Poultry Feed Formulation: Making Affordable Feeds for Greater Profits

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KIENYEJI PARTNERS
POULTRY FEED
FORMULATION
Making your own Poultry Feeds affordably for
greater profits
5/4/2015
This booklet gives you tips on poultry feeding and nutrition and more importantly how to make poultry
feeds that is rich in nutrients affordably for the farmer seeking greater profits and quality chicken and
chicken products.
Copy for Thomas Yego Email:tomyego@gmail.com
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FEED FORMULATION
POULTRY NUTRITION AND FEEDING
Poultry Nutrition in General
Introduction
Poultry refers to any of the domesticated and commercialized types
of birds used for production of eggs and (or) meat for human food.
The science of nutrition involves providing a balance of nutrients

that best meets the animals‟ needs for growth, maintenance, egg
production, etc. For economic reasons, this supply of nutrients should
be at least cost, and so we must supply only enough for
requirements, without there being any major excesses.
It is very difficult and very expensive to supply all nutrients at the

exact needs – rather we have to over supply some nutrients in
practical situations, in an attempt to meet the limiting nutrients. In
poultry diets these limiting nutrients are usually energy and some of
the essential amino acids, such as methionine and lysine.
While formulating feeds, we are guided by the following factors:
 Nutrient requirement for the bird.
 Availability of the raw materials.
 Price of the raw materials
 Presence of anti-nutritive factor.

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The following nutrients are required by the bird for
proper bone development and production:
1. Energy rich feeds that include maize, millet, Sorghum, sugar,
maize bran, pollard, wheat bran, pollard, maize germ and
tubers.
2. Protein rich feeds like blood meal, fish meal, meat and bone
meal, cotton seed, soya meal, sunflower meal, peanut meal,
beans, peas, oil cakes, fish, maggots, termites, worms, insects.

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3. Mineral rich feeds like bone meal and burned egg shells.
Crushing of burned egg shells
Crushed egg shells: Make them as fine as possible

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4. Vitamins: from green grass, vegetables, fresh cow dung (scavenging
birds).
5. Non nutrient substances: Grits, toxin binders etc.
A. Poultry - Any of the domesticated and commercialized types of

birds used for production of eggs and (or) meat for human food
e.g., Chickens, turkeys, pigeons, peafowl, ducks, geese, upland
game birds (quail, pheasant, partridges, etc.) and ratites
(ostriches, emu, etc.).
B. Chickens, turkeys and laying hens have been commercially

produced in the Confinement system for more than 70 years and
in the free range system from time immemorial.
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Commercial Poultry Production/Industry
 Has been an innovator and applicator of advancing technology
and knowledge to keep Meat and egg prices relatively constant
for decades.
 Feed cost is the largest single item in poultry production &

accounts for 60 to 75% of the total production cost - from
hatching eggs to processing plant.
 Much emphasis has been placed on least-cost feed formulation

and getting the lowest feed cost per unit of salable product.
 To do so, it is necessary to refine energy and nutrient

requirements, disease control, genetic improvement, housing &
equipment.
 All those efforts led to steady improvements in growth rate, feed

conversion, and livability under intensive commercial conditions.

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POULTRY DIETS IN GENERAL
Feed Ingredients and Additives
 Corn and soybean meal - Usually the most plentiful and lowest-cost
sources of energy and well-balanced protein, thus extensively used.
Soya has to be precooked to be included as a meal. Do not just
grind soya and include as feed ingredient.
 Fish meals and meat meals - Good sources of protein and amino
acids, and also contain bone, which is a source of highly available
Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P). Add 2 to 5% of the diet
depending on their prices.
 Ca & P - Major minerals. Only 30 to 40% of plant P is non-phytin P,
which is available to poultry. Should either increase the availability
somehow or supplement with inorganic sources.
 Salt - 0.2 to 0.5% is added to most poultry diets.
 Supplemental lipids (up to 5% of the diet) - May increase energy
utilization through a reduced passage rate. Also, can reduce the
heat increment.
 Yellow pigmentation - Use as much yellow corn as possible plus
good sources of xanthophyll, such as alfalfa meal or corn gluten
meal, for the yellow coloration of the shanks, feet, skin, and egg
yolks which is very popular with buyers of chicken.
 Non-nutritive additives are used for a variety of reasons - e.g.,

antibiotics (to stimulate growth & control diseases), arsenicals and
nitro furans (to improve performance), anti-parasitic compounds,
anti-oxidative, and antifungal compounds.

