Abstract
Abstract Small farms require compact feed mixers that provide uniform total mixed ration under limited drive power. Conventional screw mixers rely on repeated lifting and gravitational collapse of the feed mass, which increases friction losses, promotes stagnant zones, and raises specific energy consumption in small hopper volumes. This study investigated the effect of a leveling device installed in a small-scale horizontal screw feed mixer-dispenser on feed mass redistribution, mixing uniformity, and energy efficiency under practical operating conditions typical of small farms. The proposed device intensifies redistribution of the surface fibrous feed layer through controlled shear deformation and horizontal redistribution without lifting the entire feed volume, thereby reducing internal friction losses and stabilizing component exchange between hopper regions. The study combined theoretical force-based analysis of feed layer deformation with comparative experimental investigations using roughage-concentrate feed mixtures under operating conditions corresponding to hopper volumes of 3.0-4.0 m3 and batch masses of 800-1000 kg. The obtained results demonstrate that controlled redistribution of the surface feed layer improves mixing stability and energy efficiency while preserving the physical structure of fibrous feed components. The proposed concept can improve the technological and energy efficiency of small-scale feed preparation systems without increasing installed drive power.