FEED COSTS AND PRODUCTIVITY.

The Nigerian poultry industry is estimated at ₦80 billion ($600 million) and is comprised of approximately 165 million birds, which pro-duced 650,000 MT of eggs and 290,000 MT of poultry meat in 2013. From a market size perspective, Nigeria’s egg production is the largest in Africa (USDA 2013). Chicken importation was banned by Nigeria in 2003, which spurred growth in domestic poultry production. Statistics from Eurostat, however, shows that between 2009 and 2011 over 3 million MT worth of poultry products were imported into the Republic of Benin, and these products ending up in the Nigerian market. If this is reflected in overall assumptions, estimated poultry meat consumption in Nigeria is approximately 1.2 million MT. This smuggled chicken costs about ₦500- ₦700 ($2.50-$3.50) per kg while locally produced frozen chicken costs between ₦1,000- ₦1,300 ($5 - $6.50) at retail locations, and approximately ₦650 ($3.25) at the farm gate. The price differential between imported and locally produced poultry is driven pri-marily by the high cost of maize and soybeans in Nigeria, and wide fluctuations in these commodity prices during the year. The overview shows the market for poultry and poultry products,and this can be fully harnessed to access the profit potential of the industry. Feed accounts for 65-75% of production cost in livestock,thus strategies to bring down feed costs will spill over on production costs and cost of products.Feeding of livestock must be balanced if adequate growth and development is to be achieved and if products are healthy and wholesome for consumption. Feeding strategies to elicit growth will hinge on the substitution of certain feed stuff with other alternatives to get same desired growth and wholesome products.The basic components dictating the cost of production are maize and soybeans healthy substitutes have been studied and various inclusion rates experimented to get desired results. Producers have been known to indulge in various practices to break-even and reach market weight at desired times,but which have detrimental effects on man and even the animals on a long term. The use of growth promoters have been explored to reduce cost of production by increasing the weight of animals so as to attain market size early. Feed substitutes are the only reliable way to ensure maximum food production and ensure food safety.The other alternatives are use of feed additives, and improved feed conversion techniques such as feed fermentation, provision of forage and other greens for growth.