Abstract
The majority of peasant farms engaged in animal husbandry (71–82%) contain between 50 and 100 heads of cattle and up to 500 sheep. To improve feeding efficiency in small farms, a mobile mini-feed plant equipped with a dispenser-mixer with a hopper volume of 3.0 m³, roughage and grain feed grinders is proposed. The novelty of this research lies in the development of a mobile unit that integrates feed preparation and distribution, eliminating the need for separate grinding and mixing equipment. Compared to existing feed dispensers-mixers, the use of the mini-feed plant eliminates hay transportation and loading operations, reducing the total number of operations by 40%, lowering operating costs by 1.5 times, and decreasing capital investments by 3 times. Additionally, there is no need for farms to have stationary feed grinders and compound feed units, making the technology more universal. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the design, economic benefits, and technological advancements associated with the mini-feed plant, highlighting its potential application in small-scale livestock operations.