Optimization and Performance Evaluation of Poultry Feed Mixer

A motorized vertical poultry feed mixer was optimized, fabricated and its performance was evaluated. An appropriate mixing ratio or quality of a good poultry feeds are based on the correct application of the properties of granular materials. These properties, which include maximum particle size, moisture content, bulk density, angle of repose, fineness modulus of granular material, coefficient of friction with their standard parameters are given as 6.5 mm, 9.3 %, 548.6, 35, 2.4 and 0.5 respectively. The optimized fabricated mixer compounded feed at 7.44 mm, 9.6 %, 571.6, 39, 2.6 and 0.6 respectively. The coefficient of variation of standard poultry feed mixing parameter to the fabricated mixer was 17.2 %. The fabricated machine was evaluated using 400, 480 and 560 rpm speed of mixing auger to produce 250 Kg of feed and its mixing efficiency were given as 74 %, 83.6 % and 78.2 % respectively. A homogeneous feed was obtained at 105 minutes. The feeds produced were used to breed some day old chicks to maturity and proximate analysis of feed nutrients was carried out on each feed compounded and it was satisfactory. Starter-s mash, grower-s mash, finisher-s mash and layer-s mash were compounded using the fabricated machine and its best performance efficiency was at 480 rpm which is 83.6 %. It was found that the cost of producing a bag of feed was reduced by 40 % as compared to the market price at the time the experiment was performed. The mixer produces good quality or homogeneous feed by correct application of the properties of granular materials.