Like Car Tires, Pelletizer Dies also Require High-Quality and Reliable Products

Global pellet production continues to increase, both for fuel pellets such as wood pellets and feed pellets such as poultry and ruminant feed pellets. Global wood pellet production in 2025 is estimated to reach 50-54 million tons. Global wood pellet production is projected to surge dramatically by 2050, reaching 170 million to 250 million tons per year, or around 3-5 times the current level. This surge is driven by the Net Zero Emissions scenario proposed by various global energy agencies. Meanwhile, global feed pellets production in 2025 is estimated to reach around 1.41 to 1.42 billion metric tons, or more than 25 times the production of wood pellets in the same year. Global feed pellets production in 2050 is projected to reach 1.8 billion to 2 billion tons. This increase is driven by human population growth, which is predicted to reach 9.7 billion people, which automatically increases the demand for animal protein. Both the production of fuel pellets such as wood pellets and feed pellets uses the main tools, namely pelletizers and ring dies, which are important components that require periodic replacement.

Just as car tires wear out after a certain distance, so too do pelletizer ring dies. After thousands of tons of pellets are produced, the ring die will wear out and must be replaced. Just as car tires affect the speed of wear, so too do pelletizer ring dies, where the condition of the raw materials affects the wear rate. To ensure optimal tire and ring die service life, they must be designed for their intended purpose. For example, a highway terrain (HT) tire, designed specifically for smooth asphalt, will be less than optimal for use on dirt or light gravel like rural roads, more over muddy terrain. Similarly, a ring die designed for feed pellet will be less than optimal when used with agricultural waste, more over woody biomass. For more details on the differences between pelletizers for feed and fuel/energy, please read here.

Car tire treads have distinctive characteristics depending on the terrain they are used in. For example, off-road tires with large, checkered treads are very durable in mud, but very noisy and unstable on asphalt. Similarly, the design of pelletizer dies. The characteristics of the raw material significantly influence the shape of the holes. Hardwood can differ from softwood, and even more so from agricultural waste, more over feed pellets. The shape of the holes in the pelletizer die significantly determines the density and quality of the final product. For example, a straight hole profile is the most standard shape. It is used for materials that are easy to compact and do not require extreme pressure. A relieved bore profile, on the other hand, has a larger outer diameter than the inner one (where the compression is applied). This reduces friction, preventing the machine from overheating and is commonly used for wood pellets. A tapered hole, on the other hand, tapers outward. It provides very high compression pressure, making it suitable for materials that are difficult to adhere or have coarse fibers.

Unlike tire manufacturers, which are typically separate or distinct from their car manufacturers—for example, Mercedes-Benz doesn't produce its own tires—almost all pelletizer manufacturers also produce their ring die pelletizers. While some companies specialize in die production, there are few. As global pellet production, both for fuel pellets like wood pellets and feed pellets, increases, the need for ring dies increases. Relying solely on ring dies from the original pelletizer manufacturer can be time-consuming, while pellet manufacturers need them as quickly as possible. 

This creates a niche market for pelletizer dies and spare parts. Pelletizer manufacturers, in addition to producing ring dies for their pelletizers, can also customize or produce them to order. For example, the German pelletizer manufacturer Muench, in addition to producing ring dies for its machines, also produces ring dies for CPM, Andritz, Salmatec, and other machines. The quality of the steel material used for the ring die and the workmanship determine the quality of the ring die.

If you need quality ring dies and spare parts, please contact: eko.sbs@gmail.com 

Energy Plantations: Not Only Wood Pellet Production But Must Also Support the Livestock Industry

The concept of energy plantation or biomass plantation by utilizing the whole tree seems to be still unpopular at this time. But sooner or later, God willing, it will happen because profit-oriented wood pellet companies will certainly maximize this aspect or profit, of course as long as it does not damage the environment and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) will be pursued in other ways. The main orientation currently focusing on wood products for wood pellet raw materials is certainly a good thing, but it would be much better if the benefits of all parts of the tree could be maximized. If this can be done, the benefits will not only be in the energy sector but also in food and feed, important sectors that are essential in human life.

