Animal Feed Processing Line In Botswana

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overview

This is a 5‑6t/h animal feed production line in Botswana project.

On the dusty grasslands of southern Botswana, an efficient animal feed pellet plant is quietly running, reflecting the collective efforts of local animal husbandry self-sufficiency and supply chain optimization. The investor of this project is a local animal husbandry cooperative organization that mainly raises chickens, cattle and pigs. On September 22, 2021, it first consulted us by email:

“Hello, I’m interested in your feed pellet production line. Please share the technical configuration and quotation.”

After 7 months of in-depth communication and process comparison, the project was officially signed on April 28, 2022, with an amount of 143,000USD. The animal feed production line in Botswana is a standard manual feed pelleting system with a production capacity of 5‑6t/h, aiming to improve animal husbandry costs and product quality.

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Origin of the project: a common choice of cooperation among herders

The initiator of this animal feed production line in Botswana is not a large enterprise, but a group of breeders rooted in the countryside of Botswana. For a long time, they have purchased feed from e-commerce platforms and scattered rural channels, with problems such as high transportation costs, unstable quality, and unreasonable formula. In order to improve the quality of forage and cost controllability, they unanimously decided to build their own pelleting line, collectively invest and share profits.

The project investors are a cooperative team of 15 families with about 350 beef cattle, 1,500 poultry and a small number of pigs. Their original intention was simple: to stabilize the nutritional content, reduce costs, promote product consistency, and gradually form their own brand by producing their own feed.

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Source of raw materials: complementarity of land and agricultural by-products

Although Botswana’s agricultural structure is mainly dry and hot, it has formed a rotation pattern of corn and legumes in the southeast. The cooperative members integrate and plant or purchase the following raw materials:

• Corn meal/crushed grains (main energy ingredient): locally planted or imported from neighboring countries, stable supply;
• Soybean meal (plant protein): sourced from local crushing plants, high in protein content;
• Cottonseed cake (secondary protein): accompanied by cotton processing, cost-effective;
• Sunflower seed hull powder (crude fiber source): using the residue from nut shelling;
• Bone meal, salt, vitamin and mineral premix additives: improve calcium, phosphorus and other minerals;
• Molasses water (taste adjustment): contains a small amount of sugar to stimulate appetite.

These raw materials used in this animal feed production line in Botswana are not only produced in the farm area, but also purchased through the cooperative’s surrounding farmers to form a stable supply chain and minimize procurement costs.

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Process structure: manual and semi-automatic balanced design

This animal feed production line in Botswana is standardly configured, and the following processes are designed in combination with local conditions:

1. Preliminary cleaning and packaging of raw materials: sieving small stones, plastics, etc. through the screen;
2. Crushing of hard raw materials: hammer mill crushes corn, cottonseed hulls, etc. to 1-3mm;
3. Ingredient metering and mixing: staff weigh manually, and multiple feeding ports accurately match the preset formula;
4. Pelletizing: ring die pelletizer forms 3-5mm feed pellets under hot pressing conditions;
5. Cooling and powder screening: countercurrent cooler cooling, vibration screening machine removes powder;
6. Manual bagging and sealing: manually operated by two workers;
7. Dust removal system: bag dust collector effectively controls dust leakage.

This animal feed processing plant adopts a simple and practical control method, but retains the possibility of upgrading PLC in the future, which not only reduces the initial investment, but also retains the space for automation.

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Product application scope expansion

In addition to the original chicken, cattle and pig feed, the equipment used in this animal feed production line in Botswana can also be adjusted according to the formula and raw materials to produce:

• Sheep/goat feed pellets
• Fish feed sinking pellets (the ratio adjustment needs to contain oil)
• Rabbit feed, corn stalk supplement coarse pellets
• Special high-fiber feed for dairy cows or ruminants

In the future, the cooperative plans to produce the “ecological feed” brand based on this, covering more livestock species.

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key equipment and reasons for selection

The main equipment of the animal feed production line in Botswana is as follows:

• Screw primary cleaner: automatic impurity removal, protection of downstream equipment;
• Hammer mill (SFSP56×40): wide range of raw materials, simple maintenance;
• Screw mixer: uniform mixing and high efficiency;
• Ring die animal feed pellet mill (MZLH350, 45kW): equipped with steam conditioner to enhance pellet forming rate;
• Countercurrent cooler (SKLN14): significant cooling effect;
• Vibrating screen: one-time finished product;
• Manual weighing and packaging system: convenient for later expansion;
• Bag dust removal system: control workshop environment.

The selection of the entire equipment system combines economy, maintainability and equipment versatility, suitable for the local industrial base.

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Regional prospects and ecological connection

Although Botswana is dry and hot, the poultry and beef cattle markets have grown significantly. The price of imported feed has risen rapidly and has exceeded 500 rand/bag. The local pelleting line can achieve a 30% price reduction, and the product brand can be exported to neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The government provides tax exemptions, electricity subsidies and other support for agricultural and animal husbandry integration projects, and cooperatives can rely on policies to optimize strategies. In the future, it is also possible to pilot the “farm energy complex” in the feed factory area, using straw and biomass boilers to achieve self-powered heating and building a circular agricultural system.

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Project progress and cooperation history review

2021-09-22: The customer consulted for the first time and expressed interest in the technology and price of Feed Production Line;

2021-10 to 2022-03: The two parties communicated remotely on raw materials, sites, and budgets, and repeatedly adjusted the formula and production line configuration;

2022-04-28: The contract was formally signed, with an amount of 143,000 USD;

2022-05 to 06: Equipment manufacturing and delivery;

2022-07 to 08: Customer on-site civil engineering and equipment installation;

2022-09: Debugging completed and trial operation, and finally put into use;

At the end of 2023: Achieve a daily output of 25-30t, all self-sufficient and sold to the surrounding areas.

Customers gave good feedback after use, which not only improved the quality of feed, but also enhanced the production autonomy of the cooperative.

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Development suggestions and upgrade directions

The cooperative is currently running smoothly, but the following expansion directions can be tried in the future:

• Adding automated control modules to improve production efficiency and quality stability;
• Developing customer self-pickup or online ordering systems to improve circulation efficiency;
• Introducing straw pelleting and fermented feed projects to expand breeding categories;
• Building demonstration agricultural bases to enhance the driving force of agricultural cooperatives;
• Exploring linkage with solar energy and micro-generators to create a green supply chain.

Conclusion: Local forces will create a turnaround in future agriculture

This 5‑6t/h manual animal feed production line in Botswana is not only a solution to the feeding problem, but also a manifestation of the cohesion of the cooperative; it represents the determination of Botswana herders to leap from “resource input” to “industry self-control”. Every bag of feed is the result of the efforts of the cooperative members, and is gradually being replicated in wider rural areas.

Agricultural modernization does not have to be rushed, but it must be steady. I hope that this animal feed production line in Botswana can become a benchmark for Botswana herders to move towards upgraded feed control, and I also hope that its results will benefit more rural forces that also desire autonomy.