Layers Feed Formulation Handbook Layers Feed Formulation Formulation Handbook........ ................ ............... ............... ................ ............. ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ .... 1
INTRODUCTION Layers chickens are part of the exotic breeds of the poultry family. They are known for their faster maturity and higher output in terms of egg production. The common breeds are the Light Sussex, the yellow skinned Rhode Island Red, white leghorn and the
black
Australorp.
To start poultry poultry rearing rearing numbe numberr
of
business, business, a things things need
to be for
fulfilled effective approa approach ch to the venture.
Depending on the size type and of chicken one choose to rear, there is need to gather all necessary equipment and materials
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 2 and have them in clean and good working condition. Farmers planning to keep about 200 chicks are advised to have the following materials in place: •
A secure, draft free brooding room with a source of constant heat and good ventilation.
•
4 small water feeders for first 2 weeks, gradually increasing in number as the chicks grow.
•
4 grain feeders - gradually increasing in number as the chicks grow
•
Clean, dry bedding material – wood shavings or straw.
•
A packet or two of Coccid (available from any agro vet shop).
•
Chick mash produced by a reliable feed manufacturer.
•
Two bottles of E.M. (Effective Micro-organisms)
Perhaps more importantly to consider
On the realization of this gap, this
is the source of feed materials to meet
handbook aims to empower all the
the daily dietary requirements of each
farmers in this line of business as well
particular chick. Each farmer needs to
as other potential farmers who may
know where to source for his or her
wish to venture in poultry production
feeds in a manner that will bring down
for profit. Such empowerment shall
the total cost of feeding the entire
discuss on the ‘how’ to formulate
poultry. While most farmers access
Poultry feeds particularly for the Layers
their feeds from the agrovets stores
type of breed.
near them, one can make such feed at
When a farmer formulates their own
the
home
feeds for their poultry, they not only
provided the necessary raw materials
reduce on the cost of purchasing feeds
and the know-how to formulate the
from agrovets stores, but also produce
proper
feeds to meet the specific nutrient
convenience
feeds
of
are
their
available.
(The
Organic Farmer, 2007)
requirements for the varied ages of their poultry. Young
birds
temperatures
need until
their
warmer body
temperature at 10 day of age. These
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 3 young birds can tolerate heat stress
supplemented to the chicken’s diet by
better .Broilers are 4 week and turkeys
means of formulated feed products.
over
most
Methionine is the first – limiting amino
It is
acid in grain and soya bean meal diets,
energy
but lysine is likely to become the first
requirement in terms of unit/kg diet
limiting amino acid if soya meal is
because birds adjust their field intake
replaced
to achieve the daily energy intake.
supplement such as cotton seed meal.
10
weeks
susceptible to impossible
of
heat
to
age
are
stress.
set
the
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS 1) Protein requirements Dietary
energy
content
must
be
specified to maintain the proper ratio of protein to energy so that birds can consume protein. amino
an
adequate
amount
of
The protein requirement or acid
requirements
can
be
defined accurately only in relation to the energy density. Also, the degree of fat deposition in meat producing birds can be affected by the relationship. Some
combinations
of
fats
and
carbohydrates have a protein – sparing effect.
Essential amino acids Methionine and lysine are among the essential amino acids required for the growth and development of poultry. As the
description
suggests
essential
amino acids appear to lack in some types of food thereby the term ‘limiting amino acid’. They must therefore be
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
by
another
plant
protein
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 4
2)
Vitamins
A
vitamin
and
trace
mineral
supplementation contribution to the overall feed cost are not much, but vitamins and minerals play major roles in the metabolic functions of poultry,
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 5 because
of
the
variations
content,
availability,
and
in
the
premixes are formulated to ensure
stability,
adequacy.
