0.6-0.9T/H Timothy Grass Hammer Mill in Norway

Why a Small Animal Feed Company in Rogaland Needed a Grinder

Norway's cool, wet climate is ideal for growing timothy grass (Phleum pratense). The long, cool growing season produces hay that is leafy, fine-stemmed, and low in dust – perfect for small animals. The company we worked with sources timothy hay from local farms, bales it at 10-12% moisture, and processes it into pellets.

The challenge: rabbits and guinea pigs need very fine particle size – 1-3mm. Larger particles can cause digestive issues. Smaller particles (under 0.5mm) can cause respiratory problems. The owner had been buying pre-ground timothy hay from Canada at 35 Norwegian kroner per kilogram ($3.20 USD/kg). Processing locally would cost about 18 kroner per kilogram – a significant saving.

He looked at a Swedish-made crusher machine offered by a dealer in Oslo. The price was 120,000 kroner ($11,000 USD) for a 30kW machine. He looked at a Danish mill – 110,000 kroner for a 37kW machine. He found us through a reference from a pet food company in Sweden. Our price, delivered to the port of Stavanger, was $4,000 USD for the SFSP56*40 with 37kW motor. That included the mill, the cyclone, and the starter screen set.

Setting Up for Timothy Grass Grinding

The company has a bale breaker for the timothy bales. The broken material is fed into the mill by hand through a hopper with a magnetic grate. The mill came with three screens. The owner tested all three on the timothy hay (11% moisture):

• 4mm screen: Throughput of 0.9 tons per hour. Particle size: 80% between 1mm and 4mm, 15% below 1mm, 5% above 4mm. Good for guinea pig feed – slightly coarse but acceptable. Rabbits ate it well but left a few larger pieces.
• 3mm screen: Throughput dropped to 0.8 tons per hour. Particle size: 85% between 0.8mm and 3mm, 10% below 0.8mm, 5% above 3mm. Perfect for both rabbits and guinea pigs. The owner chose the 3mm screen as the standard.
• 2mm screen: Throughput dropped to 0.6 tons per hour. Particle size: 85% between 0.5mm and 2mm. Too much dust. Small animals coughed. Not ideal.

The 3mm screen is the sweet spot for small animal feed. The 4mm screen leaves some large pieces. The 2mm screen creates too much dust.

The mill discharges into a cyclone. The cyclone vent goes into a baghouse filter. Timothy hay is naturally low in dust, but fine grinding creates some fines. The baghouse captures 99% of them – essential for pet food quality.

What the Ground Timothy Hay Is Used For

The company produces two pellet products:

• Rabbit pellets (premium line): 60% ground timothy hay (3mm screen), 20% ground barley, 10% soybean meal, 10% minerals and vitamins
• Guinea pig pellets (high vitamin C line): 55% ground timothy hay (3mm screen), 20% ground oats, 15% soybean meal, 10% minerals and vitamin C supplement

The owner reported that the pellets are uniform and consistent. Pet stores that carry the product say the animals love it. Sales have increased by 30% since switching to locally ground timothy.

What the Customer Said After Nine Months

We spoke with the company owner about nine months after delivery. Here is what he told us:

The mill runs about five hours per day, four days per week. We have put about 700 hours on it. We changed the hammers at 400 hours – flipped them to the unused side. The 3mm screen is still the original – no holes.

Timothy grass grinds beautifully. The 3mm screen produces the perfect particle size for rabbits and guinea pigs. No dust, no large pieces.

The baghouse filter was worth the investment. The feed mill is clean. The pet food quality is excellent.

Would I buy from RICHI again? Yes. The mill has reduced our raw material costs significantly.

Logistics: Shipping from Qingdao to Stavanger

Norway's main seaport for the southwestern region is Stavanger on the North Sea. The mill was shipped from Qingdao to Stavanger – about 38 days at sea. From Stavanger, the customer arranged truck transport to the company's facility, about 20 kilometers inland. Total transit time was about 45 days.

Pre-sale services that built their confidence

• Material testing: He sent us 15kg of timothy hay by air freight. We ran it through an SFSP56*40  using 2mm, 3mm, and 4mm screens. The 3mm screen produced the best particle size for small animals. We sent him the analysis and a video.
• Pet food quality advice: We explained that rabbits and guinea pigs need 1-3mm particle size. He confirmed the 3mm screen.
• Dust control recommendation: We recommended a baghouse filter for the cleanest product. He bought one based on our specifications.
• Reference from a customer in Sweden: We put him in touch with a pet food company in Gothenburg that had bought an SFSP56*40 from us for timothy hay. They confirmed that the 3mm screen worked well for their rabbit pellets.
• English manual with photos: The photos helped his team.

A Note on Grinding Timothy Hay for Small Animals

• Timothy hay is ideal for small animal feed. It is naturally low in dust, fine-stemmed, and highly palatable.
• The 3mm screen is perfect for rabbits and guinea pigs. The 4mm screen leaves some large pieces. The 2mm screen creates too much dust.
• Throughput is lower for fine grinding. The company gets 0.8 tons per hour on the 3mm screen – acceptable for their volume.
• Dust control is important for pet food quality. A baghouse filter ensures a clean, dust-free product.
• Hammer wear is low. Timothy hay has very low silica. The owner got 400 hours from the first hammer set.

Global Reach of RICHI Hammer Mills

This project in Norway is one example. RICHI has exported hammer mills for timothy grass and other premium hays to over 80 countries. The SFSP56*40 is popular for small animal feed producers because it can achieve the fine grind needed for rabbits and guinea pigs. The 3mm screen is a standard recommendation for small animal feed.

If You Are Grinding Timothy Hay for Small Animals

A few things to consider:

• What screen size do your animals need? For rabbits and guinea pigs, 3mm works well. For chinchillas, 2-3mm. For hamsters, 2mm. For degus, 2-3mm. Test a few sizes.
• What is your moisture? Timothy hay should be below 14% moisture. Higher moisture can cause mold that is dangerous for small animals.
• How will you handle the dust? Timothy is low dust, but fine grinding creates some fines. A baghouse filter is recommended for premium products.
• What is your throughput requirement? The SFSP56*40 with a 37kW motor can handle 0.6-0.9 tons per hour on a 3mm screen.
• Do you have a bale breaker? Recommended for consistent feeding.

If you produce small animal feed, a hammer mill with a 3mm screen can turn timothy hay into premium pellets. Send us a sample of your timothy hay. We will test it with different screens and send you the particle size analysis. You can see the results before you decide. That is the best way to know. RICHI Machinery has exported hammer mills for forage processing to over 80 countries worldwide.