The main composition of energy plantation leaves such as calliandra and gliricidia is protein and this protein element is an important and most expensive component compared to other elements of animal feed. With a large volume of leaves from energy plantations, it should support the livestock industry and not just be thrown away because it is just a by-product or waste that is less useful. In fact, from the livestock industry side, the opposite is true. The utilization of these leaves can be used directly on livestock or processed into animal feed in a processing industry depending on the local situation and conditions.

Large farms can be made from the utilization of energy plantation leaves as well as animal feed factories from the leaves. Leaf pellet production can be done with a production process similar to wood pellet production so that a wood pellet factory adjacent to a leaf pellet factory is also very possible. Like export-oriented wood pellet products, leaf pellets can also be the same. Meanwhile, if a large farm is to be carried out, waste from the livestock farm or animal waste can be used as raw materials / substrates for biogas production. The biogas can then be used for drying in the production of wood pellets or leaf pellets or used for electricity production. The residue from the biogas will become organic fertilizer, either solid organic fertilizer or liquid organic fertilizer. A simple diagram as below.

Thousands of cattle or breeding cattle are imported into Indonesia from Australia and New Zealand and cattle fattening is a promising business in Indonesia because the need for beef has not been met until now. The shortage of beef is met by importing buffalo meat from India and beef from Brazil. Support for the availability of abundant and quality feed is one of the important aspects of self-sufficiency in this meat. In addition to cattle, the need for goats and sheep is also very large. Yogyakarta, a city that is also famous for its goat satay cuisine, needs more than 1500 heads of sheep per day. In addition, the need for aqiqah and Eid al-Adha is also very large. The sheep export market is also very promising, which until now has not been met due to various factors, one of which is the feed factor. Feed in the livestock business plays a very important role or even around 70% of the cost of livestock is the cost of the feed. And livestock is a link in the chain of food needs for humans so that it is inseparable.

Why Has Large Capacity Wood Pellet Production from the Calliandra Energy Plantation Not Been Realized?

 

As a tropical country that has the largest land area in Southeast Asia, the potential for fuel or renewable energy from biomass, especially wood pellets, is very potential and promising. To maintain the stability of large capacity production volumes and their continuity, wood pellet production must use raw materials from energy plantations or biomass plantations. Energy plantations from short rotation coppice & fast growing species from legume groups such as red calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus) have been a concern for quite a long time, but why has this large capacity wood pellet production not yet been realized or has no industry realized it? Below could be two main factors causing this:

1. Quality of calliandra wood pellets

The characteristics of rotational crops and fast growth of the legume group are that they contain quite high levels of potassium and sodium (K+Na) in their wood. Potassium has the property of having a low melting point so it will be problematic for heat exchangers in power plant boilers in general. The high potassium content makes its use unsuitable for power plants in general, namely those that use pulverized combustion (PC). Red calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus)  in particular is the same, so with a large production capacity, the quality of export-oriented wood pellet products needs to be improved by reducing the content, especially potassium and sodium (K+Na). 

The process of reducing K + Na, which is part of the ash content, is carried out using a leaching / washing process. This unit needs to be added to the wood pellet production process from red calliandra. Apart from making calliandra wood, the raw material for wood pellets, this process becomes wetter, it also produces waste water. This will increase the production costs of red calliandra wood pellets.

Although it is possible that the leaching/washing process was not carried out so that the resulting wood pellets still have a fairly high K + Na content, they still have the potential to be used for certain types of power plants, such as those with fluidized bed and stoker technology. However, this type of power generation technology is not as common as the use of pulverized combustion (PC) technology. So that market acceptance for the production of calliandra wood pellets is large or can be used in all types of power plants, the leaching/washing process should be carried out.

2. Utilization of only certain parts (partial) of the plant, and not comprehensive (whole tree utilization)

When it only use wood for wood pellet production, it means that only part of the plant is used (partial) or there are other parts of the plant that are not used, namely the leaves and flowers. In fact, these two parts of the plant will be able to maximize income or profits which will provide the impetus to accelerate the realization of large capacity wood pellet production from the energy plantation. The additional costs incurred for the leaching/washing process will be compensated by the income/profits from leaf processing and flower utilization.

