The effect of a dacitic tuff breccia (Azomite®) in corn, soybean, and DDGS based diets that vary in inorganic phosphate source on pellet mill production rate and pellet quality

Summary Feed mill pellet production rate is of great importance to integrated meat bird production. Ingredients such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), inorganic phosphate source (IPS), and fat influence production rate and feed quality due to their composition. The naturally abrasive properties of an IPS may scour the pellet die and affect feed production rate. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a dacitic tuff breccia (Azomite®) inclusion in a corn, soybean meal, DDGS based diet with either dicalcium (DCP) or tricalcium (TCP) on pellet mill production rate, hot pellet temperature, and pellet quality. The assessment included four experimental treatments in a two (DCP or TCP) x two (Azomite (AZM) or no AZM) factorial Latin Square Design across four manufacturing days with complete blocks in each day. Average temperature and humidity were 16˚C and 67%, respectively. There was a six percent increase in production rate when AZM was added to DCP diets (0.99 versus 1.05 MT/hr; P