How To Produce Dairy Cow Pellets From Pineapple Leaf Waste

By Dr Jolly Kabirizi               

Converting pineapple waste into pellets is a suitable method for handling such waste where the pellet form can increase the bulk density, improve the storability as well as reduce the cost of transportation. 

Furthermore, feed pellets are easier to control over the desired feed ratio with the nutritional needs of animals. 

• Remove damaged pineapples. 
• Clean, peel, and slice the selected pieces for drying.
• Place the slices on drying trays fitted in a solar dryer for drying.
• Grind the dry pineapple waste to a size of 0.8mm to form powder. 
• Sieve the powder using a sieve with size of 800 micrometre (μm) mesh. 
• On a dry matter basis, fresh pineapple waste contains 4 to 8 percent crude protein, 40 to 75 percent soluble sugars, pectin, and low amounts of minerals. There is therefore a need to add extra protein and mineral sources when formulating pineapple fruit waste-based diets for animals. To improve the protein and mineral content of the pellets, add 15% Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) leaf meal and 3% mineral premix to the pineapple residue powder.
• Add 10% molasses to serve as a binder.
• Compact pineapple leaf powder, Mexican sunflower leaf meal, mineral powder and molasses into pellets in the twin-screw extruder