Calliandra leaves which have a high protein content are processed into animal feed, especially into flour or also pelleted into feed pellets. Meanwhile, the nectar from flowers is used as food for honey bees in beekeeping to produce calliandra honey. By maximizing the potential of all parts of the plant (whole tree utilization) of calliandra, various products (multiple products) are produced so that the driving force to accelerate the realization of large capacity wood pellet production from energy plantations becomes stronger.

One form of gratitude for Allah SWT's blessing in the form of a country with a tropical climate with vast land is to use it in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner. Tropical areas like Indonesia are a "paradise" for biomass production, especially for biomass energy (bioenergy) in the form of wood pellets. Optimizing this potential, especially with large capacity production of wood pellets and additional products, could be a boon and a blessing for prosperity as well as a solution to global climate problems (carbon neutral fuel). And basically business judgment is also needed from the entrepreneur's side so that the entrepreneur has the courage to decide to execute this business opportunity.

Complete Pellet Production Line (Fuel and Feed) Small Capacity For Research and Experiment

Laboratory equipment as a production unit or as a small factory (mini-mill) is needed both for learning (research and experiment) and as a production stage before reaching the commercial stage of a business. By observing and conducting trials on the mini-mill, in addition to getting a complete understanding of the production process from A to Z, we can also make detailed and in-depth observations of each stage of production in an easy and inexpensive way and provide a more complete picture for the commercial production process later. It is also easy to do research and experimentation on various kinds of raw materials, both single material and a mixture of several raw materials. Currently, there are many researchers and practitioners who want to try a raw material to make pellets but have difficulty finding partners or companies that can do it. Setting up equipment with mini-mill facilities is also much easier, in contrast to large factories. This is why in general large factories do not want to accept trials of making pellets from a certain material, because their focus is on production targets, unless they have R & D facilities for these trials.

Meanwhile, if the laboratory equipment is only in the form of functional tools such as cutting tools, crushing tools and so on but is not integrated into a production unit (even though the capacity is small), it will be difficult to imagine even more accurately designing an industrial or commercial factory. Even if a number of functional tools in the laboratory are integrated, which usually come from a number of manufacturers and have different capacities, operating the assembled mini mill is also not easy. That is why it is important to establish a complete line for the production of these pellets. The resulting pellet production can also be of two kinds, namely fuel pellets such as wood pellets and feed pellets such as leaf pellets, depending on the raw materials used.

And indeed on a commercial scale or large factory the pelletiser specification for fuel pellets such as wood pellets is different from the pelletiser for feed pellets. Pelletisers for fuel pellets such as in wood pellet production have a greater electric motor power about 3 times than a pelletiser for feed pellet production, for example for 1 ton/hour wood pellets need 150 KW while for feed pellets it is only 50 KW. In addition, the quality of the metal used for the production of the pelletiser is usually also different because the level of hardness of the raw materials is also different. Pelletiser is the main equipment or the heart of the process in pellet production, both fuel pellets (wood pellets) and feed pellets. Based on experience in the field, it turns out that there are many cases of failure of commercial wood pellet production due to errors in the selection of this pelletiser, namely the pelletiser for feed is used for wood pellets besides being not optimal, the machine life is short, even in a number of cases wood pellets are not formed so that the target production is not achieved. The main reason why this happened is because of being tempted by the price issue, namely the feed pelletiser is cheaper and in appearance it is also difficult to distinguish (especially the common people).

In this small capacity pellet production, only one type of pelletiser is used, because the main purpose is more on the qualitative aspect, not on the quantitative aspect. A number of process stages in the production of fuel pellets (wood pellets) are also very similar to the production of feed pellets, so the equipment used is also similar or even the same. This is mainly so that the price of the production unit is not too expensive. In commercial pellet production, ring die pelletisers are more widely and commonly used than flat die types. However, because the ring die pelletiser is more expensive even though it is close to the real conditions of the pellet industry, the flat die pelletiser is also sufficient for the purpose at this stage.

