How to Choose the Right Feed Mixer Capacity for Your Feed Production Line

How to Choose the Right Feed Mixer Capacity for Your Feed Production Line?

Introduction

Choosing the right feed mixer capacity is one of the most important decisions when designing an animal feed production line.

A feed mixer that is too small may reduce production efficiency and become a bottleneck between batching and pelletizing processes. On the other hand, an oversized mixer may increase investment costs, energy consumption, and unnecessary operating expenses.

So, how do you choose the right feed mixer capacity?

The answer depends on several factors:

• Feed production output
• Batch size requirements
• Mixing cycle time
• Feed formula characteristics
• Type of mixer
• Downstream equipment capacity

For commercial feed mills, the best choice is not always the largest mixer, but the mixer that matches the entire production process.

YUDA Machinery provides different types of horizontal feed mixing equipment, including SLHY Series Feed Ribbon Mixer, SDHJ Series Single-Shaft Paddle Mixer, SSHJ Series Double-Shaft Paddle Mixer, and SHJL Continuous Mixer, designed for different feed production requirements.

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1. Match the Mixer Capacity with Feed Production Output

The first step is determining the required mixing capacity based on the production output of the complete feed mill.

A typical feed production process includes:

Raw Material Receiving
↓
Grinding Process
↓
Batching System
↓
Feed Mixing
↓
Pelletizing Process
↓
Cooling & Screening
↓
Packing

The feed mixer should match the capacity of upstream and downstream equipment.

For example:

• If the pellet mill capacity is 5 tons/hour, the mixer should provide enough batch output to continuously supply the pelletizing process.
• If the mixer capacity is too low, the pellet mill may need to wait for mixed materials.
• If the mixer capacity is too large, the equipment may operate below the optimal loading condition.

Therefore, feed mixer capacity selection should be based on the complete production line, not only the mixer itself.

YUDA provides complete feed processing solutions, including batching, mixing, pelletizing, cooling, conveying, and other processes.

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2. Understand Batch Capacity: kg/batch vs. ton/batch

Most industrial feed mixers are measured by:

• KG per batch
• Ton per batch

A batch mixer completes one mixing cycle each time:

Loading → Mixing → Discharging

The suitable batch size depends on:

• Production demand
• Mixing time
• Number of recipes
• Working hours per day

A general reference:

Mixer Capacity	Suitable Application
100-500 kg/batch	Small farms and laboratory production
500-1000 kg/batch	Small and medium feed plants
1000-2000 kg/batch	Commercial feed production
2000-4000 kg/batch	Medium and large feed factories
Above 4000 kg/batch	Large industrial feed production

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3. Calculate Mixer Capacity Based on Production Requirement

A simple calculation method:

Required Mixer Capacity:

Hourly Production × Mixing Cycle Time = Required Batch Capacity 

Example:

A feed mill produces:

10 tons/hour 

The mixing cycle is:

6 minutes

The required mixing batches:

10 tons ÷ 60 minutes × 6 minutes 

Therefore, a mixer with around:

1-1.5 ton/batch capacity 

may be suitable.

However, the final selection should also consider:

• Material density
• Formula composition
• Loading coefficient
• Future expansion plans

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4. Choose Mixer Capacity According to Feed Type

Different feed products have different mixing requirements.

Poultry Feed 

Common materials:

• Corn
• Soybean meal
• Wheat
• Minerals
• Vitamins

Requirements:

• High mixing uniformity
• Stable batch production

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Livestock Feed

Examples:

• Cattle feed
• Pig feed
• Sheep feed

Requirements:

• Larger production capacity
• Strong mixing ability
• Suitable for different raw materials

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Aquatic Feed 

Requirements:

• Accurate ingredient distribution
• Good handling of fine powder materials
• Stable mixing performance

Feed mixing equipment is widely used for poultry feed, livestock feed, aquaculture feed, pet food, and other industries requiring homogeneous ingredient distribution.

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What Feed Mixer Capacity Does YUDA Provide?

YUDA offers different horizontal batch feed mixers according to production requirements.

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SLHY Series Feed Ribbon Mixer

The SLHY series is designed for mixing powder and granular materials in compound feed production.

Main features:

• Horizontal batch mixing structure
• High mixing uniformity
• Short mixing time
• Low material residue
• Optional liquid adding system

The SLHY series covers different capacities

Model	Effective volume(M3)	Power(KW)	Capacity (kg/batch)	Rotate speed(RPM)	Dimensions	Weight
SLHY0.4	0.4	4	200	36	2000*1300*1180	700
SLHY0.6	0.6	5.5	250	36	2400*1190*1173	1150
SLHY1	1	11	500	31	2520*1380*1375	1900
SLHY2.5	2.5	18.5	1000	34	3220*1890*1724	2790
SLHY5	5	30	2000	25	4090*2132*2072	3500
SLHY7.5	7.5	37/45	3000	25	4800*2165*2400	7500
SLHY10	10	45/55	4000	21	5200*2365*2550	10000
SLHY12	12	55/75	5000	21	5400*2500*2700	12000

 

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SDHJ Series Single Shaft Paddle Mixer

The SDHJ series uses a horizontal mixing structure with specially designed blades.

