The bone crushing industry involves processing animal bones into bone meal, a valuable source of calcium and phosphorus used in animal feed, fertilizers, and other products. The following are the general steps involved in bone crushing:
The first step in bone crushing is to collect the bones. These may come from various sources such as slaughterhouses, butchers, and meat processing plants.
The bones are then sorted to remove any unwanted materials such as fat, meat, and cartilage.
The sorted bones are then cleaned to remove any remaining tissue, blood, or other contaminants. This is typically done using water and a detergent.
The crushed bones are then cooked to break down the proteins and release the minerals. This is typically done by steaming the bones in a pressure cooker or autoclave.
The cooked bones are then ground into a fine powder. This is typically done using a machine such as a disc mill or a ball mill. Grinding is important as it makes the bone meal more digestible and easier to handle.
Finally, the bone meal is packaged into bags or containers for distribution.
The machinery used in bone crushing can vary depending on the specific process and the scale of production. A hammer mill or a roller mill may be used for crushing, while a pressure cooker or autoclave can be used for cooking. Other equipment that may be used includes grinders or mills for grinding, and packaging machines for packaging.