Feed pellets have a longer history than fuel pellets, especially wood pellets, namely in the 1920s when Purina Animal Nutrition, one of the largest animal feed producers in the world today. With this pelletization, the material is in powder form, unpalatable by livestock , different densities become easier to use and increase uniformity. This pelletization technique was quickly in great demand by many feed producers, so that in 1930 there were a number of feed factories specializing in the production of these feed pellets. World feed pellet production also far exceeds fuel pellets (wood pellets), which is in the range of 1 billion tons per year, while wood pellets are in the range of 50 million tons per year. Both have strategic functions in human life. Feed pellets as a food chain for humans are needed and their production continues to be increased. 

It is estimated that protein needs in 2050 need an additional 250 million tons per year, an increase of 50% compared to today. This is because according to the United Nations, the global human population is predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The food sector is looking for a solution to the protein deficit due to protein demand per capita and population growth. Meanwhile, fuel pellets (wood pellets) are needed to save the earth from climate change. Wood pellets as carbon neutral fuel make it not increase the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas that heats the earth's temperature. Decarbonization programs or substitution of fossil fuels for renewable energy, especially biomass fuel or wood pellets, continue to be improved throughout the world, as a reference you can read here and here. Energy plantations or legume plantations will be the solution to this problem, read in more detail here. 

 

In addition to pellet production (both fuel pellets and feed pellets) with a slight modification, namely replacing the pelletiser with a briquette machine, it can also be used for briquette production. This is because the production process is almost the same, the two technologies are the same, namely the biomass densification technology group. The use of these briquettes is also for fuel the same as wood pellets, but these briquettes can also be charred (carbonized) so that they become charcoal briquettes. The production of charcoal briquettes in this way produces better quality than the production of charcoal briquettes with charcoal as raw material and then added adhesive and pressed. This charcoal briquette product is commonly known in the market as sawdust charcoal briquette, the production of which does not require additional adhesive (binderless briquette).

Dichotomy of Energy Plantation and Legumes Plantation

There is a dichotomy between friends in livestock and forestry today about these legumes. From animal husbandry, they see leaves as a source of feed protein from plants and from forestry, they see wood as a source of wood that is easy to cultivate with high productivity. In the forestry sector, the wood is usually used as a renewable energy source such as wood chips, wood pellets, wood briquettes or charcoal briquettes. Forestry grows thousands of hectares of these legumes such as gliricidia with a wood orientation while the leaves are considered a by-product or waste from their plantation side. By utilizing the wood and leaves, it means getting out of this dichotomy, creating a new paradigm and being able to overcome food and energy problems or optimize the legume plantation or energy plantation (whole tree utilization) of thousands of hectares.

In addition to functioning as a legume plantation for animal feed, especially ruminants (sheep, goats, cattle, buffalo), as well as biomass fuel as above, the same plantation can also be used as a raw material for synthetic fiber board, for more details, please read here . Meanwhile, as the bioeconomic era is getting closer, the need for bioenergy, especially wood pellets, is increasing, the need for animal feed, especially ruminants which is part of the chain of human food needs is also increasing and indeed the growth of the earth's population is also increasing, and the need for biomaterials such as synthetic boards is also increasing. Therefore, the establishment of energy plantations or legume plantations or biomass plantations is very important, strategic and multi-beneficial. Based on these conditions, it is not impossible that in the near future the plantation will become a national and even global trend.

Production of Synthetic Boards*, Ruminant Livestock and Animal Feed Industry from Biomass Plantation

Synthetic boards such as laminate, particleboard, fiberboard and cement board can be made from wood produced by biomass plantation. In addition to the small size of the wood, it is also of low quality which currently does not have an adequate utilization value. Forests or biomass plantations can be used as the raw material for the synthetic board. With fast rotation crops with short rotation coppice and fast growing species, such as calliandra and gliricidia, it is very potential as raw material for the synthetic boards. The production of this synthetic boards also uses the same type of raw material as wood pellets, namely wood waste or wood worth as wood waste. Wood produced from this biomass plantation is included in the second group, namely wood worth as wood waste. Even on the other hand, the large wood processing industry that produces a lot of wood waste, not a few who process the waste for the production for wood pellets and synthetic boards.