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ENERGY AND NUTRIENTS FOR POULTRY
Energy, Protein and Amino Acids
A. Energy requirement:
Comfort zone - ≈ 68 to 82o F (20 to 27.8o C):
 Can expect “optimum” metabolic activity, i.e. no panting, cold

stress, etc.
 But, very young birds need a warmer temperature until they can
maintain their body temperature at about 10 days of age. Thus,
younger birds can tolerate heat-stress better - Broilers over 4 wk
& turkeys over 10 wk of age are most susceptible to heat stress!
It is however Impossible to set the energy requirement in terms of

unit per kg diet because birds adjust their feed intake to achieve
the daily energy intake.
B. Protein requirement
 Dietary energy content must be specified to maintain the proper

ratio of protein to energy so that birds can consume an adequate
amount of protein.
 The protein requirement or amino acid requirements can be

defined accurately only in relation to the energy density. Also, the
degree of fat deposition in meat producing birds can be affected
by the relationship.
It is advisable to restrict protein/amino acids (& energy) to retard

growth (e.g. in pullets of modern broiler strains that grow at a rapid
rate and also mature sexually at an early age).

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Necessary to retard growth and delay the onset of sexual maturity
to optimize the egg production and the production of viable chicks.
Feeding programs to retard growth;
 From the beginning of the 7th or 9th week, limit the total feed
allowed per bird per day (to 70%) - Continue until placing on the
standard laying diet at the beginning of 23rd week.
 Feed the birds on the "skip-a-day program" from the 7th or 9th
week to the 23rd week - Allows the pullets all the feed they will
consume on one day and only 2lb of grain per 100 birds on the
alternate day.
 Use a diet containing only 10 to 10.5% protein - Feed from the

beginning of 7th to the 9th week until placing on the laying diet.
 Use a diet that contains 0.40 to 0.45% Lysine and 0.60 to 0.70%
Argine after the 7th or 9th week (12.5 to 13% Crude Protein) -
Imbalance of amino acids would depress "appetite!"
Vitamins
Vitamin & trace mineral supplementation. Contributions to the overall
feed cost are not much (Kshs. 160 to Kshs. 500 per tonne), but vitamins
& minerals play major roles in the metabolic functions of poultry.

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Protein/Amino Acid Sources
Plant sources
1. Soybean meal - Most widely used because of its ability to provide

indispensable amino acids; high in digestibility and low in toxic or
undesirable substances.
2. Cottonseed meal:
 Generally not used for layer diets because of: a) gossypol,

which can cause a mottling and greenish cast to egg yolks, and
b) cyclopropenoic fatty acids, which can impart a pink color to
egg whites.
 May be used to replace up to 50% of the soybean meal in

grower poultry diets.
3. Linseed meal - Can use a limited amount but may depress

growth and cause diarrhea. Should not exceed 3 to 5% of the
poultry diet.
4. Alfalfa meal and corn gluten meal - Used extensively, both for
their high content of carotenoids. Both should be limited to not
more than 10%.

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FEEDING PROGRAMS
1. Broilers
 Broiler chicks - Fed ad libitum for 42 to 56 days to an average

weight of 1.8 Kg to 2.2kg.
 Feed represent 60 to 75% of total production cost. Fed conversion

- about 2.0.
 Use a 3-stage feeding program (starter, grower and finisher) -

The starter for the first 2 to 3 weeks, the grower for about 2
weeks, and the finisher for the remainder.
2. Replacement Pullets
A. Generally divided into three stages:
i. Starter with 18-20% Crude Protein & about 3,000 kcal

