ISSUE FOCUS 52 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2025 “The economic success of poultry feeding programs is certainly influenced by the relationship between formulated nutrient and energy levels and what the birds actually consume. Any deviation from the intended nutritional profiles can impact flock performance, feed efficiency, and realized production costs. Poultry nutritionists play a critical role in minimizing these discrepancies by managing the variation inherent in feed ingredients.” The poultry industry continually faces pressure from rising production costs due to fluctuations in feed ingredient prices and other factors. As supply chain challenges and inflation increase, feed cost management is a top priority for poultry producers, which attribute 68-75% of total production expenses to feed alone.1 Poultry companies use specific performance metrics to shape their economic strategies based on their unique business goals, production methods, and product offerings. Feed expense historically comprises the majority of input costs for poultry producers. An effective feed formulation strategy that provides the birds with a proper balance of nutrients and energy is paramount to maximizing performance and profitability. Poultry feeding programs aim to provide nutrients and energy to the birds as specified by purpose-formulated feeds. The less variation exists between formulated nutrient levels and what is consumed by the birds, the greater the odds of achieving expected flock performance and realizing planned feeding program cost. Poultry nutritionists are tasked with managing the variation inherent in ingredients as a fundamental strategy to address this risk. The process by which ingredients are evaluated, selected, and incorporated into feed formulations can significantly influence profitability, making such efforts a critical factor in poultry production. 1. CUSTOMARY INGREDIENTS A thorough and accurate characterization of the customary ingredients used in feed formulation is advisable for realizing the maximum economic value from feeding programs. This strategy applies not only to primary commodity ingredients but also to often ignored minor and micro ingredients. Comprehensive ingredient characterization should include all nutritional categories critical to the feed formulation process and to flock performance, including the digestible amino acid, mineral, and energy components. Nutritionists must establish their characterization strategy based ADDRESSING POULTRY FEED COST AND NUTRITION: 3 Fundamental Considerations Dr. Nathan Collins Poultry Technical Consultant Elanco
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