However, it would be better if the source of raw material for the synthetic boards production comes from forests or biomass plantations so that not only wood is the raw material for the artificial boards but also leaves and flowers. The leaves can then be used as ruminant animal feed and even the production of animal feed as a separate industry. While the flowers from the plantation can be used for honey bee farming. In livestock business, especially ruminants, feed is the highest cost component which is estimated to reach more than 80%. The forest or biomass plantations cover an area of thousands of hectares and are capable of being the main feed source for large ruminant livestock. Even if there is a large surplus, the animal feed industry also needs to be made independent.

Animal feed in the form of hay and pellets is suitable for long distance use because transportation costs will be cheap. Basically all parts of the tree can be utilized so as to provide optimal benefits. To maintain the sustainability of the forest or biomass plantation, good management is also needed so that the productivity performance of the forest or biomass plantation can be maintained. Along with the increasing population, the need for housing and other means of living also increases as well as food. Forests or biomass plantations can help overcome both problems.

*Synthetic boards are laminated board, particle board, fiberboard and cement board. While plywood is not included in it, although plywood is also a type of synthetic board. Plywood production from veneer sheets derived from large diameter wood, is not like this biomass plantation.

Opportunity to Export Animal Feed Protein Sources to Europe

Meat and milk are sources of protein for human obtained from animals, especially ruminants, then meat and eggs from poultry and meat from fish. Availability of sufficient animal protein is needed. Protein deficiency will be bad for health. The livestock industry plays an important role for the adequacy of animal protein today. To produce animal protein in the form of meat and milk, a protein source, namely vegetable protein, is needed in the feed source for the ruminant livestock. Gliricidia and calliandra leaves from energy plantations are a source of protein for the ruminants (sheep, goats and cows). The development of energy plantations should also encourage the livestock industry. This is important for the makers or entrepreneurs of the energy plantation to understand.

Learning from European conditions, according to a study conducted by FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers' Federation), there is a protein deficit condition in the feed industry sector in Europe and for that they have made a number of efforts to obtain environmentally friendly feed protein sources and sustainable. Deficit is a condition where the consumption or use of protein for the feed has exceeded its production. This means that European production in the form of protein sources for animal feed is still far from its needs so that imports cannot be avoided as a result. Although it is estimated that they will not be able to replace 100% of feed protein sources by one mean alone, which as long as most are imported but reducing this dependence with local production of feed protein would be very helpful. Another motivation is to reduce dependence on protein sources from transgenic materials (GMOs), namely soybean.

Their first effort was the use of PAP (processed animal protein). The use of PAP is indeed high in nutrition, and the source of PAP for the feed is chicken and pork. Although a rule has been made that chicken PAP is not allowed to feed chickens and pork PAP is not allowed to feed pigs plus a tool to detect it, in practice this is difficult to be implemented. This is because feed mills that operate are generally multi-purpose feed so that it can be used for various types of livestock. Very few feed mills make specialty feeds. In fact, if it occurs, for example, PAP chickens for chicken feed and PAP pigs for pig feed, then a disease may occur in the livestock. An example is in the case of mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM). In 1996 with the crisis of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) because it was related to feeding from MBM for ruminant feed. The BSE-infected meat causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, which poses a high risk to the human food chain. After the epidemic spread, the use of MBM in animal feed was banned. This regulation causes a high dependence on imported raw materials such as soybean meal for the continuity of the supply of meat, milk and eggs.