ME/kg from 0 to 6 wk of age.
ii. Grower with 14-16% CP & about 3,000 kcal ME/kg from 6
to 12 wk of age.
iii. Developer with 12 to 14% CP & about 3,000 kcal ME/kg

from 12 wk of age until lay (approximately 20 wks).
B. Leghorn-type pullets - Seldom fed restrictedly during the

growing period because feed intake & sexual maturity can be
controlled by varying lighting during 6 to 20 wk of age.
C. Heavy breeds - Tend to deposit excess body fat, thus common to

restrict feed:
Most effective program - Feed daily a controlled amount of a well-

balanced diet. Requires adequate feeder space and a rapid even
distribution of the diet.
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Alternative - A skip-a-day feeding program. With adequate feeder
and water space, may produce a more uniform flock.
 When pullets start producing eggs, their feed intake should

increase. Sometimes, necessary to reduce the energy density at 18
to 19 week of age to increase feed intake.
 Laying about five eggs per 1000 birds, the birds should be placed
on a pre-lay program, in which the diet contains about 2% or
more Calcium.
 5% egg production - Should be placed on a regular layer feed

program.
3. Laying Hens
 Higher concentrations of vitamins (A, D, E, riboflavin,

pantothenic acid, niacin, and B12; Manganese & Zinc would be
required if eggs are to be used for hatching.
 White Leghorn - Need about 18 g of protein/bird to support

optimum egg production, thus with a 15% Crude Protein diet,
must consume equivalent of 11Kg to 12kg of feed/100 birds/day.
 Methaionine - The first limiting amino acid and economical to

use synthetic Met & its analogs.
 Ca, P, and Vitamin D - Important for egg shell formation?
 Ca requirement - Varies with the age, ambient temperature,

rate of lay, and egg size, but a general recommendation is
3.4g Calcium per day & 3.8g Calcium per day after 40 weeks
of age.
 Phosphorus - 0.3 to 0.4% available Phosphorus.

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 Adequate vitamin D3 is must.
 Grits - Can improve feed efficiency slightly, but not when finely
ground feeds are fed. Can be fed in special feeders every 3
weeks, mixed in a complete feed at 0.25% of the diet, or
sprinkled on top of the feed at a rate of 2kg per 1,000 hens every
week.
 Phase feeding - To reduce the waste of nutrients caused by

feeding more than necessary:
 Pullets coming into egg production - 17 to 19% CP and reduce to

15 to 16% after 3 to 4 months of lay, or when the pullet has
attained the adult weight.
 Feed intake decreases as the temperature increases above 85 to

90̊F, thus may be necessary to increase Crude Protein to 18 or
20% when temperature exceeds 100 ̊F for an extended period of
time.
Challenging the flock to lay more eggs
 Young pullet flocks may respond to additional feed when their

production seems to be reaching a plateau.
 "Challenge" the flock with about 2 more kilogram of feed per 100
birds. If the flock does not respond by the 4th day, return to the
amount fed prior to the challenge. Can be repeated as often as
necessary depending on the flock response.
 Sometimes, laying hens will produce more efficiently on less feed.

Watch you birds carefully to identify their laying behavior. Try
reducing the daily feed by 200g per 100 birds for a period of 3-4

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days. If this results in an abnormal drop in egg production, return
immediately to the prior feeding.
 As production continues to decline normally, this may be

repeated as often as necessary depending on flock response.
The bottom line and the objective of feeding laying hens is to produce
a dozen eggs of good quality at the lowest possible feed cost. For
lightweight layers, a target should be a feed efficiency of 1.5Kg to 2Kg
or less of feed per dozen eggs.

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Nutrient Requirements
These are categorized into five classes:
 Protein
 Carbohydrates
 Fats
 Mineral
 Vitamins
 Water
Functions
 Maintenance
 Growth
 Production
 Reproduction
Classes of Nutrients
 Proteins
 Complex organic molecules containing –Hydrogen, carbon,

oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur.
 Biochemical components of body cells
 Enzymes, hormones and antibodies important for growth and

tissue development.

