ABSTRACT
Feed accounts for over 70% of the cost of poultry production. Ingredients make up the greatest proportion of the cost, while feed manufacturing and delivery account for approximately five percent of the total diet cost. Properly leveraging the feed manufacturing process, combined with least-cost formulation and the use of alternative ingredients, can significantly lower the diet cost. However, variations in the quality of ingredients and finished feed, as well as in the manufacturing process, can significantly affect broiler performance. In addition, advancements in poultry nutrition, changes in broiler genetics, increased biosecurity, and fluctuations in ingredient quality require greater flexibility in the manufacturing process. For these reasons, and to remain competitive, poultry producers
must routinely evaluate the quality of their ingredients and the manufacturing process in the feed mill. A systematic evaluation of each process within the feed manufacturing facility will identify opportunities for improvement in manufacturing efficiency and reduced nutrient variation of finished feed, which ultimately results in a lower cost of poultry production.