The second effort is protein production from insect farming. Although it can be done and a number of insect species have also been approved, the fact is that currently there are very few insect farms there, so it will still take a long time to produce sufficient volumes as a source of protein in animal feed. The source of protein from these insects is mainly for fish feed. The third effort from energy plantations is from rapeseed trees. Rapeseed meal is another source of vegetable protein. But the availability of rapeseed meal depends on European biofuel policy. Canola oil is the raw material for biodiesel in Europe. The European biofuel policy is contained in the Renewable Energy Directive 2020-2030 where the contribution of biofuels from plants for the target use in the transportation sector is up to a maximum of 7%.

The fourth effort from the rejected and expired products of the food industry. The rejected and expired products of the food industry it’s mean from the food and food ingredients industries, such as the biscuit industry, instant noodles, chocolate bars, pasta and so on. But what is meant is not food waste from restaurants, or catering. EFFPA, the European Former Foodstuff Processing Association estimates that in the European Union around 3.5 million tons of food waste is processed into animal feed every year. The European Union encourages the use of rejected and expired food, including issuing guidelines to reduce food waste to become feed, because it is not fit for human consumption. They have also discussed protein sources from micro algae or single-celled plants, but they are not a priority at this time due to quality and some limitations. 

The importance of realizing the potential as well as improving the vision for optimizing the energy plantation. GMO problems, for example, the use of gliricidia leaves can be the solution, for more details read here. “Quality protein” is important because not all proteins are equal. Several parameters for protein quality are the amino acid profile and the absence of anti-nutritional substances. For example, soybean meal has high scores for all protein quality parameters including palatability, digestibility and safety. A case that can also be used as a reference, in 2007 there was a withdrawal of pet food because it was contaminated with melamine and cyanuric acid (which is high in nitrogen content and identified as crude protein) in protein elements that cause kidney failure. 

The use of nitrogen from the above chemical is also carried out in agricultural products and has also led to the withdrawal of agricultural products from China in South Africa, the European Union and the United States. Even America ordered the USDA to inspect all agricultural products from China. In 2008 and 2009 China focused on eliminating the problem of counterfeiting or mixing and the effects of the crisis. In 2010 a revised version of the feed and feed additive regulations was published to further ensure quality and safety. Even though China is the largest feed producer in the world, the need for feed raw materials still relies on imports, especially flour/soybean meal to support food needs in the form of meat, milk and eggs for around 1.3 billion people.

From a number of efforts by the European Union to plan for self-sufficiency in feed protein sources, it turns out that the source of protein from rapeseed energy plantataions has become a European priority at this time. Meanwhile, with Indonesia's condition which has a large area of land, there are many energy plantations that can be created, even the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has planned 12.7 million hectares for energy plantations as an effort to support the cofiring program at coal power plants in Indonesia more detail read here. Energy plantation by-products will also be abundant. The production of this leaf can be used as an export commodity to Europe, because the need is large. Animal feed production in Europe is estimated at 160 million tons per year or 16% of the world with 5000 units of feed factories. With the consumption of protein in the feed in the range of 30%, the need will reach 48 million tons. When the domestic feed industry has not been able to absorb it, export is the best choice.

 

Ruminant is herbivore so that their diet comes from plants, the case of MBM in Europe can be a valuable lesson that feeding from mammals actually creates new problems. Moreover, if the food category is najis, then the livestock will become jalalah which are prohibited (haram) to be consumed. Meanwhile, the case of mixing with hazardous chemicals that occurred in China with melamine and cyanuric acid is only to trick the protein content so that it looks high and is also harmful to the health of the human body. Islam is very concerned about food or food issues, even in the Qur'an Letter of 'Abasa: 24, Allah commands humans to pay attention to their food. The food that enters our stomach must be halal and thoyyib (good). Foods that contain harmful substances that can poison the body are not thoyyib foods. And one of the consequences of haram (prohibited) food is a barrier to prayer being answered.        

Planning Long-Term Feed Supply

Feed is the highest cost component in animal husbandry with a share of about 70%. Thus, feed has an important role for the sustainability of the business. Planning in the provision of good feed will reduce the risk of failure, including a decrease in the production of these farms. Maintaining the high performance of the livestock industry is not an easy thing, of course, including maintaining the quality and quantity of the feed. Feed planning for long-term supply needs to be done carefully and comprehensively so that livestock business can be optimal. Seasonal factor is an important factor in the availability of the feed. The success rate and the amount of profit earned can also be predicted better.