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Feedstuff containing protein
 Meat and bone meal
 Fish meal
 Legumes e.g. soya bean
 Cereal grains
Proteins
 Consists of one or more Amino Acid (AA) chains
 Amino Acids released during digestion for absorption to take

place.
 Poultry require 22 AA
 Able to manufacture 12 out of the 22 AA in their body BUT

unable to store the AA
 They have to be offered the 10 essential AA daily
Sources of Protein
 Plant or Animal sources.
 Plant sources.
 Directly from grains such as Maize-9 % CP
 Indirectly from grain by-products e.g. Soya bean meal, sunflower

cake, cotton seed cake.

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Animal Sources
By-products of meat processing e.g.
 Fish meal
 Bone meal
 Blood meal
 Amino Acid digestibility varies with the ingredient
 Animal protein are easier to digest than plant protein
Example
AA digestibility maybe;
 60% for cotton seed cake,
 90% in soya bean meal and animal protein sources
Crude protein
 Protein content in an ingredient is referred to as Crude protein.
 Based on the nitrogen content of the feed stuff.
 Protein contains approximately 16% nitrogen.
 Crude protein can constitute pure protein, non protein nitrogen

such as Urea or Uric acid.
Assumption by NRC 1994 is that 85% bioavailability of protein from all

poultry ingredients

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Carbohydrates
 These are organic compounds that include; sugars, starches,

celluloses, and gums
 Produced through photosynthesis and contain Carbon, hydrogen

and oxygen
 Carbohydrates do not contain nitrogen.
 Feed grains are high in carbohydrates and are important
Sources of energy
Excess carbohydrates are stored as fat in the body
Carbohydrates
 Not all carbohydrates can be digested by mono-gastric (animals

with one stomach like chicken).
 Based on digestibility (ability of the chicken to easily digest since

they have only one stomach unlike a cow for example which has
multiple stomachs).
 Nitrogen free extract (NFE)
 Crude fiber (CF)
 NFE are sugars, starches etc. which are highly digestible
 CF are cellulose and gums and are less digestible

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Fats and oils
 Provide Energy like carbohydrates
 Dense energy sources providing 2.25 more energy than

carbohydrates
 Have an animal or plant origin
 Fats are solid while oils are liquid at room temperature
 Poultry require low levels of fat
 Important nutrients in a diet
Minerals
 Naturally occurring inorganic compounds
 Important for life and good health
 Functions as part of the body components e.g. Bone –Calcium

and Phosphorus
 Hemoglobin – Iron.
 Others regulate body functions
Classes of minerals
 Macro minerals e.g. Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium
 Electrolytes e.g. Sodium, Chlorine and Magnesium
 Trace (micro) minerals

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Mineral functions
Macro minerals
 Skeletal formation
 Heart beat
 Blood clotting
 Biochemical functions and regulation
 Calcium phosphorus ratio is 2: 1
Trace minerals
 Trace Minerals include: Copper (Cu), Selenium (Se) Zinc (Zn),

Cobalt (Co) Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe) Iodine (I), Molybdenum
(Mo)
 Animals need very small amounts of trace minerals, usually

ranging from 0.05% to 0.25%.
 This small percentage is critical for performing essential body

functions
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential organic (carbon based) compounds needed in
small amounts by the body.
Critical to all life processes such as growth, maintenance, reproduction.
Vitamins do not directly build body tissue as do macro minerals like

calcium and phosphorus.
Assist many of the enzymes controlling metabolic processes of life and

are often referred to as co-enzymes.

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Vitamins
 Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble.
 They are obtained naturally from plant and animal feedstuffs.
 Vitamin B12 originates from bacteria.
 The body stores fat-soluble vitamins.
 Large amounts of fat-soluble vitamins can be deadly to an

animal.
 Water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body.
 Regular intake of adequate amounts of water-soluble vitamins is

important.
Fat-soluble vitamins include:
 Vitamin A
 Vitamin D
 Vitamin E
 Vitamin K
 Water-soluble vitamins include
 Thiamine (Vit B1), Riboflavin (Vit B2), Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)
 Vitamin B12
 Folic Acid
 Biotin
 Niacin or Nicotinic Acid
 Pantothenic Acid
 Choline
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CLASSIFICATION OF VITAMINS
Fat Soluble Vitamins

