5-6T/H Cattle Feed Pellet Machine in Brazil

A Large Family Farm Ready to Modernize

The star of this story is a family-owned cattle operation based in Goiás, Brazil’s heartland for beef cattle and grains like maize and soybeans. This farm runs about 2,000 head of beef cattle, mostly Nelore and crossbreeds, on a combination of rotational grazing and a semi-confinement system during finishing.

For years, the family used bulk cracked corn, soy husks, and mineral salt supplements during the dry season. But they faced the same headache every year — high feed wastage, sorting losses, and uneven intake that led to variable weight gains across the herd.

After much discussion, the family’s younger generation convinced their father and uncles that the farm needed to step up: buying a cattle feed pellet machine would let them turn that scattered mix into uniform, high-density pellets that cattle eat completely, no sorting, no waste.

Unlike a cattle feed mill that sells commercially, this farm wanted a single pellet machine for its own use — no plan for big cattle feed production lines, just an efficient way to pelletize feed ingredients already grown or sourced locally.

Why a Single Cattle Feed Pellet Machine Was Enough

Many farmers think you need a massive plant to make feed pellets. Not here. This farm already had a basic hammer mill for corn grinding, a horizontal mixer for blending, and a few old silos for storage.

The missing piece was a reliable, robust cattle feed pelletizer that could handle Brazil’s typical beef cattle rations — about 80% grain by weight, 10% soybean meal or bran, and about 10% roughage or fiber additives like cottonseed hulls or sugarcane bagasse, which are common byproducts in Brazil.

By adding just this ring die cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil, the family turned their loose TMR-style dry mix into solid, uniform pellets that store better, transport better, and get eaten completely.

Selecting the Right Model for Brazil’s Feed Ingredients

With guidance from RICHI’s technical team, the farm chose the SZLH350 cattle feed pellet machine, striking a good balance between power and flexibility.

Key specs for this Brazilian project:

• Model: SZLH350 ring die pelletizer
• Main motor: 55 kW
• Feeder motor: 1.5 kW
• Conditioner motor: 4 kW
• Ring die diameter: 350 mm
• Pellet size: 8–10 mm — typical for beef cattle finishing
• Output capacity: 5–6 tons/hour

This cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil fits the farm’s daily finishing ration needs perfectly. At peak, they pelletize 30–35 tons per day for about 800 head in semi-confinement, storing the pellets in bulk bins ready for daily feeding.

Brazil's Abundant Raw Materials: An Advantage for Pelletizing

Brazil's cattle farmers have access to some of the best and cheapest feed ingredients in South America. For this family, a typical finishing feed recipe now looks like this:

• 55% cracked corn (grown on-farm)
• 25% soybean meal (from a local processor)
• 10% cottonseed hulls (a byproduct from cotton gins in Goiás)
• 5% sugarcane bagasse (when available)
• 5% mineral and vitamin premix

The moderate fiber level of the cottonseed hulls and bagasse helps improve pellet durability without pushing the machine too hard. The SZLH350’s ring die system handles this type of formula with ease, producing clean, firm pellets that don’t crumble in bags or troughs.

How the Pellet Machine Changed Daily Work on the Farm

Before installing this cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil, feeding time was messy. Loose mash feed meant the cattle sorted through the ration, picking out the corn kernels and leaving the rest. The troughs had to be cleaned daily. Wind and rain wasted feed. Some cows got more energy than others — growth rates varied, and finishing cycles were unpredictable.

Now, every animal gets the same bite every time. The pellets are easy to store and handle in bulk feeders, even under Brazil’s hot and humid conditions. This consistency boosted average daily weight gain by 8–12%, shortening the finishing cycle by several weeks. That means more cattle finished per year, better cash flow, and higher turnover.

A Small Investment, Big Impact

For this farm, buying the SZLH350 cattle feed pellet machine was not about becoming an industrial feed mill — it was about being smarter with what they already had. Because Brazil’s cattle prices can swing wildly with export demand and currency shifts, keeping production costs stable is critical.

Pellets cut feed waste by 10–15% compared to loose grain rations — a big deal when you feed hundreds of tons per month. Plus, pellet storage is cleaner and safer from pests and mold.

More Than Just Beef: Other Possible Uses

While this cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil mainly runs beef cattle rations, the family occasionally uses it to make simple dairy cattle feed for local neighbors who keep small dairy herds. However, because the ring die pelletizer is built for dry, fibrous feed, they don’t use it for poultry feed or pet food — and certainly not for floating fish feed, which requires an extruder.

This honest clarity during planning helped the farm choose the right equipment for the job — and avoid paying for capacity or functions they didn’t need.

Replacing Old and Inefficient Equipment

Interestingly, this farm did own an old flat die pellet mill, bought secondhand years ago. But that small unit could barely process 1 ton/hour, struggled to press anything with more than 5% fiber, and required constant die and roller maintenance.

Switching to the SZLH350 ring die cattle feed pellet mill doubled their hourly output, improved pellet durability, and reduced electricity consumption per ton of feed. The built-in conditioner means better steam penetration, so the starch gelatinizes properly — critical for pellet hardness and digestibility.

RICHI's Local Support Made It Work

One big reason the family trusted RICHI for this purchase was the professional technical service that came with it. Brazil is a huge country, and parts or expert support aren't always easy to find.

RICHI's team helped them:

• Design the pelletizing area to fit their existing mixer and hammer mill layout
• Select the correct die compression ratio for mixed grain plus roughage
• Train local operators on steam conditioning and maintenance routines
• Ship critical spare parts with the main machine to cut downtime risks
• Provide Portuguese-language manuals and remote technical calls when needed

This "human touch" gave the family the confidence that their investment wouldn't become a headache down the road.

How the Local Community Benefits Too

Beyond their own herd, this farm's small feed upgrade has a ripple effect. Local smallholders now have access to high-quality pelleted feed when they need it. Sometimes, the farm even sells extra batches during dry months.

Plus, using more local corn and byproducts like cottonseed hulls helps local processors and farmers capture more value instead of wasting these materials or selling at rock-bottom prices.

Brazil's Future: More Pasture, Smarter Feed

Brazil's cattle industry will always rely heavily on natural pasture — it's the country's biggest advantage. But climate changes, market demands, and land use pressure mean more farms will need to finish cattle faster, with less feed waste.

Smart, practical upgrades like adding a cattle feed pellet machine help bridge this gap. They let farms stay true to pasture-based principles while giving them an edge when weather, grass, or prices turn against them.

Ready to Make Your Own Upgrade?

Whether you run a mid-size farm like this family, a rural feed mill, or a farmer co-op looking to add value to local crops — a well-chosen cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil can be the missing piece that unlocks new profit and reliability.

RICHI Machinery has been working with cattle farmers and feed producers worldwide for over 25 years. We know that every farm is different, every feed recipe is unique, and every investment must make sense for local conditions.

That's why we help you:

• Test your own raw materials
• Choose the right pellet press size — from SZLH250 to SZLH768
• Get proper training for your team
• Plan your pelletizing layout to fit what you already have
• Keep spare parts and tech support within reach

This project shows what can happen when tradition and technology meet on Brazil’s vast cattle ranches. Sometimes you don’t need an expensive, fully automated feed factory — just the right cattle feed pellet machine in Brazil, matched to your herd size, feed ingredients, and real goals.

The result? Less waste, better growth, more profit — and a more resilient family business ready for Brazil’s ever-changing beef market.

Do you want to learn more?

Contact RICHI Machinery any time for practical advice, real numbers, and proven solutions for your cattle feed plants in Brazil — big or small.