Animal Feed Manufacturing Plant in Oman

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overview

This is an animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman. Against the backdrop of the Omani government’s strategic push for agricultural self-sufficiency, a visionary local entrepreneur made a key decision in 2020. With Oman’s “Vision 2040” setting a target of 60% for livestock self-sufficiency, the Gulf country is facing a severe challenge of 85% dependence on feed imports.

The client of the animal feed factory project, an Omani businessman who has been deeply involved in the dairy industry for many years, keenly discovered a market gap: despite the country’s high-quality pastures, up to 70% of farms are still using expensive imported pellet feed.

After half a year of in-depth research and technical investigation, the client, who goes by the pseudonym Ali, finally introduced this modern animal feed production line for $170,000 in January 2021, opening a new chapter in the industrialized production of local feed in Oman.

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Project background

Ali’s decision stems from a deep insight into Oman’s animal husbandry:

• Cost pressure: The landed price of imported feed exceeds $600/ton, while local production can reduce costs by 35-40%;
• Policy dividends: The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries provides a 20% investment subsidy for new feed factories;
• Raw material advantages: Oman’s annual date production exceeds 300,000 tons, and the utilization rate of by-products is less than 10%;
• Quality control: Imported feed often has vitamin degradation problems due to long-distance transportation.

The animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman mainly produces two types of core products:

• Special camel feed: Meet the special nutritional needs of Oman’s 300,000 camels;
• Fortified dairy cow feed: Heat-resistant formula designed for local high temperature environment.

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Raw material formula and local wisdom

The animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman innovatively utilizes Oman’s unique agricultural resources:

Core raw material composition

• Energy raw materials: Date palm residue (accounting for 25-30%) , Oman has abundant annual production);
• Protein source: imported soybean meal (40%) + local sardine meal (15%, from Oman coastal fisheries);
• Fiber composition: alfalfa hay (15%, partially imported);
• Functional additives: frankincense resin powder (Oman specialty, natural antibacterial).

Four local characteristics of the formula

• Using date palm residue to replace 15% corn not only reduces costs, but its high sugar content (45-50%) also improves palatability;
• Adding 3% dried seaweed (collected from the coast of Oman) to supplement iodine and selenium that are lacking in general feed;
• Innovative use of 1.5% frankincense resin powder to effectively prevent common gastrointestinal diseases of camels;
• Developing a “high temperature resistant formula” and adding 2% pomegranate peel extract to help livestock cope with the summer high temperature of 50℃.

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production process of animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman

This animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman adopts the process route of “pretreatment-micro-crushing-high temperature conditioning-granulation”, specializing in Optimization for Oman’s high temperature and dry climate:

1. Raw material pretreatment stage

Considering the particularity of Oman’s raw materials, three key processes are designed:

• Date palm residue processing: first reduce the moisture content from 65% to 30% through a screw press, and then crush it to 5-8mm with a hammer mill;
• Fish meal stabilization: add 0.5% antioxidant (BHT) to prevent fat oxidation in high temperature environment;
• Water balance: adjust the moisture content of all raw materials to 12-14% before mixing.

2. Core granulation section

Special design for Oman’s climatic characteristics:

• Conditioning system: use 85-90℃ high temperature conditioning (10℃ higher than normal) to kill pathogens such as Salmonella;
• Ring die selection: Φ4mm and Φ6mm two specifications, compression ratio 1:7;
• Cooling process: use a dehumidification cooler to reduce the particles from 90℃ to 35℃ while controlling the final moisture content ≤10%.

3. Quality control innovation

• Online near infrared detector (NIR): real-time monitoring of protein and moisture content;
• Automatic sampling system: retain samples every 30 minutes, traceable to specific production batches;
• Halal certification process: the entire feed pellet production line is Islamic food certified.

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Diversified applications of the animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman

In addition to standard ruminant feed, the animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman can also produce:

• Poultry feed: add poultry-specific premix to produce Φ3mm particles;
• Racehorse feed: high protein formula (more than 18%), add 5% date syrup;
• Pet food: develop cat and dog food using Omani seafood resources;
• Organic fertilizer: mix unqualified products with date residue to make slow-release fertilizer.

The most innovative application of the customer is the development of “Ramadan special feed” – during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a special formula is added to help livestock adapt to the reversed day and night feeding schedule.

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Core equipment configuration list

This $170,000 animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman includes the following key equipment:

• SWFP66×100 high-efficiency crusher: 110kW motor, equipped with anti-blocking system;
• SLHY-25 dual-shaft differential mixer: batch mixing volume 2.5 tons, CV≤3%;
• SZLH350 feed mill pellet machine: main motor 55kW, standard intelligent lubrication system;
• SKLN-5 countercurrent cooler: processing capacity 6T/H, equipped with dehumidification device;
• Fully automatic packaging system: accuracy ±0.2%, supports 10-50kg multiple packaging.

Special design for Oman environment:

• All motors are equipped with high-temperature protective covers (adapt to 50℃ ambient temperature);
• Key bearings use desert-specific grease (high temperature resistance, dust resistance);
• Control system Arabic interface, convenient for local operation Operator use.

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Oman market prospects

The successful implementation of this animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman project reveals three major development trends in Oman’s feed industry:

• Import substitution is accelerating: the government plans to increase feed self-sufficiency to 40% by 2025
• Industry chain integration: large farms begin to integrate backward to build supporting feed factories
• Technological innovation: Special formulas adapted to extreme climates are in great demand

Economic benefit forecast:

• Production cost per ton: about US$320 (imported similar products are about US$520)
• Investment payback period: 2.8 years (after considering subsidies)
• Market potential: The annual demand for dairy cow feed alone is 180,000 tons

The customer has signed a long-term supply agreement with Oman’s largest camel milk producer and plans to develop “complete date feed” – crushing date kernels as a fiber source to achieve 100% date utilization.

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Localized innovation practice

During the implementation of the animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman project, a number of distinctive innovations were generated:

• “Desert Cleaning” plan: Collecting desert plant Haloxylon as a fiber source;
• “Moonlight Production” mode: Using lower night temperatures to produce and reduce energy consumption;
• “Date Kernel Crushing” technology: Developing a special crusher to process hard date kernels.

These innovations make the animal feed pellet plant project not only commercially valuable, but also a model for the efficient use of agricultural resources in the Gulf countries. Compared with similar equipment in Europe and the United States (usually quoted at more than US$250,000), this Chinese-made production line has won market recognition for its excellent local adaptability and cost-effectiveness.

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Project timeline and key data

2020.07.29: Ali sent the first English consultation email

2020.10: The technical team went to Oman for a field visit

2021.01.25: Formal signing

Animal feed manufacturing plant cost: US$170,000 (CIF Soha Port)

Start-up time: Q4 2021

This case vividly demonstrates how to establish a sustainable agricultural production system through localized innovation in resource-limited Gulf countries. As Oman’s economic diversification strategy progresses, such projects that combine traditional wisdom with modern technology are redefining the agricultural development model in the Middle East.

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Operational highlights and achievements

• Actual production capacity is stable at 5.5T/H (10% over design capacity)
• The product has been certified by GCC standards and can be exported to neighboring countries
• Developed 6 special formulas for different livestock
• Created 28 local jobs, 60% of which are women

The most striking feature of this animal feed manufacturing plant in Oman project is its “full cycle” concept – the production line is adjacent to the date processing plant, using its by-products as raw materials; the feed produced is supplied to surrounding farms; and the manure from the farms is used for date planting. This closed-loop model not only reduces costs, but also reduces the carbon footprint of the entire system by 40%, becoming a benchmark project for sustainable agriculture in the Gulf countries.