Vitamin Requirements by the Different Types of Birds Table 1. Vitamin requirements by the different types of bird
Vitamins
Units
Starting
Growin
Egg-
Broiler
Startin
Growing
Turkey
chickens
g
type
and
g
and
breeder
(0-6)
chicken
laying
egg
turkey
finishing
s
weeks
s (8-18)
hens
type
s (0-8)
turkeys
breede
weeks
(8 weeks
weeks
A D E B Riboflavin Niacin d-
MIU’ MIU TIU”” Mg g g g
rs
to 9.0 3.0 30.0 8.0 5.0 30.0 17.0
7.0 2.0 6.0 10.0 6.0 30.0 10.0
7.0 2.0 6.0 10.0 6.0 30.0 10.0
6.0 2.0 5.0 6.0 4.0 16.0 6.0
8.0 2.0 10.0 10.0 5.0 20.0 9.0
9.0 3.0 11.0 6.0 6.0 85.0 14.0
market) 7.0 2.5 8.0 6.0 4.0 45.0 10.0
Pantotheni c acid Choline Menadione
g g
450.0 1.0
450.0 1.0
250.0 0.3
350.0 0.6
600.0 0.6
550.0 0.6
400.0 0.6
(K) Folic acid Thiamin Pyridoxinw d-Biolin
g g g mg
0.6 1.0 3.0 50.0
0.5 1.0 1.5 30.0
0.2 1.0 1.0 30.0
0.5 1.0 2.0 100.0
1.0 1.0 3.0 100.0
0.7 1.0 2.0 50.0
1.2 2.0 3.0 100.0
Vitamin D is expressed in ICU, which is based on the activity of D 3 because birds do not use vitamin D2. Vitamin E requirements vary greatly depending on dietary lipids, selenium and antioxidant.
3) Minerals Calcium perhaps, the most difficult one to define its requirements, and the problem cannot be solved by simply adding a generous amount simply because excess Ca interferes with utilization of P, Mg, Mn and Zn and it can reduce palatability of the diet. Trace minerals ones completed with amino acids or protein have increased in commercial use in recent years because of higher availability, eg; Zn-met & Se- Met. Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 6
Mineral
Unit
Starting
Growin
Egg-
Broiler
Starti
Growing
Turkey
s
chickens
g
type
and
ng
and
breede
(0-6)
chicke
laying
egg
turkey
finishing
rs
weeks
ns
type
s (0-8) turkeys
18)
breede
weeks
weeks
rs
(8- hens
(8 weeks to
Manganese Zinc Iron Copper Iodine Sodium
mg mg mg mg mg mg
25.0 25.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.05
25.0 25.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.05
50.0 50.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.05
75.0 75.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.05
50.0 50.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.1
market) 50.0 50.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.1
75.0 75.0 50.0 5.0 0.2 0.1
Table 2. Mineral requirements by the different types of birds
INGREDIENTS FOR POULTRY DIETS Selecting feed stuffs – Factors for Consideration a) Nutrient availability - Nutrient availability of feed ingredients are affected by the fiber content, fat content and amino acid balance. b) Palatability - Mostly affected by the moisture content, contaminants, and feed preparation. c) The content of growth inhibits or undesirable chemicals or pigments d) The cost and market availability of feed stuffs.
Energy sources
Grains are most important and widely used. Also wheat, barley and oats are
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 7 being used, but interior to corn in the
50% of the soya bean meal in
relative value.
grower diets.
Grains by products,
including various mills by products: e.g.
c) Sunflower
seed meal:
Can
bran, maize germ, pollard, brewery by
cause weakening of egg shells in
– products etc.
layers. Should not exceed 3-5%
Molasses can be used as a source of
of the poultry diet.
energy but have an adverse laxative
d) Alfalfa meal and corn gluten
effect, thus should be limited to not
meal: Used extensively, bath for
more than 2% of the diet.
their
high
corotenoids,
Protein/Amino Acid Sources
content both
of
should
be
limited to not more than 10%.
