1–1.5 T/H Poultry Pellet Mill for Sustainable Feed Production in Uganda

Building a Local Feed Production Model

The project was designed around the cooperative's existing equipment and locally available ingredients. Members supplied maize from their farms, while rice bran came from nearby rice mills and sunflower cake from local oil processors. Cassava flour provided another locally sourced energy ingredient. Fishmeal, prepared from suitable small fish sourced through Lake Victoria's fish supply chain, supplied additional protein when available and economically viable.

This sourcing strategy reduced dependence on purchasing complete commercial feed, although actual savings depended on ingredient prices, processing losses, labor and electricity costs. The cooperative's longer-term objective was to coordinate ingredient purchasing, standardize feed preparation and distribute finished feed among member farms.

The first installation focused on broiler starter, broiler finisher and layer pellets. These products have different particle-size and nutritional requirements, so the production team needed interchangeable dies and a process that could accommodate changes in formulation without rebuilding the facility.

Model and Specifications

The SZLH250 poultry feed pellet machine was selected for its suitability for relatively small-scale compound feed production. Its 22 kW main motor matched the cooperative's planned production level, while the ring die design allowed the team to manufacture several pellet sizes using the same machine.

Actual output depends on formulation, grinding fineness, conditioning, die compression ratio and operating conditions. The rated capacity should therefore be treated as a selection reference rather than a guaranteed production rate for every feed type.

Local Ingredients for Broiler and Layer Feed

The cooperative developed separate trial formulations for different poultry groups. The following examples illustrate how locally available ingredients could be combined; final recipes require nutritional analysis and adjustment by a qualified poultry nutritionist.

Broiler Starter Feed: 3 mm Pellets

• Ground maize: 50%
• Sunflower cake: 15%
• Rice bran: 10%
• Fishmeal: 8%
• Cassava flour: 5%
• Soybean meal: 5%
• Vegetable oil: 4%
• Vitamin and mineral premix: 3%

This example emphasizes maize for energy, with sunflower cake, fishmeal and soybean meal contributing protein. The cooperative adjusts ingredient availability and nutrient balance before producing each batch. Starter feed requires particular attention to protein quality, amino acids, minerals and the physical form that young chicks can consume readily.

Layer Feed: 4 mm Pellets

• Ground maize: 45%
• Sunflower cake: 12%
• Rice bran: 12%
• Limestone: 10%
• Fishmeal: 8%
• Cassava flour: 5%
• Vegetable oil: 4%
• Vitamin and mineral premix: 4%

The layer formulation includes limestone as a major calcium source. Its final calcium concentration, available phosphorus, amino acid profile and energy level must be verified rather than inferred from the ingredient percentages alone. Ingredient quality can vary between suppliers, especially for rice bran and sunflower cake, so batch inspection is important for maintaining consistent feed quality.

Changing Dies to Match Different Poultry Feed Products

The cooperative purchased three ring dies to produce different pellet diameters. The 3 mm die was assigned to broiler starter feed, the 3.5 mm die to broiler finisher feed and the 4 mm die to layer feed. These sizes gave the production team a straightforward way to organize its initial product range.

The trial operating settings varied with the formulation and die:

These figures are initial operating targets, not universal settings. The appropriate conditioning temperature and production rate depend on ingredient composition, moisture, steam quality and the die being used. Operators need to assess pellet durability and fines after each trial before fixing the production settings.

Using Biomass for Process Steam

One feature of the project was the use of a biomass-fired boiler intended to burn suitable rice husks and sunflower husks. Instead of relying exclusively on conventional fuel for steam generation, the cooperative could make use of locally available agricultural byproducts where their moisture content and combustion characteristics were appropriate.

The boiler supplied process steam for feed conditioning. Steam helps soften ingredients and improve pellet formation before the mash passes through the ring die. Its performance depends on fuel preparation, boiler control and the consistency of the steam supplied to the conditioner.

During initial operation, the cooperative found that wet rice husks made stable steam production more difficult. Adjusting fuel preparation and maintaining a more consistent fuel condition helped improve boiler operation. This experience reinforced the importance of treating the boiler and pellet mill as connected but separate parts of the process.

