Animal Feed is the food or cereal ingredients given to poultry & livestock such as cereals, protein sources and by-products. Poultry feed is food for farm poultry, including chickens, ducks, geese and other domestic birds.
What is Poultry Feed Meal?
Conventional poultry feed usually includes many cereals like maize, rice, wheat, oat, and barley; and a few cereal by products such as wheat-bran or rice polish, animal and vegetable protein sources like fish-meal, meat-meal, soybean-oil-meal, groundnut cake, etc.
Poultry by-product meal is one of the most important source of animal protein used to feed domestic animals, along with meat and bone meal, feather meal and fish meal etc. The nutrient content of poultry by-products can be quite variable and depends upon the substrate being processed. It is rich in essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
Healthy poultry and farm animals requires a sufficient amount of protein and carbohydrates, along with the necessary vitamins, dietary minerals, and an adequate supply of water. Lactose-fermentation of feed can aid in supplying vitamins and minerals to poultry. The feed must remain clean and dry, damp feed can encourage fungal growth which can lead to contamination in poultry food.
IMPORTANCE OF FEED MEALS FOR POULTRY & FARM ANIMALS
Feeding constitutes the basic and major management matter in poultry production since the main expenditure (60 – 70 %) in poultry farming is feed cost. Efficiency in feeding therefore is one of the key factors for successful poultry production. More than 40 nutrients are required by the poultry. These groups of nutrients are: water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins.
Feed is extremely important in poultry farming as it affects the development, health, growth performance, and profitability of poultry production. Protein, energy, fat, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and water are essential for poultry nutrition, and their content in feeds must meet the requirements based on the bird’s age and species. Cereal grains, such as wheat and maize, are the main ingredients in poultry feeds, but they need to be combined with protein sources like soybean or rapeseed meal.
A good nutritional feed diet can promote the growth & development of livestock and poultry, increase body weight and yield, and enhance disease resistance and immunity.
The role of feed in livestock production is :
Feed is important aspect of livestock production and its impact on livestock is very crucial. Scientifically and rationally formulating feed plays a vital role in the following means of livestock and poultry production :
- Increase the intake of nutrients
- Balanced nutrition
- Improve feed utilization and reduce feeding costs
- Promote the growth and development of livestock and poultry
- Increase production performance and product quality
- Improve animals’ disease resistance