Functions
Vitamin A Retinol Health, reproduction, improves
mucosa, egg enrichment.
Vitamin D Calciferols Bone growth, egg shell quality,
live weight gain.
Vitamin E Tocopherols Antioxidant, cardiac
development, immune functions.
Vitamin K Phylloquinone Blood clotting,anaemia.
Water soluble vitamins

Vitamin B1 Thiamin Weight gain, appetite, muscle
build.
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin Growth, improved hatchability.
Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine Growth, general metabolic
improvement.
Vitamin B12 Cobalamine Growth and appetite, feed
efficiency, general metabolic
improvement.
Niacin Vitamin PP Prevent metabolic disorders in skin
and digestive organs.
Vitamin B5 Pantothenic acid Feed utilization, growth.
Vitamin M Folic acid Counteract effect molds and
toxins in feed.
Vitamin H Biotin Appetite and growth, foot
integrity.
Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid Growth, egg production, egg shell
strength, fertility.

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Water
 All animals require water for body functions.
 Water is necessary for digestion and absorption of nutrients,

removal of waste, shaping of cells, and regulation of body
temperature.
 Water is perhaps the single most important factor for life.
 Chickens usually consume approximately two times (2x) as much

water as they consume feed.

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CHICKEN FEEDS
CHICK MASH
 Fed on chick and duck mash up to 6/8 weeks.(pullets)
Composition of chick and duck mash

(Nutritional Requirement for Chicks)
Raw Material % Composition
Metabolizable energy 2900KCal ME/KG of feed
Crude fiber Less than 5%
Calcium 1%
Crude protein 20%
Phosphorous 0.45%
Lysine 0.85%
Methionine 0.35%
 Include traces of coccidiostat/antibiotic to curb coccidiosis.
 The amount of chick and duck mash consumed is 30g per day.
 Provide clean drinking water adlib (in large quantities without

restraint or limit).
 Chicks should be given fresh feed.

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Management of growers/pullets
 For layers, it‟s the period between 8/9 weeks to 20 weeks (laying)
 After 6th week, ration changed gradually from chick mash to

growers mash
Composition of growers mash is as follows:

(Nutritional Requirement for Growers)
Raw material % Composition
Crude protein 18%
Metabolizable energy 2900 Kcal ME/Kg
Calcium 1.5%
Phosphorous 0.45%
Lysine 0.65%
Methionine 0.3%
 Growers consume 65g per day.
 After 12 weeks, Introduce grit/sand for mechanical crushing of

food in the gizzard-allow the growers to walk around.
 Clean water provided ad-lib (without restraint or limit).

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Management of Layers
 It is the period between 20 weeks to 24 months.
 This is the economic stage.
 Management should be geared towards maximum egg

production.
 Wrong management causes fluctuations in egg production.
 Layers should be fed with complete rations i.e. layers mash,

pellets/crumbles.
 Birds prefer pellets-crumbles-mash
Composition of Layers Mash

(Nutritional Requirement for Layers)
Raw material % Composition
Crude protein 16%
Metabolizable energy 2900 Kcal/kg
Calcium 3-4%
Phosphorous 0.45%
Lysine 0.65%
Methionine 0.35%

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FEEDING REGIME FOR CHICKEN UNDER DIFFERENT
AGES
Feed Intake per Bird per Day

Age (in Weeks)
(Grams Dry Weight)
1 12-15
2 15-21
3 21-35
4-6 35-50
7-8 55-60
16-27 68-80
28 100

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PRINCIPLES OF POULTRY NUTRITION
FOOD
 FOOD: proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, lipids
WATER
 Birds require clean wholesome water
 Types; Free (Rain), borehole, from food they eat (about 10%)
and metabolic water.
Functions of water
 Universal solvent
 Blood circulation
 Regulation of body temperature
CARBOHYDRATES
 ENERGY
 Birds require energy for maintenance, growth and production:

This is supplied by energy rich feeds
 When formulating, ration should take 60% of the ration, Protein

30% and mineral and vitamin component 10%.

