ISSUE FOCUS 54 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2025 into poultry diets demands careful consideration as not all novel ingredients are as well characterized as traditional feedstuffs. Fully evaluating and understanding alternative feed ingredients can be challenging, frequently due to a lack of scientific information relative to the target animals including nutritional profiles, potential antinutritional factors, and acceptable inclusion rates. Additionally, it is important to assess the longterm availability of these ingredients, including any potential risks to supply. Supply chain consistency plays a crucial role in determining the economic viability of alternative ingredients. Even if an ingredient is nutritionally valuable and cost-effective, supply chain instability can make it economically impractical for feeding programs over the long term. 3. EFFICIENCY VS. VALUE The poultry industry has historically relied on feed conversion as a primary metric for evaluating the economic success of feeding programs. However, it is suggested that a focus on value-based formulation as opposed to strictly least-cost formulation can be beneficial for assessing feeding program changes over time. Analyzing a company’s product mix value (i.e., income) relative to total feed cost after implementation of feeding program changes is encouraged. 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. Meaningful and timely ingredient characterization, a fundamental component of this process, has economic value. By incorporating these fundamentals into practice, poultry companies can better optimize efficiency and enhance profitability, strengthening their bottom line. Reference 1Bibyan, R.S. and Kour H. 2024. “Price Rise of Poultry Feed Is An Issue: How to Economize Poultry Feeding”. SR Publications. https://www.srpublication. com/price-rise-of-poultry-feed-is-an-issue-how-toeconomize-poultry-feeding/ About Dr. Nathan Collins Dr. Nathan Collins earned his B.S. in Poultry Science from Virginia Tech and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Poultry Nutrition from Auburn University and has over 20 years of experience in the U.S. broiler production industry. His areas of expertise include disease prevention and control with a specialized expertise in broilers and poultry nutrition.
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