Feed handling
Feed Conveyors
Feed conveyors move feed from the silo to the in-house feed line. Common technologies: flexible auger, chain-disc, chain-flight and pneumatic transfer. Selection depends on distance, throughput and feed form (mash, crumble, pellet).
Supplier-neutral educational content. HatchMatch does not rank suppliers.
Role within the project
Conveyor design determines feed uniformity along the line and pellet quality preservation. Rough handling breaks pellets into fines, damaging feed conversion.
Typical applications
- Silo-to-house fill lines
- Cross-house transfer between multiple feed lines
- Feed-mill inter-section conveying (separate from farm scope)
Selection criteria
- Throughput at operating length
- Fines generation on pellet feed
- Cleaning and residue management
- Maintenance access along the run
Engineering considerations
- Auger length limits (flexible auger typically ≤ 40 m per drive)
- Chain-disc capacity per hour at design pitch
- Sensor-based line-fill for uniform delivery
- Grounding and safety on pneumatic systems
Commercial considerations
- Per-metre-per-tonne-per-hour CAPEX
- Downtime cost dominates OPEX
- Fines generation measurable, drives feed cost
Procurement considerations
- Fines-generation test on your target pellet quality
- Uniformity commissioning across the feed line
- Spare-parts kit for auger, chain and drive
Common mistakes
- Auger run exceeding supplier length spec — burnout
- Ignoring fines generation on premium pellets
- No line-fill sensor — feed line runs dry at drop points
- No cleaning access — residue and pest risk
Ask suppliers
Ask for fines-generation test data on your pellet grade and per-hour delivery uniformity along the full house length.
Related resources
Frequently asked
Auger vs chain-disc — which is better?
Flexible auger is simplest and cheapest for straight, medium-distance runs. Chain-disc handles longer, cornered runs with lower fines generation. Pneumatic wins on very long distances and multi-drop distribution.
Does the feed conveyor drive fines cost?
Yes. Fines above 8–10% at feed line entry indicate a rough conveyor — feed conversion suffers. Payback on better conveying is typically under 24 months on premium pellet.