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ENERGY RICH FEEDS
Cereals/Milling Maximum
Remarks
By-Products inclusion level
-Most widely used.
Maize -Good source of Essential Fatty
100%
(White/yellow) Acids (EFA).
-High in energy, Kerotene
Millet 60% -less available, hence mixed
-Good source of potassium

Molasses 5-10%
-Leads to pasty droppings
-Low in vitamin A, Fat is prone to

Rice germ/bran 10% auto-oxidation
-High in CF (void in chick)
Cassava
(Avoid cassava -Low in protein, bulky, dusty, has
20%
leaves-has glycoside
glycosides)
Sorghum
-Less available, good source as
White/Cream in
100% maize
colour-Low tannin
25% -Less palatable, less digestible,
Dark Brown-High
bitter taste
tannin
-Rich in protein, gluten(sticky-
Wheat Bran/Pollard 50/80%
pelleting), P, Vitamin B
NB; Cereals supply a maximum of ½ protein requirement hence provide protein

rich feeds.

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PROTEIN
Proteins are of two types:
 Animal protein
 Plant protein
Animal/Plant Protein
Animal / Plant Maximum
Remarks
Protein inclusion level
Presence of gossypol that causes
Cotton Seed Cake 50-60%
discoloration of egg yolk.
Blood Meal 5-20% Bulky, not palatable.
Good source of EAA

Fish Meal 50-65%
65% Fishy taint due to choline.
-Palatable, fairly balanced source
of amino acids
Soybean Meal 100%
- Deficient in Lysine and
Methionine
Sunflower Seed
60% High in Crude Fiber
Meal / Cake
MINERALS
FUNCTIONS:
 Participate in calcification and strengthening of skeleton(bone

tissue and teeth)
 Maintenance of osmotic pressure
 Components of other components: Iron-hemoglobin etc.
Functions of Ca: Calcification of skeleton, egg shell formation.

Functions with phosphorous (Ca:P) 2:1
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SALT
 Sodium chloride
 It regulates acid-base balance of the body(Na+ Cl-)
 Important in bone tissue development: shell strength and quality
ME CP Ca CF Lys Met Cost
Maize grain 3300 10 0.03 2.5 0.24 1.05
Full fat Maize germ 2000 13 0.1 11 0.4 0.3
Pollard 2700 16 0.13 7.5 0.48 0.16

Maize bran 1200 12 0.13 15 0.24 1.05
Wheat bran 1300 16 0.08 10 0.42 0.1
Molasses 1960 3 0.90 0 0 0
Cotton seed cake 2000 33 0.19 19.2 1.1 0.3
Omena 2700 54 1.78 3.5 1.2
Sunflower seed cake 1800 26 0.3 28 0.7 0.45
DCP 0 0 23 0 0 0
Limestone 0 0 33 0 0 0
Bone meal 500 13 21 0 1.1 0.25
Lysine 0 100 0 0 99 0
Methionine 0 100 0 0 0 99
Premix 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coccidiostat 0 0 0 0 0 0
Growth promoter 0 0 0 0 0 0
Enzyme 0 0 0 0 0 0

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Salt 0 0 0 0 0 0
FORMULATING ONE TONNE OF LAYERS MASH
Layer Mash Formulae
Items Price Quantity (Kg) TOTAL
Maize 30 90.00 2700

Maize germ 20 300.00 6000
Wheat Bran 17 130.00 2210
Wheat Pollard 22 155.00 3410
Fish meal 65 50.00 3250
Soya bean 0 60.00 0
Sunflower 40 80.00 3200
Cotton 50 40.00 2000
Stock Limestone 10 70.00 700
Bone meal 0 17.00 0
DCP (Dicalcium phosphate) 150 2.00 300
Methionine 0 0.50 0
Coccidiostat 500 - 0
Layers pre-mix 300 2.00 600
Red Salt 30 3.00 90
Toxin Binder 500 1.00 500
TOTAL 1,000.50 24960
Cost per Kg 24.9
Cost 10 kg bags
Cost 20kg bags
Cost 50kg bags

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Cost 70kg bags
Growers Mash Formulae

