1-1.4T/H Sudan Hay Hammer Mill in Sudan

Why a Farm in Al Qadarif Needed a Sudan Hay Hammer Mill

Al Qadarif is the center of Sudan's sesame and sorghum production, but Sudan grass is also widely grown for animal feed. The farm we worked with had been feeding long Sudan hay. The cows would eat the leaves and softer stems, but the coarser stems would be left in the feeders. The feedlot cattle did the same.

The manager had tried chopping the hay with a chaff cutter, but the chop size was still 30-50mm – too long. The Sudan hay hammer mill would allow him to grind to a consistent 6mm particle size.

He looked at a Turkish-made hammer mill offered by a dealer in Khartoum. The price was $11,000 for a 45kW machine. He looked at an Egyptian mill – $9,500 for a 55kW machine. He found us through a reference from a dairy in Saudi Arabia. Our price, delivered to the port of Port Sudan, was $8,500 for the SFSP66*60 with 55kW motor. This included the mill, the cyclone, the fabric filter bag, and the starter screen set.

Machine Selection: The SFSP66*60 for Sudan Hay

The farm manager selected the SFSP66*60 hammer mill with a 55kW motor. This model has a 660mm rotor diameter and 600mm crushing chamber width – adequate for his throughput needs of about 1,500 tons of hay per year.

The Sudan Hay Crusher Machine came with three screens. The manager tested all three on the Sudan hay (9% moisture – very dry due to the intense sun):

• 8mm screen: Throughput of 1.4 tons per hour. Particle size: 75% between 2mm and 8mm, 12% below 2mm, 13% above 8mm. The dairy cows ate most of it, but some longer pieces (over 10mm) remained for the feedlot cattle. Waste: about 8%.
• 6mm screen: Throughput dropped to 1.2 tons per hour. Particle size: 85% between 1.5mm and 6mm, 10% below 1.5mm, 5% above 6mm. Both dairy and feedlot cattle ate everything. No visible waste. The manager chose the 6mm screen as the standard.
• 4mm screen: Throughput dropped to 1.0 tons per hour. More dust. Not necessary for cattle.

The 6mm screen works well for both dairy and beef cattle. The 8mm screen leaves some waste. The 4mm screen reduces throughput.

The hay grass crusher discharges into a cyclone. The cyclone vent goes into a fabric filter bag. Sudan hay is very dry and produces some dust, but the bag captures about 90% of it.

What the Ground Sudan Hay Is Used For

The farm produces two different rations:

Dairy cow TMR (lactating cows):

• 45% ground Sudan hay (6mm screen)
• 25% ground sorghum grain
• 15% cottonseed cake (local byproduct)
• 10% wheat bran
• 5% minerals

Feedlot finishing ration (beef cattle):

• 50% ground Sudan hay (6mm screen)
• 20% ground sorghum grain
• 15% cottonseed cake
• 10% molasses
• 5% minerals

The manager reported that feed waste has dropped from 25% to under 5% for both groups. The dairy cows are producing 1.8 liters more per day on average.

What the Customer Said After One Year

We spoke with the farm manager about one year after delivery. Here is what he told us:

The sudan hay hammer mill has changed our feeding program. The 6mm screen is perfect. The cows eat everything now. No waste.

Sudan hay is very dry here – sometimes 8% moisture. It grinds easily. The mill runs about 5 hours per day, 6 days per week. We have put about 1,300 hours on it. We changed the hammers at 600 hours – flipped them to the unused side. The 6mm screen is still the original – no holes.

The only issue was the dust during the dry season. We added a second filter bag. That helped.

Would I buy from RICHI again? Yes. The mill has paid for itself.

Logistics: Shipping from Qingdao to Port Sudan

Sudan's main seaport is Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The mill was shipped from Qingdao to Port Sudan – about 28 days at sea. From Port Sudan, the customer arranged truck transport to Al Qadarif, about 450 kilometers inland. Total transit time was about 38 days.

Pre-sale services that built their confidence

The farm manager was concerned about the dry conditions and dust. Here is what we did:

• Material testing: He sent us 20kg of Sudan hay by air freight. We ran it through an SFSP66*60 in Qingdao using 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm screens. The 6mm screen produced the best balance. We sent him the particle size analysis and a video.
• Dust control advice: We explained that a cyclone with a fabric bag would work, but in very dry conditions, a second bag might be needed. He added a second bag after the first dry season.
• Reference from a customer in Saudi Arabia: We put him in touch with a dairy in Riyadh that had bought an SFSP66*60 from us for Sudan hay. They confirmed that the 6mm screen worked well for their cows.
• English manual with photos: The photos helped his maintenance team.

A Note on Grinding Sudan Hay

A few practical lessons from this installation:

Sudan hay is very dry in Sudan's climate. Moisture is often 8-10%, which is ideal for grinding but produces more dust.

The 6mm screen works well for both dairy and beef cattle. The 8mm screen leaves waste. The 4mm screen reduces throughput.

Dust is moderate but noticeable in dry conditions. A cyclone with a fabric filter bag is usually enough. In very dry conditions, a second bag helps.

Hammer wear is moderate. Sudan hay has less silica than some other tropical grasses. The manager got 600 hours from the first hammer set.

The magnetic grate caught several pieces of wire from the bales. Essential safety feature.

Global Reach of RICHI Hammer Mills

This project in Sudan is one example. RICHI Machinery has exported hammer mills for Sudan hay and other tropical forages to over 80 countries. The SFSP66*60 is a popular choice for dairies and feedlots in Africa and the Middle East because it can handle the dry, stemmy Sudan hay effectively. The 6mm screen is a standard recommendation for cattle.

A sudan hay hammer mill in Sudan makes economic sense for any livestock operation with access to this drought-tolerant, high-yielding forage. The reduction in feed waste alone often pays for the mill within 18 months.

If You Are Grinding Sudan Hay for Cattle

A few things to consider:

What screen size do your cattle need? For lactating dairy cows, 6mm works well. For feedlot beef cattle, 6mm. For dry cows, 8mm.

What is your moisture? Sudan hay is often very dry (8-12%). That is good for grinding but increases dust.

How will you handle the dust? A cyclone with a fabric filter bag is usually enough. In very dry conditions, a second bag helps.

What is your throughput requirement? The SFSP66*60 can handle 1.0-1.4 tons per hour on a 6mm screen.

Do you have a local source of Sudan hay? Sudan hay is widely grown in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and other East African countries.

If you grow Sudan hay for livestock, a sudan hay hammer mill with a 6mm screen can improve feed efficiency and reduce waste. Send us a sample of your Sudan hay. We will test it with different screens and send you the particle size analysis. You can see the results before you decide. RICHI has exported hammer mills for forage processing to over 80 countries worldwide.