Difference between fish food pellet machine and fish feed pellet extruder

The fish food pellet machine simply compresses the material into pellets by extrusion, which is also called a fish pellet making machine. The maturity of the material is very low. The fish feed pellet extruder uses the screw to cut, compress, and knead the material to fully mature, and then the screw compression ratio and length to diameter ratio to expand the material after granulation.

The maturity of the extruded material is very high, which is good for digestion and absorption. In popular terms, the extruder makes floating feed, so it is generally called a fish feed pellet extruder, and the fish food pellet machine includes all feed equipment (including sinking feed).

Difference between feed pellet machine and feed extruder

1.Different properties

Fish food pellet machine: Fish food pellet machine (also known as fishing pellet making machine, fish feed pelletizer), which belongs to feed pellet equipment. It is a fish food making machine that uses corn, soybean meal, straw, grass, rice husks, etc. as raw materials and directly crushes the raw materials into granules.

Fish feed pellet extruder: Fish feed pellet extruder is a type of puffing machine, mainly used for food puffing, livestock and poultry feed, or for puffing single raw materials. It can also be used as a raw material for vegetable oil and drinking wine production. (Related case: Bolivia 2T/H Commercial Fish Feed Plant)

2. Different scope of application

Fish food pellet machine: Feed pellet machine, widely used in large, medium and small aquaculture, grain feed processing plants, livestock farms, poultry farms, individual farmers and small and medium-sized farms, farmers or large, medium and small feed processing Factory use.

Fish feed pellet extruder: This series of dry and wet extruder is suitable for large, medium and small breeding farms, feed factories and food factories.

3.Different functional characteristics

Fish food pellet machine: simple structure, wide adaptability, small footprint, low noise. The powdery feed and grass powder can be granulated without the addition of a little liquid, so the moisture content of the pelleted feed is basically the moisture content of the material before granulation, which is more conducive to storage.

Fish feed pellet extruder: new model design, compact structure and high production efficiency. Reliable work, sturdy and durable, low failure rate, easy operation and maintenance. Simple and convenient to use, smooth transmission and low noise. (Related case: 15T/H Aqua Feed Plant)

We always take the question as an opportunity to educate those who are not familiar with the extrusion technology, as it is easy to get confused.The similarity of a pellet mill and the extruder can be summarized as follows:

• Both utilize steam, pressure and temperature.
• Both have dies to form the pellets however, they work on different principles:

The differences of fish food pellet machine and fish feed pellet extruder are the following:

1. A fish food pellet machine shapes the pellets by compression through long land dies thus the pellet is dense. In most cases, a pellet binder is need in the formula to facilitate the cohesion of the pellet.
2. A fish feed pellet extruder will expand the pellet through substantial gelatinization of the starch, expansion and increased porosity thus the reduction of the density. No need for the addition of a pellet binder in most cases.
3. In the case of floating fish feed, extrusion allows you to control the buoyancy of the pellet by the degree of starch gelatinization dictated by many factors such as the moisture content, extrusion temperature, and amount of shear generated and the size of the die used. (Related case: 25T/H Fish Feed Manufacturing Plant)
4. In pet food, palatability and lower microbial load are crucial and extrusion enhances both.
5. Extrusion by fish feed pellet extruder allows you to use higher level of oil or fat without creating much fines thus higher integrity of the pellet.
6. The bottom line, while a fish food pellet machine is mainly utilized to shape or produce a pellet, an extruder has many functions and shaping is only one of them.

Fish food pellet machine and fish feed pellet extruder for aquaculture

Today, the two most widely used technologies for the manufacture of aquaculture feed are pelletisation by fish food pellet machine and extrusion by fish feed pellet extruder. Feed produced with these processes is denser, has lower moisture content and allows better preservation.

One of the main differences between pelleted and extruded feed is that, whereas pellets sink, the buoyancy of the extruded feed can be controlled during the manufacturing process. However, extrusion has other advantages that we will now examine.

Both manufacturing processes have common phases, but the pelletisation by fish food pellet machine or extrusion by fish feed pellet extruder is the one that makes the difference in the final product.

Pelletisation by fish food pellet machine consists of compressing small particles to create larger ones called pellets, and during this process, moisture, temperature and pressure come into play. One of the main advantages of pelleted feed is the lower manufacturing cost compared to extrusion technology; however, it has many drawbacks that are solved with extrusion technology.

One of the biggest disadvantages of pelletisation by fish food pellet machine is the rapid sinking speed (an estimated 10 to 15% of pelleted feed is lost due to sinking), which means higher feed costs, a less profitable product, and a greater environmental impact due to pollution. Also, the nutrients in pellets dissolve more rapidly in water, making it lower-quality fish feed than extruded feed. (Related case: 20T/H Fish Feed Plant)

The fish feed pellet extruder extrusion process is widespread today, as it can be used to manufacture all kinds of feeds, whether buoyant, fast or slow sinking, depending on the needs of each species.

Extrusion with fish feed pellet extruder is a process involving high temperatures and short times, which minimises nutrient loss while improving the digestibility of starches and proteins compared to pelleted food.

Extrusion by fish feed pellet extruder is a process in which the food is not only compressed, as in pelletisation, but also "cooked", which is why it requires higher levels of moisture, temperature and pressure than pelletisation. All these requirements must be met to achieve the desired degree of expansion when it leaves the fish feed pellet extruder. (Related case: 6-7T/H Fish Feed Mill)

In addition, as mentioned above, its other advantages include lower pollution, longer stability in water (from 12 to 36 hours) while maintaining all its nutrients, greater digestibility, high efficiency and a high conversion rate. As a result, extruded feed made by fish feed pellet extruder is a higher quality product that increases the profitability of fish farms.