into a second weigher 23 mounted beneath the bins 17. The bins 17 and weigher 23 are shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. As can be seen, the bins 17 are arranged above and along each side of the weigher 23. Each bin 17 has an associated discharge auger 24 for discharging material from the bin 17 into the weigher 23.

A bin 17a holding the high oil content poultry offal has four juxtaposed augers 25 for discharging poultry offal from the bin 17a. Rather than having tapered sides as would be typical for feeding material to a discharge auger, the poultry offal storage bin 17a has vertical sides feeding material to the row of juxtaposed discharge augers 25 arranged across and forming a bottom of the storage bin 17a. If a tapered outlet end was provided on the bin 17a, the poultry offal would join in the outlet thus preventing discharge. The arrangement of the invention advantageously discharges the poultry offal in an efficient manner overcoming the problems arising due to the viscous nature of the poultry offal.

When the required amounts of selected ingredient material from the bins 17 are collected in the weigher 23, they are then delivered to the elevator 20 for delivery to one of the holding bins 22 along with the grain from the grain weigher 19.

The holding bins 22 are shown in more detail in Fig. 5.

The holding bins 22 have a generally cylindrical body 26 with an inwardly tapering lower end 27 leading to an outlet 28. A pair of feed chutes 29,30 communicate between an upper end of the elevator 20 and an inlet at a top of each holding bin 22. A flap 31 mounted at an inlet end of the chutes 29,30 is pivotally movable to close one of the chutes 29,30 to the holding bins 22 so that in operation one of the holding bins 22 will be filling the other holding bin 22 will be emptying. This advantageously increases the speed of the process as there is no lag time waiting for a holding bin 22 to fill before discharging the contents of the holding bin 22.

Material discharged from a holding bin 22 passes through a shaker 33 to provide an even flow of material into a grinder 34. Within the grinder 34, the ingredient materials are ground to a desired size and then discharged through a dust extractor 35 to a storage hopper 32. From the storage hopper 32, material is delivered to an elevator 36 for delivery through a sieve 36a into a charge bin 37. Material removed in the sieve 36a is collected and returned for recycling as described later with reference to Figs. 8 and 9.

The materials are then discharged from the charge bin 37 into a mixer 38 located beneath the charge bin 37. Within the mixer 38, the ingredient materials are thoroughly mixed to form an homogenous feed mixture. Liquid ingredient materials are delivered to the mixer 38 for addition to the mixture within the mixer 38. The liquid ingredient materials include water, a selected volume of water being delivered into the mixer 38. The liquid ingredient materials also include oils, selected from grade 2 tallow, grade 4 tallow and soya oil which are stored in tanks 40, 41 and 42 respectively. Other suitable oils may alternatively be used. The tallow tanks 40, 41 are insulated and each have a heating coil and temperature controller to maintain the tallow at a preset desired temperature.Selected quantities of one or more of the oils are delivered from the tanks 40, 41 and 42 into an oil weighing tank 43 hung on load cells in which a desired quantity of oil measured by weight is collected prior to discharging to the mixer 38 for mixing with the dry ingredient materials. It will be appreciated that by weighing the oils at preset temperatures, the required amount of oil can be accurately controlled for each batch of ingredient material passing through the mixer 38. This greatly assists in producing a consistent and high quality feed mixture. Further, it eliminates the problems associated with trying to measure the oil quantity by volume.

When the ingredient materials have been mixed in the mixer 38, they are discharged into a mixed meal bin 45 located directly below the mixer 38. A new charge of dry ingredient materials can then be delivered from the charge bin 37 into the mixer 38. From the mixed meal bin 45, the feed material is delivered by means of an elevator 47 to either bulk feed storage bins 48 or to pellet meal bins 49. The meal may optionally be delivered through a molasses adder 50 prior to delivery to the bins 48,49.

Meal from the pellet meal bins 49 is delivered through a conditioner and then through a pelletiser to form the meal into feed pellets of a desirable size. Pellets discharged from the pelletiser are delivered through a cooler for cooling the pellets which are subsequently passed over a sieve before delivery to pellet bins 60 (Fig. 7). A pellet cooler 55 is shown schematically in Fig. 6. An extractor fan is mounted on the cooler 55 for extracting dust from the cooler and delivering the dust through an exhaust duct 56 into a dust settling chamber 57. Within the dust settling chamber 57, the dust can settle gradually and clean air is vented out of the chamber 57 through a louvred door 58 or the like in a sidewall of the chamber 57. Thus, advantageously the considerable amount of dust generated at the cooler 55 is controlled to minimise release of dust into the air.Further, the dust collected is recycled as described below with reference to Figs. 8 and 9.

