Patent ID: 7527816

Claim:
A method of producing pellets of an animal feed supplement formula comprising: (a) providing a pellet mill including, (1) a pellet ring die containing an array of hollow, generally cylindrical die chambers extending through the pellet ring, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet wherein the diameter of said die chambers increases between said inlet and said outlet; (2) a pair of spaced opposed rollers adapted to be operated by a central shaft to rotate about the inside of said pellet ring, said rollers being connected by a length-variable spring-biased arrangement including roller springs connected to enable individual or simultaneous resilient reaction to limit and control the amount of pressure exerted by the rollers against pellet stock to aid in the prevention of overheating of the pellet stock during pellet formation; (3) a source of heat and steam to be applied to the chambers; (b) providing amounts of pellet stock comprising premixed dry powder including a selected feed supplement formula; (c) using said rollers to apply a limited and controlled pressure to force amounts of said pellet stock into the die chambers and causing it to pass through the chambers forming congealed cylindrical pellets in the presence of heat and steam; and (d) enabling developing pellets to expand as they progress in said chambers to aid in the prevention of overheating of the pellet stock during pellet formation.