Feed Efficiency

Feed constitutes 70% of poultry production costs. Reducing expenses by using alternative raw materials is a tempting strategy, yet it poses challenges to flock performance and overall profitability, which is sensitive to raw material price fluctuations.

The key concern with alternative feed ingredients is their quality. The digestibility of their protein, energy and minerals can vary widely, and these ingredients do not always provide essential nutrients as efficiently as conventional ones.

Therefore, poultry feed management faces a two-fold challenge. The first is to make the most of the nutritional value of feed ingredients, so that birds receive all the nutrients they need for growth and production. The second is to expand the use of cost-effective alternative ingredients without compromising quality. Achieving this balance is key to controlling costs while maintaining high standards of poultry nutrition and performance.

Balancing cost and quality becomes more demanding as new and alternative ingredients enter poultry diets. Each new ingredient brings its own nutrient profile, digestibility and variability, and young chicks, especially in their first 14 days, are particularly sensitive to changes in the diet. Careful formulation and gradual diet changes are therefore essential.

At the same time, the poultry industry keeps evolving in response to market demands and regulatory changes, which makes precise formulation, raw material control and good farm management more important than ever.

AGQ’s NovoSophos, a tributyrin-based source of butyrate, is an ingredient that nutritionists can include in poultry formulations alongside current feeding practices. Its odour-free presentation makes it easy to handle in the feed mill, and its inclusion rate is defined on the label for each type of bird.

Butyrate is one of the ingredients that nutritionists consider when formulating diets with alternative raw materials. The nutritionist’s toolbox also includes enzymes, vitamin forms such as vitamin D3 metabolites and other feed additives, each used within the conditions of its authorisation. Combining them well is part of a modern approach to poultry nutrition that addresses both feed quality and feed cost.

Feeding ruminants is a delicate balance. Rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, rumen-degradable protein, fibre and fats all need to be in the right proportions so that the rumen can digest feed in a constant and efficient way. When protein is degraded faster than it can be used, part of it is lost as ammonia, and some fats can affect certain groups of rumen bacteria.

Poor feed efficiency has a direct impact on the bottom line. More feed is needed for each kilogram of milk or meat, which raises the cost of production and reduces margins for farmers.

On top of well-formulated diets, feed efficiency in ruminants depends on forage quality, ration presentation, feeding management and the use of suitable feed materials and additives, each used as authorised. The aim is always to support the fermentability and digestibility of the ration.

For example, the way fibre is processed and presented, the balance between fermentable carbohydrates and protein, and a consistent feeding routine all influence how efficiently the rumen extracts energy from the feed.

AGQ’s range for ruminants includes Alka-lac+, a molasses-coated free-choice formula for ruminants. Alka-lac+ is a complementary mineral feed designed to be offered alongside the daily ration, as part of the feeding programme of ruminants with a normal health status.

Feed costs are the main financial burden in pork production, which underlines the importance of making the most of feed digestion and nutrient absorption. When feed is well digested, more of its nutrients are available for growth, which translates into savings for farmers. By paying attention to diet formulation, raw material quality and feeding management, farmers can achieve a more efficient and cost-effective production process and a better return on their investment in feed.

After weaning, piglets move from sow’s milk to a solid diet based on plant ingredients, and their digestive system has to adapt to these new ingredients. Feed intake is often irregular in the first days, and the digestibility of the diet, the quality of its protein sources and the way the change is managed all influence how piglets eat and grow in the following weeks.

The choice of raw materials is key in piglet diets. Some plant protein sources, such as soybean meal, contain components that young piglets digest less efficiently, and raw material quality, including the control of mycotoxins, needs careful attention in feed for young animals.
Beyond the raw materials, the overall formulation, the feed form and feeding management also influence how piglets adapt to their diet. Taking all these factors into account is part of good piglet nutrition.

AGQ offers a butyrate solution in the form of tributyrin for swine nutrition. Designed to be included in piglet and pig diets at the rates indicated on the label, NovoSophos is an odour-free source of butyrate that is easy to handle in the feed mill and fits into formulations for piglets and growing pigs alongside the other ingredients of the diet.