Referring to Fig. 7, pellets are delivered from each pellet bin 60 on demand for filling a lorry 7 located on a weighbridge 71 beneath the pellet bins 60. Pellets discharged from each bin 60 are carried on a conveyor 62 and passed through a sieve 63 having an outlet chute 64 for filling the lorry 70. Fines sieved from the pellets are delivered via a chute 65 into a portable tote bin 66 for recycling.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the tote bin 66 is transportable by means of a forklift truck and can be mounted on a platform 67 above an inlet 68 to a feed screw 69 for delivery onto a conveyor 73 feeding the elevator 20 with material from the grain weigher 19. In this way, advantageously fines collected from the various sieves and filters throughout the system can be recycled to increase efficiency and reduce wastage.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides an improved animal feed production system, in particular for producing pig and poultry feeds. The handling of poultry offal is carried out in an efficient and streamlined manner. Further, the handling and delivery of oils such as tallow can be accurately controlled for batches of feed mix ensuring the production of a more consistent product of improved quality. This is particularly important for the production of pelletised feeds where even relatively small variations in oil content can adversely affect the binding of materials in pellets and lead to a deterioration of the pellet during handling. Also, the recycling of sieved material directed at various stages of the process is carried out in a cost efficient and simple fashion.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (12)

1. An animal feed production system comprising the steps of: receiving grain ingredient material at a first intake hopper and conveying the grain to one of a number of grain storage bins; receiving additional ingredient materials, including poultry offal at a second intake hopper; discharging the additional ingredient material from the second intake hopper to one of a number of storage bins; discharging preset amounts of one or more selected grain ingredient material from the grain storage bins to a grain weigher; conveying weighed grain ingredient materials from the grain weigher to a holding bin; discharging preset quantities of one or more selected additional ingredient materials from their storage bins to a second weigher;; discharging a preselected amount of poultry offal into the second weigher by means of a plurality of juxtaposed screw augers mounted at an outlet of the poultry offal storage bin, the screw augers mounted across and forming a base of the poultry offal storage bin which has vertical sidewalls; conveying weighed additional ingredient materials from the second weigher to a holding bin; emptying ingredient materials from a holding bin through a grinder; grinding the ingredient materials to a pre-desired maximum particle size in the grinder; delivering the ground ingredient materials into a mixer; delivering out predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials into the mixer; adding a preset volume of water to the mixer; and mixing the ingredient materials in the mixer to form a feed mix.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials are prepared by : weighing out predesired quantities of one or more selected oil ingredient materials into an oil weighing tank; and discharging the oil into the mixer.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including the steps, after mixing, of discharging the feed mix from the mixer into a mixed meal bin; closing an outlet of the mixer to prepare the mixer for another charge of ingredient materials; and conveying the feed mix from the mixed meal bin to either bulk meal storage bins or pelletiser meal bins.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the additional ingredient material is discharged from the second intake hopper by means of a discharge auger having a pair of juxtaposed screws for delivery to one of a number of storage bins.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the weighed grain ingredient materials from the grain weigher are conveyed to an associated pair of holding bins, and the weighed additional ingredient materials are conveyed from the second weigher to the same holding bin as the grain ingredient materials.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 including the step of filling one of the holding bins with ingredient materials while at the same time emptying the ingredient materials from the other holding bin through the grinder.

7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim including the step of passing ingredient materials discharged from the grinder through a filter to the charge bin.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the ground ingredient materials are delivered into the mixer by dropping the ground ingredient materials from the charge bin into a mixer mounted directly below the charge bin.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the process further includes the steps : delivering the feed mix from a pelletiser meal bin through a conditioner to a pelletiser; pelletising the feed mix in the pelletiser thus forming a pelletised feed; cooling the pelletised feed in a cooler downstream of the pelletiser; passing the pellets over a vibrating sieve to remove fines; delivering the pellets to a pellet storage bin; discharging preset amounts of pellets from the pellet storage bins on demand, the pellets being carried on a conveyor from an outlet of the pellet storage bin and being delivered through a sieve to a truck filling chute; and delivering fines removed from the pellets in the sieve for addition to associated material being conveyed to the ingredient material holding bins.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 including the step of extracting dust from the cooler and discharging the dust into a settling chamber and venting air from the settling chamber, dust collected being delivered for addition to associated material being conveyed to the holding bins.

11. An animal feed production system substantially as hereinbefore described in the accompanying drawings.

12. Animal feed whenever produced by the system as claimed in any preceding claim.