Product Description
Here are the steps to make fish feed using an extruder: ### 1. Raw material preparation - **Protein sources**: Select high - quality protein sources such as fish meal, soybean meal, meat and bone meal, or other plant - based proteins. Fish meal is rich in essential amino acids and highly palatable to fish. Soybean meal is a common and cost - effective alternative, but it may need to be properly processed to reduce anti - nutritional factors. - **Carbohydrate sources**: Corn, wheat, and rice bran are common carbohydrate sources. Carbohydrates provide energy for fish. They should be ground into fine powder to ensure good mixing and processing. - **Lipid sources**: Add fats and oils like fish oil, soybean oil, or animal fats. Lipids are important for energy storage, vitamin absorption, and improving the palatability of the feed. - **Minerals and vitamins**: Include a premix of essential minerals (such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) and vitamins (like vitamin A, D, E, and B - complex). These are crucial for the growth, health, and immune function of fish. - **Binder**: Use binders like wheat gluten, gelatin, or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Binders help to hold the feed particles together during extrusion and prevent them from disintegrating quickly in water. ### 2. Mixing the raw materials - **Dry mixing**: Put all the dry ingredients (protein sources, carbohydrate sources, minerals, and vitamins) into a large mixer. Mix them thoroughly for about 10 - 15 minutes to ensure an even distribution of all components. - **Wet mixing**: Add the lipid sources and a certain amount of water (usually 15 - 30% of the total mixture weight) to the dry mixture. Continue mixing for another 5 - 10 minutes until the mixture reaches a uniform, dough - like consistency. The amount of water added affects the texture and expansion of the final feed product. ### 3. Extrusion process - **Pre - heat the extruder**: Turn on the extruder and pre - heat the barrel and die to the appropriate temperature. The temperature setting depends on the type of raw materials and the desired properties of the feed. Generally, for fish feed extrusion, the barrel temperature ranges from 100 - 180°C. The feed zone may be at a relatively lower temperature (around 100 - 120°C), and the die end at a higher temperature (150 - 180°C). - **Feed the mixture**: Load the well - mixed raw material into the hopper of the extruder. The screw of the extruder will convey the mixture forward through the barrel. As the mixture moves along the barrel, it is subjected to increasing pressure and temperature. - **Extrusion and shaping**: The heated and pressurized mixture is forced through a die of a specific shape. Common die shapes for fish feed include pellets, sticks, or flakes. The high - pressure and high - temperature conditions in the extruder cause the feed to expand and cook, improving its digestibility and water stability. ### 4. Post - extrusion processing - **Drying**: After extrusion, the wet feed particles need to be dried to reduce their moisture content. This can be done using a conveyor dryer or a fluid - bed dryer. The drying temperature is usually set at around 60 - 80°C, and the drying time depends on the initial moisture content and the size of the feed particles. Aim for a final moisture content of about 8 - 12% to prevent mold growth and ensure long - term storage stability. - **Cooling**: Once the feed is dried, it should be cooled to room temperature. This can be achieved by passing the dried feed through a cooling tunnel or by natural air - cooling. Cooling helps to harden the feed particles and improve their handling properties. - **Coating (optional)**: Some fish feeds may require coating to improve their palatability, add extra nutrients, or enhance water stability. Coating materials can include oils, vitamins, or special polymers. The coating process can be done by spraying the coating material onto the cooled feed particles in a rotating drum. - **Quality control**: Conduct various quality control tests on the finished fish feed, such as measuring the particle size distribution, checking the water stability (how long the feed remains intact in water), analyzing the nutrient content, and assessing the palatability. Samples of the feed can be fed to a small group of fish to observe their acceptance and growth performance. ### 5. Packaging and storage - **Packaging**: Package the finished fish feed in appropriate containers, such as plastic bags, woven bags, or sealed containers. The packaging should be air - tight to prevent moisture absorption, oxidation, and contamination. - **Storage**: Store the packaged fish feed in a cool, dry place. Avoid direct sunlight and high - humidity environments. The storage temperature should be preferably below 25°C to maintain the quality of the feed for an extended period.
fish feed production line
Company Profile
Company Profile:
Jinan Sunward Machinery Company is founded in 2009 .It is an industry and trade integrated enterprise. The company is committed to R & D extrusion machinery and related ancillary equipments. It is covering mainly machinery and equipment for puffed snack food machine, fried snack food machine ,corn flakes/breakfast cereal system, baby food system, pellets system, artificial rice system,soy nuggets system; as well as pet food/fish food system.
Jinan sunward machine after- sales department are always available for you.
| Model |
Capacity |
Main Motor power |
Price |
| TSE65 |
100KG/H-150KG/H |
22KW |
$7000-$9000 |
| TSE70 |
200KG/H-250KG/H |
37kw |
$9500-$11000 |
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