Modified forage particle sieve machine for continuous throughput of poultry feed for feed form and pellet quality studies

Abstract

<b><sc>Abstract.</sc></b> <b>A forage particle sieve machine based on ASAE standard S424.1 was modified for use in a poultry feed pellet durability study where continuous throughput of large volumes of pellets was required. The machine was modified by fabricating a custom sieve and pan that had outlet elbows to direct flow into bins adjacent to the machine for testing large batches of feed pellets to evaluate percent fines in the feed. The machine can easily be converted back to its original configuration since sieves and pans install like drawers. Feed quality has animal welfare implications since diets are precisely formulated to contain no excesses or shortcomings. Broiler chickens prefer pellets, with dominant birds getting first choice and weaker birds getting the leftovers. There are also growth and farm productivity implications since poor pellet quality causes differences in how many pellets versus fines get distributed by the feed conveyor system, which affects what feed nutrients are available along the length of the barn. The machine can be trailer mounted and transported for Extension use for on-farm feed form and quality evaluations, and feed pellets can be loaded by auger or manually from bags.</b>