A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A MIXING REGIME FOR USE IN THE PREPARATION OF ANIMAL FEED FROM A SET OF INGREDIENTS, AND A SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING THE ANIMAL FEED
593445 Disclosed is an apparatus (5) for determining a mixing regime under which ingredients of a set of ingredients are to be mixed in the preparation of animal feed. The apparatus (5) has a main computer (15) configured to store a master table comprising a list of ingredients or categories of ingredients suitable for use in the preparation of animal feeds. This list is cross-referenced with corresponding standard mixing periods. At least one mixing factor is stored for at least some of the ingredients of the master table cross-referenced with the corresponding ingredient. Each mixing factor is adapted to be applied to the standard mixing period of the corresponding ingredient for altering the standard mixing period thereof. This is in response to a non-standard condition being identified in a set of ingredients for which a mixing regime is to be determined. The ingredients are then read from the set of ingredients and standard mixing periods are obtained for at least some of the ingredients of the set of ingredients from the master table. Any non-standard conditions are identified from the set of ingredients, and a mixing factor is obtained from the stored mixing factors for one of the ingredients to compensate for an identified non-standard condition in response to an identified non-standard condition. The mixing periods are obtained for at least some of the ingredients of the set of ingredients to which those ingredients are to be subjected during a mixing cycle of the mixing regime as a function of the corresponding standard mixing periods and any corresponding mixing factors. A loading sequence of the mixing regime is then produced in which the ingredients of the set of ingredients are to be loaded into the mixing apparatus (5) during the mixing cycle for mixing thereof to produce the animal feed. This is done so that the ingredients for which mixing periods are determined are subjected to mixing for the respective corresponding determined mixing periods durin