Plant sources
Animal sources
a) Soya bean meal: Most widely
Fish meal and Omena often used at 5%
used because of its ability to
are 3% of the diet respectively, but
provide
amino
high in fat and tend to create a fishy
acids; high in digestibility and
flavor in meat and eggs when used in
low
large amounts.
in
indispensable
toxic
or
undesirable
substances.
Mineral sources Calcium is common supplement from b) Cotton seed meal:
ground
limestone,
i) Generally not used for layer
shells,
a
•
•
bone
crushed meal
Phosphorous
oyster
dicalcium
diets because of:
phosphate.
common
Gossypol, which can cause a
supplements are bone meal, dicalcium
mottling and greenish cost to
phosphate, mono sodium phosphate
egg yolks, and
and role phosphate.
Impacts pink colour to white
add 0.2 – 0.5%, too much salt will
eggs used to replace up to
result in increased water consumption
Common salt to
and wet droppings.
Vitamin sources Unlike in the past, a wide variety of feedstuffs are not included in poultry
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
diets
for
their
vitamins
content.
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 8 Vitamins premixes are commonly used
challenge can be repeated as often as
to satisfy the vitamins needs.
necessary depending on the flock’s
For laying hens calcium requirements
response. If your flock has peaked in
varies
egg production and begun a gradual
with
the
age,
ambient
temperature, rate of lay, and egg size,
decline in lay then;
but a general recommendation is 3.4g calcium per day and 3.8g calcium per day after 40 week of age.
1) Sometimes will produce more
Grits can
efficiently on less feed or;
improve feed efficiency slightly, but not
2) Passed peak
when finely ground feeds are fed
and
showing a
normal decrease (4 to 6 %).
should be fed in special feeders every 3 week mixed in a complete feed at
The objective of feeding laying hens is
0.25% of one diet, or sprinkled on top
to produce a dozen eggs of good
of the feed at a rate of 51b per 1000
quality at the lowest possible field cost.
hens every week.
For light weight layers a target should
There is a need to challenge the flock to lay more eggs by adding 2 more
be a field efficiently of 3.5 to 4.0 1b or less of feed/dozen eggs.
pounds of feed per 100 birds, if the flock does not respond by the 4 th day return to the amount fed prior to these
MANAGEMENT OF LAYERS Management of layers is important towards achieving maximum output of eggs yield. Analysts say that the most economical period for a layers breed is from 24 weeks to 72 weeks of age. Birds will however, continue to lay eggs even after 72 weeks but at rate that cannot guarantee
maximum
profit to the
farmer. Birds are considered to have started
laying when at least 5% of them are laying. For such laying birds, specialized feeds are required
to make
them
achieve
nutritional requirement.
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
their
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 9
This handbook serves to train and educate farmers and potential farmers on how to formulate their own feeds to see their layers keep them in business while expanding their growth potential. What one needs to know is the ingredients required for making a particular feed as well the amounts needed to sustain a bird’s nutritional requirements with the expectation of increased egg production. For inorganic poultry farming, it’s important to supplement the layers mash provided to attain the wholesome quality of eggs. Such supplementation includes dried lucerne meal, amaranthus leaves and grains and both dried grass and green grass. It is important to keep the feeds dry to prevent diseases such as coccidiosis that require moist conditions.
Providing about 10 grams of whole grains per day per bird helps keep it busy and allows scratching and dust-bathing, natural behaviors that a bird need not to be prohibited from. Bathing enable the poultry to keep overturning the litter thereby keeping it dry while at the same time spending quality time with other chicken. There is no feed restriction for a laying bird but on average one bird should consume about 150 gm per day. This therefore means for a farmer with 200 laying birds, 30 kg of layers mash should be provided daily. Such feeding should be accompanied with plenty of clean water failure to which birds stop feeding ensuing in reduced egg output and cannibalism (Wainaina, 2007)
MAKING THE FEEDS Farmers can easily formulate chicken feeds on their own provided they acquire the right skills and knowledge to do so. They can develop high
Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
Layers Feed Formulation – Hand Book 10 quality feeds with the correct ingredients mixed in the right proportions to produce high quality layers breed. With the increasing cost of fuel, food
contain (8.23% DCP), Soya (45% DCP),
prices and labor, the cost of barely
Omena (55% DCP), Maize bran (7%
everything has
DCP) and sunflower (35% DCP).