Biomass steam generation does not itself power the 22 kW feed pellet machine motor. The mill still requires a suitable electrical supply, with any solar or backup-generation arrangement designed to meet the motor's starting and running requirements.

Integrating the Pellet Mill with Existing Equipment

The new pellet mill was added after the cooperative's hammer mill and mixer. Maize and other dry ingredients are first ground to the required fineness, weighed according to the selected formulation and mixed into a uniform mash. The prepared material then passes through conditioning and pelletizing.

After leaving the die, hot pellets need to be cooled before storage or bagging. Screening removes loose fines, which can be returned to the process where appropriate. This sequence allows the cooperative to use its existing grinding and mixing equipment while adding the missing pellet-forming stage.

Before installation, the site team needed to check the foundation, electrical supply, feed inlet, discharge arrangement and space for die changes and maintenance. Dust extraction and safe handling of fine grain ingredients were also important considerations in the small-scale facility.

First-Year Operating Experience

During its first year, the cooperative operated the pellet mill for approximately four hours per day, five days per week, accumulating around 1,000 operating hours. This schedule allowed production to follow the availability of ingredients and the feed requirements of participating farms.

At a practical average throughput of approximately 1–1.2 T/H, that operating schedule corresponds to roughly 1,000–1,200 tons of finished feed annually before accounting for downtime and production losses. The cooperative's wider demand was higher, so the first phase focused on establishing a reliable local production routine rather than attempting to serve every member's requirements immediately.

The manager reported that the 3 mm starter die remained in service after producing approximately 500 tons, while the 4 mm layer die had processed around 600 tons. Die life varies with ingredient abrasiveness, operating practices, maintenance and the condition of the material entering the machine; these figures describe the cooperative's reported experience rather than a guaranteed service interval.

“The pellet mill has given our cooperative more control over feed preparation. We can use ingredients sourced by our members and produce different pellet sizes for broilers and layers. We also learned that consistent raw materials and steady steam supply are essential to obtaining durable pellets. Our next priority is to increase production so that we can serve more farmers.”

Logistics from China to Uganda

The SZLH250 was shipped from Qingdao, China, to the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. From there, the equipment travelled overland to the Mukono area through established freight routes serving Kampala and central Uganda.

Because Uganda is landlocked, delivery planning needed to account for port handling, customs clearance, inland transport and safe unloading at the cooperative's facility. Before shipment, the installation team prepared the site and reviewed the electrical and mechanical requirements. Remote commissioning guidance helped the operators check the machine and begin trial production with the available feed ingredients.

What Other Smallholder Feed Producers Can Learn

The Mukono project illustrates the value of upgrading one production stage at a time. A cooperative does not necessarily need to purchase every machine at the beginning of a feed manufacturing project. Where grinding, mixing and ingredient handling are already available, a suitably sized poultry feed pellet mill can provide the next step toward local feed production.

However, the economic result depends on more than pelletizing capacity. Buyers need to compare local ingredient prices with the cost of commercial feed, account for grinding and mixing losses, include electricity and boiler fuel, and consider labor, packaging, maintenance and storage. Ingredient testing and appropriate feed formulation remain essential if locally produced feed is to meet the nutritional requirements of different poultry groups.

For this cooperative, the SZLH250 established a practical foundation for producing broiler and layer feed with locally available resources. A second machine could be considered when demand, ingredient supply and the performance of the first installation justify the additional investment.

A Practical Route to Sustainable Poultry Feed Production in Uganda

This poultry pellet mill for sustainable feed production in Uganda was selected to complement existing equipment rather than replace an entire feed preparation system. By adding the SZLH250, the Mukono cooperative gained the ability to turn locally sourced ingredients into several types of poultry pellets while developing its own operating experience with grinding, conditioning and die selection.

For Ugandan poultry cooperatives, small commercial feed mills and farmer groups considering a similar investment, the starting point is to establish realistic daily feed demand, identify reliable local ingredients and confirm that the grinder, mixer, boiler, pellet mill and cooling arrangements can work together.

RICHI Machinery supplies pelletizing equipment for poultry feed production. The appropriate machine configuration should be selected according to the target output, formulation, pellet diameter, available utilities and the equipment already installed at the site.