Benefits of Granular Fish Feed

The selection and purchase of feed is an important part of the work of any fish farm. For fish, granular food is most popular, which is best eaten and absorbed by the body. Now you can not only buy finished products, but also make granulate yourself. How beneficial and safe is it for fish?

The quality of such feed is evaluated by biology and physiology. The bioavailability of feed is determined by its structure and position in space. It is important that the fish can get and swallow it without much energy. Physiological accessibility indicates that the food should be acceptable in taste and smell, digest well and provide all the needs of the fish organism. Pellets made independently according to the recipe fully comply with the stated requirements.

Pellet fish food helps:

• improving the quality of meat;
• strengthening immunity;
• reduce the risk of fish disease;
• better digestion.

In the event that the fish receives the required amount of fats, proteins, minerals, carbohydrates and vitamins, an increase in productivity from a fish farm and the rational use of feed can be expected. You also get the opportunity to easily control the amount of feed consumed without the risk that some of the individuals will not receive the necessary trace elements.

Why fish need granular feed

The main reason is an increase in digestibility, compared with loose analogues. Granulation of feed involves the processing of bulk materials by dry pressing and forcing the mass through a special matrix with holes. Mechanical pressure and temperature lead to the destruction of biopolymers in the mixture.

We give an example on starch, which is found in all grains. When heated, part of the starch turns into sugar, with the formation of dextrins. This process is called dextrinization. Since dextrins, unlike starch, contain a small amount of glucose residues, they are considered simple polymers and are more easily absorbed by the body, which in turn increases the metabolic energy of the feed.

From the advantages of granular fish food, we highlight the following points:

• the process of growing fry is much faster, thanks to the nutritious and easily digestible components in the feed;
• the risk of diseases of the digestive system and other internal organs of fish is reduced;
• water condition improves due to reduced pollution. The uneaten dense granules settle to the bottom, in contrast to the small particles of loose feed that remain floating in the water.

Granular feed facilitates the feeding process. In addition, it is much more convenient to store and transport it than bulk food.

High-quality fish food in pellets has increased water resistance and low swelling in water, so they are not destroyed. As a result, the feed retains all significant substances for the body until it is eaten by fish.

The process of making granular fish feed

In order to make granular compound feed less water eroded, astringents are added to its composition during production: cake (linseed), starch (technical), flour, etc. You can also use meat and bone, blood and fish and bone meal, shrimp flour, fodder yeast, meal of sunflower and flax, alfalfa, corn, wheat or rice.

It is possible to produce feed in granules using a granulator or a whole line for granulation.

The production process includes the following steps:

1. The required ingredients (according to the recipe for a certain type of fish) are crushed in a crusher to the required fraction. The particle size should not exceed half of the granule diameter. Therefore, the smaller the granule, the more thoroughly you need to grind the grain.
2. Then the components enter a horizontal mixer to achieve a homogeneous mass.
3. By means of a metering screw, the raw material is fed into the granulator for pressing. The size of cylindrical granules can vary from 2 to 12 mm depending on the species and age of the fish.
4. Further, to reduce the temperature of the granules, they are fed to a cooling complex.
5. After that, the granulated fish feed goes to the vibrating table for sifting and cleaning from fines.
6. The resulting granulate can be packed into containers using a weighing batcher (for sale or for storage).

As a result, you get dense granules, the color and smell of which correspond to the original raw materials. In the presence of additives, some darkening of the granules is allowed. Also, mold or rot does not appear in the granules due to the dense structure and low humidity.

Many farmers have long switched to granular fish food. After all, making it yourself you can not worry about the quality of raw materials. As a result, productivity from the fish farm increases, the cost and costs of buying expensive feed of dubious quality are reduced.

Not sure if the granulator will be appropriate in your household? Describe the situation to our consultants and they will tell you how best to act.