Procedure for Extruder Cooking of Animal Feed Without Using a Dryer

Procedure for production of dry feed for animals without the use of a drier by (A) introduction of max. 25% digestible starchy or another extrudable powdery “glue” to a continuous extruder cooker, in which the glue product and (B) moisture added, if necessary, are mixed and (C) extruder cooked at high pressure and temperature, until sufficient gelatinization and thermo-plastic condition has been achieved.

• Subsequently the glue product is carried through a (D) vacuum zone, in which the sudden pressure drop causes evaporation and temperature drop, so that the moisture content of the glue product drops. Characterized in that after the vacuum zone (E) 75% of unheated primary feed mixture at low moisture content is added to the glue product as a minimum, and the two products are carried through the cooling zone (F) for further cooling. After the cooling zone (F) the glue product and the primary feed mixture is carried through a mixing zone (G), in which the two products are mixed homogeneously to a finished product. After the mixing zone the finished product is carried through a die (I) at rising pressure and temperature out to atmospheric pressure. The sudden pressure drop causes evaporation and temperature drop, so that the moisture content of the finished product drops. After the die a rotating knife cuts the pellets to suitable length. The finished product is carried through a cooler, which cools the finished product to ambient temperature, whereby evaporation takes place, so that the moisture content of the finished product drops.