Feed Mill
The feed mill provides feedstuffs and ingredients; it mixes diets for all animal and poultry units of the Animal Sciences Research and Education Center plus other departments in the Schools of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. The feed mill does not sell feed outside the University.
Typically, all diets are custom-mixed to the formulas provided by the various researchers and ASREC Managers. An average of 200 tons of feed are manufactured monthly.
The feed mill is subject to Food and Drug Administration inspection and regulations. The feed mill must be federally registered to manufacture medicated feeds using category II drugs (those which are restricted and have a withdrawal at the lowest use level for at least one specie). All diets or premixes are made according to the Good Manufacturing Practices for Medicated Feed, as outlined in codes of federal regulations. Thus, accurate records, careful inventory control of all ingredients and proper feed manufacture are of prime importance. A key element to success in these areas is a custom-designed computer program. The computer provides accurate and timely billing of feeds and feed ingredients.
The feed mill features horizontal mixers, grain-processing equipment, fat storage and handling (fat is a feed energy source and also helps control feed dust), batch-weighing capabilities, bagging equipment, and small ingredient storage bins. Corn, the major feed ingredient, is produced by the Farm Operations, dried in a continuous-flow dryer, and stored in 32000 and 17000 bushel bins. Corn can be processed in either a hammer-mill or a roller-mill. Corn plus other ingredients, including DDGS (distiller's grain) soybean meal, edible fat, vitamins, minerals, etc. are mixed in horizontal mixers.
The feed mill operation is handled by the manager, one full-time employee, and additional part- time student employees (equivalent to 0.5 FTE).