Homogeneity depends on matching particle sizes
A micro ingredient will not stay evenly distributed in a mash whose particle size is very different from its own. Segregation during conveying and storage is a physical certainty, not a mixing failure, when granulometry is mismatched.
Fines are a cost and a safety issue
Excessive fines reduce pellet durability, increase dust and, in some ingredients, raise explosion and respiratory risk. Specifying a maximum fines fraction is as important as specifying the mean diameter.
Typical industrial reference values
| Broiler mash cereals | 700–900 µm | |
| Swine diets | 500–700 µm | Finer improves digestibility, raises ulcer risk |
| Shrimp feed raw materials | < 250 µm | Water stability and ingestion size |
| Micro ingredients / carriers | 100–500 µm | Must match the carrier for homogeneity |
Indicative industry reference values for orientation only — always contract against the delivered lot.
What to verify
- —Geometric mean diameter and standard deviation, not a single sieve pass rate
- —Maximum fines fraction
- —Sampling point — particle size changes with handling
Typical risks
- —Segregation of micro ingredients
- —Pellet durability loss
- —Dust generation and handling losses
Common mistakes
- —Specifying only 'passes X mm sieve'
- —Ignoring that pneumatic conveying and repeated handling reduce particle size
Frequently asked questions
Is finer always better?
No. Finer particles improve digestibility up to a point, then increase gastric ulceration risk in swine, worsen flow, raise dust and increase grinding energy. The optimum is species-, form- and equipment-specific.
Related topics
Purity covers everything that should not be in the cargo — foreign matter, other-grain admixture, hulls, soil, packaging debris and deliberate adulterants — and is verified by physical inspection plus targeted analysis.
Digestibility expresses the proportion of a nutrient the animal can actually absorb; it converts an analytical composition into a nutritional value.
Packaging is a technical specification: material, weight, liner, sealing, palletisation and marking determine whether the product arrives at specification and can be traced and handled safely.
Build a structured RFQ with the parameters, tolerances and verification steps written in — free for buyers.
Start your RFQTechnical parameter names and analytical method references are kept in English because they are quoted verbatim in contracts, certificates and international standards.
Educational reference. FeedMatch Group does not rank, recommend or endorse manufacturers.
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