In feed pellet production, how to achieve the peak performance and maximum productivity have become common concerns for both the pellet producers and users. Many factors affect the normal play of feed pellet machine, raw material for feed pellet is no exception.

Granularity of Raw Material
For the raw materials, the finer granularity, the bigger superficial area. Therefore, the steam can be absorbed fast, achieving high output. However, the raw materials with too fine granularity can be pelletized into brittle feed pellets. Too large granularity will accelerate the wear of roller and die, increase the power consumption and lower the output.
Bulk Density of Raw Material
Generally, the higher bulk density of raw materials, the higher output. Therefore, when selecting the raw materials, besides the nutritional requirement, the bulk density of raw material should be also taken into consideration.
Moisture Content of Raw Material
In pelletizing process, the water is conductive to form a water film on the material particle surface, so the raw materials can pass through the die easily and the service life of roller can be prolonged. If the moisture content is too high, we need to decrease the additive amount of water when pelletizing, or the pelletizing temperature will be affected, thus affecting the output and quality of feed pellets. Besides, the material may slip between the roller and die, resulting in the blockage. Generally, the moisture content is less than 13% before conditioning.

Different Formulas of Raw Material
* The materials with high starch content can be pelletized easily in high temperature and high moisture content. After conditioning, the materials obtain certain viscosity, which is help for pellet forming.
* The raw materials with high crude fiber content can be bonded easily, which can lower the percentage of powdered pellets and increase the output. However, if the crude fiber content is more than 10%, the material may block the die, accelerate the wear and lower the output.
* After heated, the raw materials with high protein content have a strong plasticity and great viscosity. When pelletizing, we should add enough powdered materials and right amount of urea. The urea becomes more soluble as the temperature rises. The water will be dissolved by urea to increase the moisture content, so it is easy to cause the blockage. Therefore, we should add little or no water when pelletizing.
* The heat-sensitive feed have a large proportion of dried skim milk, milk sugar, whey powder, etc. After heated, the viscosity of heat-sensitive feed will be increased, which is conductive to increase the output. However, when the temperature exceeds 60℃, the materials will be coked, even block the die. Therefore, we can add warm water when conditioning.
* The inorganic feed have little viscosity and poor pelletizing performance. Therefore, a small amount of binder should be added to improve the pelletizing performance.