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https://e-catalogs.taat-africa.org/com/technologies/local-production-of-quality-affordable-poultry-feed
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Local Production of Quality Affordable Poultry Feed

Cutting Costs, Boosting Nutrition

This practice involves blending various ingredients to create a balanced feed ration for chickens, optimizing their growth and production. The basic formulation includes maize or wheat, soybeans, bran, oil press cake, fish and bone meal, poultry supplement, limestone, and salt. The feeds are further processed into mash for chicks or pelleted for larger birds.

2

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Cost: $$$ 3,000—36,000 USD

per machine

ROI: $$$ 60 %

reduction of feed cost

100—200 kg

feed production per hour

5 years

life span

IP

Open source / open access

Problem

  • Conventional poultry feeds constitute a significant portion of production costs, hindering profitability and growth.
  • Small-scale farmers face challenges in accessing affordable and adequate feed, restricting their ability to expand operations.
  • Reliance on expensive purchased feeds limits profitability and scalability for poultry farmers.
  • Ensuring a balanced ration is crucial for poultry health and productivity, yet many farmers lack access to affordable options.
  • Formulating feeds with the right combination of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins is essential for optimal chicken growth and egg production.
  • Leveraging locally available and seasonal materials for feed production can reduce costs and enhance profitability.
  • While traditional poultry producers have knowledge of locally available feed materials, scaling up this knowledge poses a challenge.
  • Exploring alternative feed sources such as maggots, kitchen wastes, and sprouted grains can contribute to cost-effective feeding solutions.
  • Adoption of proven technologies for feed production, such as sprouting grains and producing maggots, is essential for improving feed availability and reducing costs.

Solution

  • Utilizing locally available and seasonal materials to produce lower-cost feeds.
  • Blending local energy and protein ingredients with purchased additives to create formulated feeds for different bird development stages.
  • Reducing feed costs by implementing free-ranging practices and utilizing local by-products and edible leaves.
  • Implementing proven technologies to combine diverse feed sources and improve local meat and egg supplies.
  • Selecting the right combination of feeds for a balanced ration to reduce dependence on expensive purchased feeds.
  • Supplementing basic blended feeds with other locally available or seasonal ingredients.
  • Exploring inexpensive feeding options such as kitchen wastes, free-range fodder, green leaves, and insects.
  • Incorporating maggots as a protein-rich feed source for chickens.
  • Feeding chickens with whole or crushed grains, broken cereals, and off-grade grains, ensuring they are free from contaminants.
  • Utilizing dried, milled cassava peels as an alternative energy ingredient for poultry feed.
  • Scaling up traditional knowledge of locally available feed materials for poultry production systems.
  • Implementing technologies for producing sprouted grains and maggots at scale, such as hydroponic culture and confined Black Soldier Flies production.

Key points to design your business plan

Utilizing the Local Production of Quality Affordable Feed Technology promotes sustainability in poultry farming by reducing feed expenses, fostering economic development through job opportunities, and advocating for eco-friendly practices.

As essential collaborators, you'll need suppliers of feed ingredients, equipment manufacturers, distributors, and agricultural consultants.

Since this technology is accessible in various countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, and others, it's crucial to factor in delivery expenses and potential import duties.

The cost structure varies; machinery capable of grinding, mixing, and pelleting 1 ton of poultry feed per hour costs approximately USD 36,000. Alternatively, mixers, mills, and pelletizing machines that can process and bag 100 to 200 kg feed per hour are available separately at around USD 3,000.

Evaluate the profitability achieved through the adoption of this technology. Mash derived from processed cassava peels costs only 50% of grain and can replace 20% of the maize used in growers' ration and 35% of the maize for layers mash.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive medium

Under 18: Positive high

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Water use: Same amount of water used

Countries with a green colour
Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour
Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour
Tested
Egypt Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burundi Burkina Faso Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Côte d’Ivoire Eritrea Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Cameroon Kenya Libya Liberia Madagascar Mali Malawi Morocco Mauritania Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Zambia Senegal Sierra Leone Zimbabwe Somalia South Sudan Sudan South Africa Eswatini Tanzania Togo Tunisia Chad Uganda Western Sahara Central African Republic Lesotho
Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country Tested Adopted
Benin Tested Adopted
Botswana Tested Adopted
Burundi Tested Adopted
Central African Republic Tested Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire Tested Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo Tested Adopted
Ethiopia Tested Adopted
Gabon Tested Adopted
Ghana Tested Adopted
Guinea Tested Adopted
Kenya Tested Adopted
Madagascar Tested Adopted
Malawi Tested Adopted
Mozambique Tested Adopted
Niger Tested Adopted
Nigeria Tested Adopted
Rwanda Tested Adopted
Senegal Tested Adopted
Sierra Leone Tested Adopted
Somalia Tested Adopted
South Sudan Tested Adopted
Tanzania Tested Adopted
Uganda Tested Adopted
Zambia Tested Adopted
Zimbabwe Tested Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ Subtropic - warm Subtropic - cool Tropic - warm Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Sustainable Development Goal 1: no poverty
Goal 1: no poverty
Sustainable Development Goal 2: zero hunger
Goal 2: zero hunger
Sustainable Development Goal 8: decent work and economic growth
Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

  1. Gather Necessary Materials and Ingredients: Collect locally available and seasonal materials like maize or wheat, soybeans, bran, oil press cake, fish and bone meal, poultry supplement, limestone, and salt.

  2. Determine Proportions for Formulation: Calculate the appropriate proportions of each ingredient based on the recommended formulation. For example, a basic blend may consist of 50% maize or wheat, 21% soybeans, 14% bran, and so on.

  3. Blend the Ingredients: Mix the collected ingredients thoroughly to ensure a balanced ration. This can be done using appropriate equipment like mixers.

  4. Process the Feed: Depending on the type of birds being fed, process the blended feed into mash for chicks or pelleted form for larger birds. This can be achieved using suitable processing equipment.

  5. Monitor Growth and Production: Regularly observe and track the growth and production of the birds. Adjust the feed composition if needed to optimize results.

  6. Consider Supplementary Feeding Methods: In addition to the formulated feed, consider supplementary feeding methods like kitchen wastes, free-range practices, and provision of green leaves and insects to further enhance nutrition.

  7. Ensure Proper Storage: Store both the ingredients and the formulated feed in a dry, cool place to prevent contamination and spoilage.

  8. Monitor Costs and Benefits: Keep track of the costs associated with feed production and compare it with the benefits in terms of improved productivity and profitability.

Last updated on 15 July 2024