In this article, I discuss two major challenges that many farm CEOs face that tend to limit their ability to deliver a consistent quality of balanced feed to their livestock \u2013 especially in Nigeria\/Africa.<\/p>\n
Apart from knowing the ingredients' nutrient compositions in order to formulate rations, there is also the often ignored aspect of proper feed compounding i.e. milling\/grinding and mixing of the physical feed ingredients for the animals to eat (using the derived formula as a guide).<\/p>\n
If feed compounding is not well done, a derived ration formula will yield little or no useful value!<\/strong><\/p>\n Alternative ingredients like Sorghum, from trials done by researchers, and feedback from farmers who use it, show that it needs to be milled to a certain consistency, if it is to be well utilized by animals fed a ration in which it replaces maize.<\/p>\n Some farmers are not familiar with best practice feed compounding. A good ration formula, poorly compounded, gives poor results! Compounded feed with poor palatability and\/or digestibility will be poorly consumed or utilized- and the animals will not perform well.<\/p>\n Extension specialists must verify that farmers understand the importance of proper feed compounding. Those identified to lack it must be given needed \"education\" - and\/or encouraged to compound rations at a feed mill where required best practices are observed.<\/p>\n The farmer must also know what his animal's nutrient requirement is, at different stages of growth and production (See figure 3 in Annex 1.0).That's why laboratory analysis of ingredients (and compounded feed) must be periodically done.<\/p>\n In Nigeria, farmers lack ready access to laboratory facilities. So many use data from published sources - mostly foreign. But that's best used only as a temporary guide. Chemical composition of food grown locally in Nigeria differs considerably from those in tem5perate climes - due to complex interactions of factors like soil, species, strains, climate etc.<\/p>\n But Nigerian farmers contend with unusual additional costs e.g. most generate up to 80% of their power supply, and even drill boreholes to supply safe water for their animals. <\/strong><\/p>\n That can often be a disincentive to sending feed\/ingredients samples for laboratory analysis.<\/p>\n Standard feed composition tables, featuring locally available feeding stuffs can greatly mitigate these challenges, making farmers more willing to use software formulation.<\/p>\n Extension specialists can collaborate with relevant others to make those tables available. Locally available ingredients that can replace expensive\/less available ones must be included.<\/p>\n A useful foundation on which to build has been provided by some workers.<\/strong><\/p>\n Extension specialists can incorporate tables they compile, into their custom Excel-VB software. Farmers would then use a few mouse clicks to choose feed ingredients using drop menus in any combinations they want, to formulate least cost rations (e.g see screenshot from my Excel-VB Ration Formulator software below<\/a>).<\/p>\n2. Lack of Adequate\/Accurate Nutrient Composition Data for Feed Ingredients<\/h3>\n