Grind and mix
Fine grinding of all solids and a homogeneous mix. An uneven mix gives kibble of uneven composition.
Petfood
Extruded food for dogs and cats
Kibble is an engineering product, not a recipe: the same formula extruded at different temperatures gives anything from a crisp, digestible product to a hard one the animal refuses.
Formulation per 100 kg of mix (adult dog, maintenance)
| Component | Amount | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals (maize, rice, wheat) | 45 – 55 kg | Provide the starch that gelatinises and gives the kibble its structure. No starch, no expansion and no shape. |
| Meat and bone meal or poultry meal | 20 – 30 kg | The main protein source. Its pepsin digestibility decides the real quality of the feed. |
| By-product meals and gluten | 5 – 10 kg | Adjusts the amino acid profile and the cost. |
| Animal or vegetable fat | 5 – 8 kg | Part goes into the mix and part is applied after extrusion; what goes inside affects expansion. |
| Fibre (beet pulp, bran) | 2 – 4 kg | Regulates gut transit and stool consistency, which is what the owner actually observes. |
| Vitamin and mineral premix | 0.5 – 1 kg | Covers the nutrient profile. In cats taurine is mandatory: without it there is cardiac and ocular damage. |
| Palatant | 1 – 2 kg | Applied in the coating. It decides whether the animal eats the product, and without that nothing else matters. |
| Antioxidant and preservative | 0.1 – 0.2 kg | Protects the fat. Without it the kibble goes rancid and the animal refuses it. |
Process
Step by step, with the temperatures.
Precondition
Steam and water ahead of the extruder: the mash is hydrated and preheated. This improves gelatinisation and reduces wear.
Extrude
120 – 150 °C under pressure. On leaving the die, the sudden pressure drop flashes off water and the kibble expands.
Cut and dry
Knives at the die set size and shape. Dry down to under 10 % moisture.
Coat
Fat and palatant sprayed onto hot, dry kibble, which absorbs them. Product acceptance is won here.
Cool and pack
Cool before packing: packing hot condenses moisture inside the bag and breeds mould.
| Control point | Value |
|---|---|
| Crude protein (adult dog) | 18 – 26 % |
| Crude protein (adult cat) | 30 – 40 % |
| Fat | 8 – 18 % |
| Crude fibre | 2 – 5 % |
| Final moisture | < 10 % |
| Ash | < 8 % |
| Taurine (cats) | Mandatory, 0.1 – 0.2 % |
| Kibble bulk density | 300 – 400 g/L |
| Extrusion temperature | 120 – 150 °C |
Troubleshooting
What went wrong, and why.
Half the craft is reading the defect. These are the ones that keep coming back.
| What you see | What caused it |
|---|---|
| Hard, poorly expanded kibble | Not enough starch, or low extrusion temperature and pressure. The animal refuses it and the owner switches brand. |
| Kibble that crumbles | Over-expansion or too much fibre. It breaks up in transit and the bag arrives full of dust. |
| The animal will not eat it | Insufficient palatant or rancid fat. Acceptance is the first commercial filter and it is not negotiable. |
| Mould in the bag | Packed hot or above 10 % moisture. |
| Loose stools | Too much fat, unbalanced fibre or low-digestibility protein. The owner notices before any lab does. |
Frequently asked
What people ask before they start.
Can I use the same formula for dogs and cats?
No. The cat is an obligate carnivore: it needs more protein, dietary taurine — it cannot synthesise it — plus arachidonic acid and preformed vitamin A. A cat fed dog food develops cardiac and ocular problems. These are two different products, not two versions of one.
Which nutrient profile must I meet?
The international reference profiles are AAFCO in the Americas and FEDIAF in Europe, and most national authorities lean on them. They set minimums and maximums per nutrient and life stage. Formulating outside that framework invites a product recall.
Will a feed extruder do for petfood?
Partly. The principle is the same, but petfood demands finer control of expansion, cutting and coating, plus the fat and palatant spray line that compound feed does not need. You can start on shared equipment, but the product shows it.
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