Farming co-op opens £18m animal feed mill

The mill at Bankmore Industrial Estate outside Omagh was opened by Fane Valley chairman William McConnell, who said it was the result of a six-year development and construction project by the farmer-owned group.

 

"This development will allow Fane Valley to significantly increase its feed compounding capacity, thereby meeting the needs of our growing customer base throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland," McConnell said.

 

The company said the facility was the most modern of its kind in Europe and had the best technology for feed milling.

 

The new plant will be multi-species in nature and have an annual compounding capacity of 300,000 tonnes.

 

The computerised compound feed mill was designed and built by Ottevanger Milling Engineers from the Netherlands.

 

The 60 tph mill contains of two separated feed lines: one for poultry and pig feeds and one for ruminant feeds. Strict separation avoids any contamination between ruminant feeds and feeds for monogastrics.

 

The mill can produce mash, pellets and crumbs. Two intake lines can accept 200 m³ of raw materials per hour, which can be stored in 41 storage silos and dosing bins with a total storage capacity of 3,350 m³.

 

 

For pelleting of poultry and pig feed 2 independent lines with a hygienising system were installed. For ruminant feeds 2 pelleting lines are available with an additional pre-compaction BOA-compactor.

 

The manufactured poultry and pig feeds are stored in 24 bins (1,120 m³) and for ruminant feeds 43 bins (2,030 m³) are available.

 

Bulk loading of the trucks is carried out in 2 separate lanes with loading via a fully enclosed (movable) belt conveyer system. There is also a 10 tph bagging plant included in the building.