shot upwards. This
therefore means farmers who choose to make the feeds by themselves saves
Feed
products
for
Layers
should
by large extent what should have been
contain at least 18% crude protein to
extra costs by the manufacturer and
meet the high nutritional requirement
the distributors.
for proteins in a layer breed. Equipped with the knowledge of the percentage DCP of each of the feed mixtures, a farmer can through simple calculation achieve
the
18%
standard
by
calculating the content in Kg of each feed mixture to add. The table below outlines the formulation levels in Kg for each particular feed mix. By way of simple calculation, a farmer is able to One of the most common method is the usually referred to as the Pearson Square
method.
The
mechanism
behind this formulation is the use of Digestible Crude Protein (DCP) as the basic protein requirement of the feed. Common
ingredients
include
whole
maize, maize germ, cotton seed cake, soya
beans,
sunflower
(fishmeal).
The
farmer
understand
the
amount
protein
content
of
or
omena
needs
each
of
to
crude of
the
ingredients used in feed making. Just to mention a few, whole maize would Minerals & Allied Ltd
I Formulation Center
establish the total content of protein in the overall mixture of his 70 kg bag. Before mixing the feed, whole maize including the other ingredients has to be broken into the right sizes through crushing or milling to make it palatable for the chickens. (The Organic Farmer, 2012)
FEED FORMULATION FOR LAYERS Table 3. Formulation of layers feeds Materials
Chick mash
Growers mash
Layers mash
Maize meal
200Kg
25 Kg
180Kg
Pollard
300Kg
250 Kg
180Kg
Maize germ
240 Kg
280 Kg
180 Kg
Bran
65 Kg
125 Kg
140Kg
Omena
80Kg
30 Kg
90 Kg
140kg
120kg
cotton
90Kg
premix
2kg
1kg
2kg
DCP
3 kg
3kg
3kg
Lime
15kg
17 kg
101 kg
Sodium chloride
4kg
4kg
4kg
TOTAL
999kg
1000 kg
1000 kg
Source: Minerals & Allied Ltd
NB, Biostrong contains vitamins, chelated minerals,mycotoxins binders and other feed additives. DCP-Dicalciulm phosphate. Incase a certain raw materials is not available, please call us for formulae adjustment.
The above feed stuffs should be mixed homogeneously to have a uniform diet. In the absence of a mechanical mixer, one should first measure the required amounts then mix a small amount and adding small quantities at a time all the while mixing thoroughly. You should have a diet in the optimum texture so that the animal eats with ease
Some tips on how to feed your Layers
An egg-laying chicken requires 150 g of feed per day (provide clean water at all times).
1 chick requires 2.2 kg of feed for 8 weeks (thus 100 chicks = 2.2 kg x 100=220 kg. Chicks should be allowed to feed continuously and given adequate clean water
at all times). If they finish their daily rations, give them fruit and vegetables cuttings to feed on.
1 pullet (young chicken about to start laying) should be fed 4.5 kg of feed for two and a half months until the first egg is seen. It should then be put on layer diet. Supplement with vegetables, edible plant leaves or fruits peelings in addition to the daily feed rations.
All ingredients used must be of high quality and palatable. Never use rotten maize (Maozo). Chickens are very susceptible to aflatoxins poisoning.
When using omena as an ingredient, ensure it is free of sand and seashells. If you use maize germ, it should be completely dry.
Feed should be thoroughly mixed to ensure the ingredients are uniformly distributed. It is preferable to use a drum mixer instead of a spade for mixing.
Note that even after giving them the formulated feeds, chickens should be put on free range to scavenge for other micronutrients not provided for in the feeds (The Organic Farmer, 2012)
.
