Magnesium-mica was added to a test feed mixture at levels of 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 percent. The product increased pellet mill production .51 tons per hour for each one percent addition. At the highest level, this represented an increase of 100 percent in the production rate of the test mill.

When adding magnesium-mica to a formula, each percent added will increase the level of elemental magnesium in the formula 0.08 percent. In many cases this is desirable in mineral supplements which only make up a small percentage of the diet. When added to complete formulas only 5 percent magnesium-mica would by itself cause the magnesium in the formula to exceed the NRC recommended maximum of 0.4 percent. The addition of magnesium-mica to a 20 percent protein range cube greatly improved both production rate and pellet quality.

Introduction

The objective of the experiment was to determine if magnesium-mica would increase the production rate of a pellet mill while holding pellet quality constant as other production parameters varied to optimize input and pelleting consistency.

A test was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding magnesium-mica at 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 percent of the mixture on the production rate and pellet quality of a 20 percent protein range cube. Equipment used was Century model 100 horsepower California pellet mill. The feed was pelleted through a 3/4 inch die and the pellets were cooled using a Hays & Stokes double pass cooler. To maintain the same protein level, the ratio of mids to cottonseed meal was altered when more magnesium-mica was added. (see figure 1)

Figure 1

Results and Discussion

The addition of magnesium-mica significantly increased production rates of the test feed. The addition of more cottonseed meal to maintain a constant 20 percent protein content of the test feeds as magnesium-mica increased also may have had a slight beneficial effect on pellet quality and production.