In commercial business, ruminant feed, especially sheep, goats and cattle, is generally easier to obtain than poultry or chicken feed. Imports of soybean meal have been carried out for the poultry or chicken feed. Chicken meat is still ranked 1st as a source of animal protein in Indonesia with a portion of around 70%. Whereas for the ruminants above, generally the feed can be provided by local food sources such as grasses and legume plants. But along with the narrowing of the land that can be used for forage crops, the more limited the availability of feed for livestock, especially for pasture. This condition makes it difficult for ruminant farms to be developed in large capacities or industry-oriented. Energy plantations with an area of up to thousands of hectares are expected to be a solution for this.

The development of energy plantations itself is closely related to the use of renewable energy, especially biomass, both locally / domestically and globally. In line with the bioeconomy era, the use of fossil fuels as well as for the manufacture of various other products is reduced, so biomass will receive more attention and will be increasingly used. This should be in line with the growth of the ruminant livestock sector and the halal industry in general. Related to animal feed, there are 3 important things that need to be considered, namely nutrition, safety and sustainability. Apart from these factors, technological, logistics and good management factors also play an important role in the long-term sustainability of the feed supply. If all the elements of feed (fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.) can be fulfilled from local / domestic sources so that the price is cheaper, the livestock business will be more competitive. Meanwhile, if it depends on imports, the cost of feed will be expensive and the livestock business will be less competitive so that the output of meat and milk products as a source of protein will also be expensive. And don't let the domestic animal feed production grow, say 5 times but imports of raw materials 15 times.

Production of Box Shaped Hay From Gliricidia Leaves

Apart from market, feed is another important factor in livestock business. Striving for and ensuring the availability of feed throughout the year both in quality and quantity is a challenge in itself, especially industrial-oriented ruminant farms. The productivity of livestock products is largely determined by these feed factors. The important role for livestock is for the growth of young livestock and for maintaining life and producing products (milk, calves/lamb, meat) and power for adult livestock. Another function of feed is to maintain endurance and health. In order for livestock to grow as expected, the type of feed given to livestock must be of good quality and in sufficient quantities.

In addition, livestock productivity itself is influenced a lot by environmental factors, namely up to 70%, while about 30% is genetic factors. And among these environmental factors, the aspect of feed has the greatest influence, which is around 60%, for example superior sheep farming such as the dorper type but if the quality and quantity of feed is not met then the results are also not optimal. Meanwhile, in terms of livestock business, the cost of feed is also the largest production cost, namely 60-80% of the total production cost. So it is very natural that attention or focus on feed issues is very important.

Seeing the above conditions, processing technology for animal feed is important. The purposes of animal feed processing include preserving nutrition and extending shelf life. Drying the leaves of gliricidia or calliandra to a moisture content of about 15% is one such effort or commonly called hay. By making hay the two objectives of processing animal feed above, namely maintaining nutrition and extending the shelf life can be achieved, but with a large volume of dry feed or hay (bulky) it will be inefficient in using space for storage or if it is to be used in other places where need quite far transportation. This is why it is necessary to apply biomass densification technology to solve this problem. Hay compaction into blocks or box shaped is a practical and easy undertaking. The equipment and compaction process into box shaped is also easy and cheap, compared to other biomass compaction technologies such as pellets or briquettes.

A sheep or cow farm should be built near the energy plantation so that they can easily get a source of feed for the gliricidia leaves. The leaves are then made hay and compacted into the blocks / box shaped. And because gliricidia leaves are a source of protein, so to be a complete feed, another source of feed is needed. This can be fulfilled by the surrounding community with community empowerment patterns or for more details, please read here. Sources of feed from the community, for example a source of fiber from grasses or agricultural waste, can also be made hay, so that the farm is available as a complete feed (complete feed) which is safe for the operation of the farm business. And because the estimated leaf production from energy plantations is very abundant, some of the hay that is produced can also be sold elsewhere. 