FORMULATING ONE TONNE OF GROWERS MASH
Half a
Items Price Quantity (kg)
tonne
Maize 30 50.0 1,500.0 25
Maize bran 16 400.0 6,400.0 200
Wheat Bran 17 250.0 4,250.0 125
Wheat Pollard 22 171.0 3,762.0 85.5
Fish meal 65 30.0 1,950.0 15
Soya bean 0 - - 0
Sunflower seed cake 35 30.0 1,050.0 15
Cotton seed cake 45 20.0 900.0 10
Stock Lime 10 30.0 300.0 15
Bone meal 30 11.0 330.0 5.5
DCP (Dicalcium Phosphate) 150 2.0 300.0 1
Methionine 0 0.5 - 0.25
Coccidiostat 500 0.5 250.0 0.25
Growers pre-mix 300 2.0 600.0 1
Red Salt 30 3.0 90.0 1.5
Toxin Binder 500 - - 0
TOTAL 1,000.0 - 500

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Cost per Kg 20,302.0

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Chick Mash Feed Formulae
FORMULATING ONE TONNE OF CHICK MASH
Items Price Quantity (Kg) Total

Maize 30 100.00 3,000.00
Maize germ 20 280.00 5,600.00
Wheat Bran 17 80.00 1,360.00
Wheat Pollard 22 215.00 4,730.00
Fish meal 65 60.00 3,900.00
Soya bean 0 70.00 -
Sunflower 40 100.00 4,000.00
Cotton 50 50.00 2,500.00
Stock Lime 10 25.00 250.00
Bone meal 0 11.00 -
DCP (Dicalcium phosphate) 150 2.00 300.00
Methionine 0 0.50 -
Coccidiostat 500 0.50 250.00
Chick pre-mix 300 2.00 600.00
Red Salt 30 3.00 90.00
Toxin Binder 500 1.00 500.00
TOTAL 1,000.00 27,080.00
Cost per Kg 27.08.

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POULTRY FEED FORMULATION NOTES
 The prices we have given are indicative and some of the
components may be cheaper in your area. The cheaper the raw
materials, the lower the cost per kilogram produced. Remember
you do not have to put everything (though this is the KBS
recommended formula). If for example you have a protein in the
form of Fish Meal, you do not have also to add Soya.
 Use respective premixes for layers, growers and chick marsh. In the
absence of these you can use a universal premix.
 Use ordinary white maize but yellow maize is preferred because it
has carotenes important for yellowing of the York, shanks and
beaks which customers prefer when buying chicken and chicken
products. You can also use greens like grass and sukuma wiki to
make the chicken „feet‟ yellowish.
 Poultry need rough substances in the gizzard to assist in digestion.
This is the reason we leave them to roam to get sand or some grit.
This may not be necessary if the feed is formulated according to the
specifications because limestone and other additional components
will play this role effectively.
 In the absence of sunflower you can use cotton seed cake. But do
not use a lot of cotton seed cake as it may affect eggs through
mottling and discoloration of the York (lines on eggs).
 You do not have to use Soya if you have Fish meal as fish meal
provides the necessary ingredients required. If you have to use Soya,
remember it has to be precooked.
 If you cannot get bone meal you use limestone (stock lime).
 Metabolizable Energy (ME) of the bird is well catered for by the
respective feeds. ME is energy that is required by the bird for
growth, maintenance and production.
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 The Dry Matter (DM) content of the feed should be well catered for
- above the 85% mark (This means that most of the nutrients are
available to the bird and not wasted as water) as well as the
percentage fat if too much of it is not desirable as it easily causes the
feed to become rancid-causing unpleasant taste and odour.
 The Crude Fiber (CF) content should also be well maintained
especially for the chicks (the more fibrous the feed, the less is
digested by the bird) though we need to reduce it slightly for the
growers and the layers.
 It should however be noted that the Crude Fiber (CF) content
should not be higher than the 7% Max mark (the more fibrous the
feed is, the less is digested by the bird) hence we need to reduce it
slightly for the growers and the layers.
 It should also be noted that the crude protein (CP) content should
not be below the nutritional requirement of 16% and 15% for
growers and layers mash respectively though
 The ash content should not be above the 10% mark for both
feeds.(Ash content is a measure of the total amount of minerals
present within a food). Using the black lime, it is speculated that it
has higher mineral content than the white lime.
 Boost energy content by increasing the quantities of energy sources
like maize and maize germ. Let us work on these to meet the
nutritional requirement of our birds. Soya bean meal/cake can be
used interchangeably with fish meal when the fish meal quality is
compromised.
 Toxin binder can be added if the materials are comprised e.g. if
they are wet and could be affected by aflatoxins. It therefore acts as
a preservative.