Advantages:

• High mixing efficiency
• Good mixing quality
• Low material residue
• Fast discharge

Capacity examples:

 

 

 

 

Model	Effective volume (M3)	Power (kw)	Capacity (kg/batch)	Dimensions (mm)	Weight (kg)
SDHJ0.2	0.2	3/4	100	1926*914*1244	850
SDHJ0.5	0.5	5.5/7.5	250	2454*1168*1684	1245
SDHJ1	1	11/15	500	2842*1362*1833	1900
SDHJ2	2	18.5/22	1000	3324*1734*2200	2830
SDHJ3	3	22/30	1500	3710*1856*2330	4640
SDHJ4	4	30/37	2000	4209*2165*3104	5640
SDHJ6	6	45/55	3000	5320*2450*2920	7240
SDHJ8	8	75/90	4000	5320*2550*3050	8560

 

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SSHJ Series Double Shaft Paddle Mixer

For medium and large feed production lines, double shaft paddle mixers provide faster and more efficient mixing.

Capacity range:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model	Effective volume(M3)	Power (kw)	Capacity (kg/batch)	Dimensions (mm)	Weight (kg)
SSHJ0.2	0.2	4	100	1600*1425*1150	1000
SSHJ0.5	0.5	5.5/7.5	250	1800*2000*1500	1760
SSHJ1	1	11/15	500	2000*2500*1400	2405
SSHJ2	2	18.5/22	1000	2820*2345*2130	4320
SSHJ3Z	3	22/30	1500	2650*2800*2310	4500
SSHJ4Z	4	30/37	2000	2890*3070*2450	6260
SSHJ6Z	6	37/45	3000	3530*2980*2460	7500
SSHJ8Z	8	45/55	4000	3800*2980*2400	8500

 

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Horizontal Mixer vs Double Shaft Mixer: Which One Should You Choose?

Comparison	Ribbon Mixer	Double Shaft Paddle Mixer
Mixing Speed	Medium	Fast
Mixing Uniformity	High	Very High
Production Scale	Small-Medium	Medium-Large
Application	Powder & granular materials	Commercial feed plants
Liquid Addition	Available	Available

For small and medium feed plants, ribbon mixers can provide an economical solution.

For large commercial feed factories requiring high efficiency, double shaft paddle mixers are usually preferred.

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Common Mistakes When Selecting Feed Mixer Capacity

1. Choosing Capacity Only Based on Current Production 

Many customers only consider today's production requirements but ignore future expansion.

A properly selected mixer should leave reasonable growth capacity.

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2. Ignoring Mixing Time 

Two mixers with the same volume may have different production efficiency because of different mixing cycles.

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3. Selecting an Oversized Mixer 选型过大

An oversized mixer may cause:

• Higher investment
• Higher energy consumption
• Lower utilization rate

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4. Ignoring Pellet Mill Capacity 

The mixer and pellet mill should work together.

A mismatch may cause:

• Production waiting
• Reduced efficiency
• Increased operating cost

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How YUDA Helps Choose the Right Feed Mixer?

Choosing the correct feed mixer requires engineering experience.

 

YUDA provides:

Complete Feed Production Solutions 

Including:

• Feed grinding
• Batching
• Mixing
• Pelletizing
• Cooling
• Conveying

Multiple Mixer Models 

Solutions for:

• Small feed plants
• Commercial feed mills
• Large industrial projects

Engineering Support 

Including:

• Production line design
• Equipment selection
• Installation
• Commissioning
• Technical support

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FAQ: Feed Mixer Capacity Selection

1. What size feed mixer do I need?

The required mixer size depends on production output, batch size, mixing cycle time, and feed formula. The mixer should match the capacity of the complete feed production line.

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2. How do I calculate feed mixer capacity?

Calculate the required batch capacity based on hourly production and mixing cycle time:

Production per hour × Mixing cycle time = Mixer batch requirement

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3. Is a larger feed mixer always better?

No. A larger mixer does not always mean better performance. The mixer should match production requirements to achieve the best efficiency.

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4. Which YUDA mixer is suitable for large feed factories?

For large-scale feed production, YUDA SSHJ double shaft paddle mixers and SHJL continuous mixers are suitable options depending on production requirements.

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5. What is the common capacity of horizontal feed mixers?

Horizontal feed mixers are available in different capacities, ranging from hundreds of kilograms per batch to several tons per batch depending on model and application.

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Conclusion 

Selecting the right feed mixer capacity is essential for building an efficient animal feed production line.

The correct choice should consider:

• Production output
• Batch size
• Mixing cycle
• Feed type
• Downstream equipment
• Future expansion requirements

A properly sized mixer can improve:

✅ Mixing uniformity 

✅ Production efficiency 
✅ Energy utilization 
✅ Feed quality consistency 

With multiple horizontal feed mixer solutions, including ribbon mixers, single shaft paddle mixers, and double shaft paddle mixers, YUDA provides customized mixing solutions for different feed production requirements.

Written by: Yuda Machinery Engineering Team
Based on years of experience in feed machinery manufacturing, equipment design and overseas project installation.