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Press Review Animal Feed

The risk of segregation

The result of mixing dry solid ingredients may be a definite pattern of particle segregation. This is due to differences in the physical properties of ingredients and the shape and surface characteristics of the mixer.
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Particle size may be the most important factor in causing this phenomenon.
In general, the smaller and the more uniformly sized the ingredients are prepared, the more nearly they will approach random distribution during mixing. In many formulae, a decrease in particle size is necessary to attain a sufficient number of particles of an essential additive (vitamin, mineral, medication) for dispersion in each daily feed unit. This may require the particle size to be the diameter of dust, from 10 to 50 microns. Certain ingredients are unstable in finely divided form and likely to acquire an electrostatic charge. The concentration of particles on a charged surface, roughness of the mixed and stickiness of oily and wet ingredients are factors in causing segregation when very small particles are mixed and when these are much smaller than the bulk of other ingredients. Segregation or poor blending can have many implications, including

  1. Rejected product
  2. Variable colour, look or taste
  3. Excessive blend times
  4. Customer complaints
  5. Erratic dosage
  6. Product or process delays
  7. Inconsistent particle size
  8. Poor quality control
     

Pelleting prevents the segregation of ingredients in a mixing, handling or feeding process. By feeding a pelleted feed, the animal is more apt to receive a totally mixed ration than one that has separated through these processes.