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NOTE
We have given here formulation of 1000Kg (1 tonne) of feed.

You can customize the formula depending on how many
kilograms of feed you are formulating.
For further information and clarification, please contact us

on 0711417887. If you cannot find any of the components
listed in the formula, feel free to contact us for the
necessary linkages.

0 7 2 1 4 6 1 0 1 4 P a g e 38 | 39

Poultry Feed Formulation: Making Affordable Feeds for Greater Profits

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Poultry Feed Formulation: Making Affordable Feeds for Greater Profits

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The science of nutrition involves providing a balance of nutrients

It is very difficult and very expensive to supply all nutrients at the

While formulating feeds, we are guided by the following factors:

 Nutrient requirement for the bird.

 Availability of the raw materials.

 Price of the raw materials

 Presence of anti-nutritive factor.

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Crushing of burned egg shells

Crushed egg shells: Make them as fine as possible

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5. Non nutrient substances: Grits, toxin binders etc.

A. Poultry - Any of the domesticated and commercialized types of

B. Chickens, turkeys and laying hens have been commercially

 Feed cost is the largest single item in poultry production &

 Much emphasis has been placed on least-cost feed formulation

 To do so, it is necessary to refine energy and nutrient

 All those efforts led to steady improvements in growth rate, feed

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 Non-nutritive additives are used for a variety of reasons - e.g.,

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Comfort zone - ≈ 68 to 82o F (20 to 27.8o C):

 Can expect “optimum” metabolic activity, i.e. no panting, cold

It is however Impossible to set the energy requirement in terms of

 Dietary energy content must be specified to maintain the proper

 The protein requirement or amino acid requirements can be

It is advisable to restrict protein/amino acids (& energy) to retard

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Feeding programs to retard growth;

 Use a diet containing only 10 to 10.5% protein - Feed from the

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1. Soybean meal - Most widely used because of its ability to provide

 Generally not used for layer diets because of: a) gossypol,

 May be used to replace up to 50% of the soybean meal in

3. Linseed meal - Can use a limited amount but may depress

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 Broiler chicks - Fed ad libitum for 42 to 56 days to an average

 Feed represent 60 to 75% of total production cost. Fed conversion

 Use a 3-stage feeding program (starter, grower and finisher) -

A. Generally divided into three stages:

i. Starter with 18-20% Crude Protein & about 3,000 kcal

iii. Developer with 12 to 14% CP & about 3,000 kcal ME/kg

B. Leghorn-type pullets - Seldom fed restrictedly during the

C. Heavy breeds - Tend to deposit excess body fat, thus common to

Most effective program - Feed daily a controlled amount of a well-

 When pullets start producing eggs, their feed intake should

 5% egg production - Should be placed on a regular layer feed

 Higher concentrations of vitamins (A, D, E, riboflavin,

 White Leghorn - Need about 18 g of protein/bird to support

 Methaionine - The first limiting amino acid and economical to

 Ca, P, and Vitamin D - Important for egg shell formation?

 Ca requirement - Varies with the age, ambient temperature,

 Phosphorus - 0.3 to 0.4% available Phosphorus.

 Phase feeding - To reduce the waste of nutrients caused by

 Pullets coming into egg production - 17 to 19% CP and reduce to

 Feed intake decreases as the temperature increases above 85 to

Challenging the flock to lay more eggs

 Young pullet flocks may respond to additional feed when their

 Sometimes, laying hens will produce more efficiently on less feed.

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 As production continues to decline normally, this may be