The long established German company, Buschhoff, will be using the Pig and Poultry Fair 2014 to unveil its new Widomix Flow – pioneering technology for on farm feed production, especially the poultry sector. For the first time feed can be produced using what has been named “the flow principle.” For a good number of years it has been standard practice to add different feed ingredients one by one into a single weigher-mixer. Now, the FLOW design incorporates a dedicated weigher for each ingredient which are then simultaneously transferred to the mixer and processed continually. The result is:
• Reduced downtime
• Impressive production capacity and performance
• Significant cost savings
• Optimum feed quality
A typical Widomix Flow system will have a number of belt weighers – some with mills attached – rear weighing containers for less bulky ingredients, a continuous mixer with feed oil dosing capability and a computer control system. Each system is bespoke depending on the customer’s own requirements and raw materials used. If required, the mixer can be connected to a blower system to enable the feed to be transported directly to the feed shed eliminating the requirement for a buffer silo.
The basic system can have up to eight weighers simultaneously weighing and conveying. The mill operator will request a specific diet and tonnage. The Buschhoff software running the Widomix Flow will then control the numerous dosing augers to ensure that the exact quantity of raw material required for the specific diet is conveyed. As soon as any one raw material reaches its required limit all other ingredients are adjusted accordingly. Therefore the percentage of any ingredient as a part of the whole diet will remain constant and in accordance with the ration formulation.
Energy costs remain an ever present concern in the production of feed. Widomix Flow is incredibly energy efficient compared to the batch mixing plants of the past which need high spot work rates and power demands to shorten the milling, dosing, and mixing periods and thereby compensate for the plant downtime. The Flow system requires less drive power as the belt weighers use less electricity; the continuous material flow also lessens the need for expensive peak rate electricity. Energy consumption for poultry feed produced using the Flow technology should be reduced from 10-11 kW/t to approximately 8kW/t. You can also expect to realise savings of around 20-30% in the production of pig and cattle feed. As a significant overhead, electricity costs are often a key consideration when investing in new plant – there are very real savings that can be made using Widomix Flow.
Widomix Flow will also require less capital investment than a traditional mill and mix system. As smaller motors are used and the need for buffer silos is removed (even for high capacity systems) the cost of the whole plant is also reduced. As the system is also low profile it can be installed in a relatively compact space, often dispensing with the need for costly new buildings or alterations.
With Widomix Flow each raw material has its own dedicated hammer mill as well as a belt weigher. This improves feed quality as each mill is specifically set up for that raw material with the correct screen size, rpm and power. If required, the proven Buschhoff Drum Cleaner can also be added, again specifically set up for raw material being used together with the most suitable screen. Widomix Flow really provides a system to enable the farmer to make feed to the exact requirements of his own animals. This means better feed conversion, better animal health, lower feed cost – and more profit!
As specialists in mill and mix technology, Buschhoff are able to launch the Widomix Flow as a system that takes feed production in a new direction. With each raw material having its own weigher, ingredients are simultaneously conveyed and mixed on the flow. The application of the flow principle not only offers substantial financial savings for capital and running costs but also gives enhanced feed quality.
