Factors Affecting Pellet

Durability Index
Abdullah Javed Rana
ajruaf@gmail.com
Assistant Production Manager
Jadeed Feeds Industries Pvt. Ltd
Outline:

What is Pellet Quality?

What is Pellet Durability Index ?

Factors Affecting Pellet Durability Index (PDI)

Feeds Pellet Quality Factor (FPQF)

What is Pellet Quality?

Pellet quality is defined as the ability to resist

fragmentation and abrasion during handling without

breaking up and to reach feeders without generating a

high proportion of fines.

What is Pellet Durability Index?
Pellet quality is usually expressed as the pellet durability

index (PDI), and measured by using a tumbling can device, in

which the pellet sample to be tested is first sieved to remove

fines, then tumbled in the tumbling can device for a defined

period of time.
Factors Affecting Pellet Quality:

i. Feed Formulation

ii. Particle Size

iii. Conditioning

iv. Roll/Die

v. Cooler

vi. State of the Equipment

 Factors Affecting Pellet Quality
Cooling
Roll/Die 5%
15%
Formulation
40%

Conditioning
20%

Particle Size
20%

Formulation Particle Size Conditioning Roll/Die Cooling

 Particle Size
1%

Others
31%

Heat Processing
43%

Added Fat Level

9%

Moisture Addition
16%

Particle Size Heat Processing Moisture Addition Added Fat Level Others
1. Formulation:
Some feed ingredients have a good impact on pellet quality, while
others could adversely affect the quality.

Corn-soy diets are not the ideal diets to achieve the desired pellet
quality.

It was previously known that starch and its gelatinization is the most
important factor for achieving the desired pellet quality. However,
recent reports indicated that the positive impact of protein on pellet
quality is much more important than that of starch.
Effects of Oil Addition on Pellet
Durability Index:
Dietary inclusion of oil has an adverse effect on pellet
quality. This is attributed to the coating effect of oil to the
feed particles which prevent their penetration by the steam,
also oil reduces the friction generated between die and feed
particles with subsequent decrease in the starch
gelatinization rate.
2. Particle Size:
Decreasing ingredient particle size has a good influence on pellet
quality

Over grinding is not recommended to avoid power wastage,

reduced production rate and suboptimal gizzard development.

Coarse grinding eases pellet break down and decreases starch

gelatinization (high degree of gelatinization is required to produce
good pellets).
3. Conditioning:
Processing has a large effect on pellet quality.

When mash feed passes through the hygenizer, it is exposed to high

pressure steam

This steam provides the heat and moisture required for starch
gelatinization, particles adhesion, feed semi-digestion, and feed
pathogens damage.

The steam temperature and the time that mash feed stays in the
conditioner and hygenizer have major influence on the durability of
the produced pellets.
 Cont

Conditioning the feed at a temperature of 80 C is sufficient to

produce good quality pellets.

The minimum time that feed should stay in the conditioning tube to

produce durable pellets is 30 seconds. Long time conditioners, in

which the feed can stay in the conditioner for about 3-4 minutes,

can be used to improve pellet stickiness.

4. Die/Roll:
Die/roll specifications should be kept in mind to produce better
quality feed pellets.

Thicker dies (long die channels) have a positive impact on pellet

durability due to increasing the friction time between feed particles
and die wall with subsequent more starch gelatinisation.

Most of starch gelatinization occurs when feed passes through the

dies.

A similar result can be obtained by using small hole dies.

 Cont

This means that dies of 60 mm thickness are better than

those of 50 or 40 mm thickness

Dies with holes of 3 mm diameter are better than those with

holes of 5 mm diameter.

Increasing the distance between roll and die from 0.1 to 2

mm resulted in an increase in the pellet durability.
5. Cooling:
After leaving the pellet mill, the temperature of the pellets ranges
from 70-90 C and the moisture from 15-17%.

Proper cooling is required to lower pellet temperature to about 8 C

above the ambient temperature, and moisture % to be 10-12%.

Quick cooling leads to removal of more moisture and heat from the
surface of the pellets than their core, and the resultant pellets will be
brittle.

Prolonged cooling produces very dry pellets that can be exposed to

abrasion and can be of low palatability.
6. State of the Equipment:
The state of the manufacturing equipment also determines the

quality of the pellet.

The wear and tear of the hammers, the dies, the rollers, etc

The incorrect positioning or orientation of the blades or steam

injection valves, are all detrimental to the quality of the pellet.

Feed Pellet Quality Factor (FPQF):
The Feed pellet quality factor (FPQF) is a tool used to predict the
pellet quality of the feed formula. Estimation of the FPQF for certain
feed formula: each feed ingredient has a pellet quality factor (PQF).
The PQF has a score from 0 to 10, where 0 predicts poor pellet
quality and 10 good pellet quality. We can estimate the FPQF for
each ingredient by multiplying the PQF by the % of inclusion of the
feed ingredient in the formula (Table 1). The overall FPQF equals the
sum of the FPQF of all ingredients used in the formula. Generally,
values below 4.7 are indicators for poor pellet quality, while values
higher that 4.7 are indicators for good pellet quality.
 Pellet Quality Factor (PQF) of
Different Feed Ingredients
60
Binder (Lignin), 50
50
40
Vit/Min Premix, 2.5
30
Soybean Meal, 4
Wheat, 8 Molasses, 7
20 Rape Seed Meal, 6
Corn, 5 Rice Bran, 2
10
0
-10
Fish Meal, 4 Sunflower Meal, 6 Corn Gluten Meal, 4
-20
-30
-40
Oil, -40
-50

Corn Wheat Oil Molasses

Soybean Meal Fish Meal Sunflower Meal Rape Seed Meal
Corn Gluten Meal Rice Bran Vit/Min Premix Binder (Lignin)
 Always Remember..!!!!

"Pelleting is an Art, not a Science."

 Any Questions Please?????

Thank You So Much !!!!!