Technology is basically a tool to achieve a goal. From a technological point of view, namely biomass densification, besides the raw material for glicidia leaves can be made hay, the leaves can also be made into pellets or briquettes. The main difference between pellets and briquettes is only a matter of size, briquettes are bigger than pellets. The form of puck briquettes like the photo above is the best form for animal feed applications. From a technical perspective, pellets and briquettes are also denser or have a higher density than hay. The dust problem in hay can also be reduced by making these pellets or briquettes. But it is true that making pellets or briquettes requires higher investment costs and the production process is more complex.

Production of Gliricidia Leaf Pellets as a Non-GMO and Sustainable Animal Feed Solution

 

Food is a top priority compared to feed and energy. This has a consequence of adequate food for humans before animal feed and energy. When food and energy are prioritized over food, there will be various social unrest. The tortilla riots in Mexico some time ago are an example of how energy is prioritized over food, namely corn is prioritized for bioethanol. Likewise, if feed is prioritized so that food supplies will be disrupted. Soybeans, for example, are a source of food but also a source of feed. The largest soybean production from the United States and Brazil. In a number of countries soybeans are a source of food and feed because the oil is extracted into soybean oil and the meal becomes animal feed, but in Indonesia, soybeans are mainly used for food. Vegetable oil in Indonesia is mainly from palm oil and coconut oil. Even in its history, Indonesian coconut oil was destroyed by the American Soybean Association (ASA) with the negative issue that propagated coconut oil as bad oil on the international vegetable oil market, so that until now coconut oil has not revived.

Indonesian animal feed production also mostly relies on protein sources from soybean and palm oil meal. In fact, because of the great need, it also imports soybean meal (SBM). The more developed the livestock industry, the greater the need for feed. Feed in the livestock industry is one of the key components to its success. Adequacy of feed with good nutrition, safe and affordable is very important for livestock business. As the largest palm oil producer in the world, which ranges from 40 million tonnes / year, the production of palm kernel cake is estimated at more than 6.5 million tonnes / year, if all of these palm kernel cakes are optimized for the domestic feed industry, it would be very good. Likewise coconut cake.

Gliricidia

 Gliricidia leaves are also a source of protein for animal feed, especially ruminants and fisheries. With a protein content of about 20%, gliricidia leaves are very potential as a source of this protein. Moreover, the programs of the feed industry associations are reducing or even eliminating dependence on transgenic raw materials (GMO) such as soybeans and environmental factors in the form of sustainability. With the program of making energy plantationsor biomass plantations which are also increasingly massive for various industries based on renewable and sustainable materials, the production of leaves as a side waste is also increasing. The potential for leaf waste, which is estimated to reach hundreds of thousands of tons, even millions of tons, will be very potential for animal feed, especially reducing feed derived from GMO materials. Environmentally productive efforts like this to meet human needs will further encourage bioeconomics. Halal meat is a very important source of protein for human food, so animal feed production is an integral part of the chain.

The growth rate of the feed industry also varies from country to country. This depends on a number of factors such as a country's food policy, people's purchasing power, availability of raw materials and so on. For example: for countries in Europe, about 20 years ago the average capacity of feed mills in Italy was 11,000 tons / year, while the animal feed industry in the Netherlands has an average capacity of 45,000 tons / year or more than 4 times the feed industry in Italy and has also exceeded the European average capacity today. Currently, the average feed mill in Italy has an average capacity of 29,000 tonnes / year (still about 3 times that of 20 years ago), but at the same time feed mills in the Netherlands already have an average capacity of 140,000 tonnes / year. The majority of animal feed production in the Netherlands is for pig feed, so it would not be suitable for conditions in Indonesia. With majority of Islam in Indonesia, the production of animal feed developed as a top priority is for the halal industry. Based on the potential for raw materials, the potential for land for animal feed production and so on, Indonesia should accelerate its halal industry, one of which is by boosting its animal feed industry. The Netherlands, with its small population and limited land area, is even very strong in developing its research to support the feed industry. We also don't want to lose.