FEED MILLING IN POULTRY VALUE CHAIN..

Feeding accounts for the majority of the cost of running a poultry venture.The feed quality and quantity is paramount to achieving desired outcome of large eggs,market weight and proper growth and development. The feed milling aspect can be done in 2 ways;1) concentrates can be procured from established feed millers and maize/wheat offal can be mixed at specified proportions. 2) The procurement of all ingredients and making your feed based on a proven formula that will stimulate growth and development. The basic feed requirement are a) carbohydrate b)protein c) mineral sources and d) roughages The common carbohydrate sources are 1)sorghum,millet,cassava chips and maize. The protein sources are fish meal, blood meal,soya beans,groundnut cake meal and cotton seeds. Roughages are in form of brewers spent grain,rice bran and wheat offals,these are supplemented with minerals such as oyster shell,bone meal and dicalcium phosphate. The other inputs are salt,vitamin and minerals All ingredients must be properly crushed and thoroughly mixed to produce a feed of high quality.This is achieved in the milling section by using a crusher and mixer.