Feed Production Center

NCI Feed Production Center

The NCI Feed Production Center had its beginnings in 1990 with the construction of the feed mill that was created and funded to be a platform for the education and hands-on training of domestic and international feed manufacturers. The feed mill also provides feed for NDSU’s animal research units and feed for research projects inside the four-state region.

The feed industry educational courses cover various aspects of feed technology including pelleting, size reduction, mixing, and how to be more efficient producers of feed. Courses are offered for seasoned industry professionals, newcomers to the field, and post-graduate students. These courses are conducted in the classroom and teaching labs connected to the Feed Production Center.

The NCI Feed Production Center is equipped with conveyance equipment supplied by Essmueller Co and Schlagel Inc. Both an RMS two pair roller grinder and a Bliss hammermill are utilized for particle size reduction. The Feed Production Center received a complete equipment renovation in 2014. At this time, the 1-ton twin shaft Scott Equipment Company mixer was added along with a micro system on behalf of Automated Processing Equipment Corporation (APEC). Another round of upgrades occurred in 2024. The pelleting system was upgraded to a new 1112-4 CPM ring die pellet mill with a CPM feed conditioner and mash feeder. The pellets at the mill are cooled with a CME cooler and there will be a crumbler added into the system for poultry and swine projects. All of the equipment in the feed mill is controlled and monitored with an I-controls system from Interstates.

All of the equipment is scaled for pilot production for teaching, research, and technical services for industry clientele and academic use. The mill can produce a 500-2000-pound individual batch and up to 60 ton of meal feed per day. For pelleted feeds, the mill can run 16-20 ton per day depending on the product mixes. The equipment still operates on the same principles as their larger counterparts in the commercial industry and allows for pilot testing prior to commercialization of a product.