Contents

Contents Executive Summary: ........................................................................................................................ 5

Why do we need a poultry feed mill? ............................................................................................. 6

Benefits of making your own feed: ................................................................................................. 7

One of the best ways to maintain quality: .................................................................................. 7

Minimizing Cost: .......................................................................................................................... 7

Commercializing Al Khaleej Poultry Mills: .................................................................................. 7

Home Feed versus Commercial Feed: ............................................................................................ 8

Broilers versus Layers: ..................................................................................................................... 9

Common Ingredients’ used in a Poultry Feed Mill:....................................................................... 10

Poultry Mix – A Graphical Presentation ........................................................................................ 11

Pie Chart: ................................................................................................................................... 11

Linear Chart: .............................................................................................................................. 12

Pricing & Corresponding Details: .................................................................................................. 13

Sources of Carbohydrates: ............................................................................................................ 15

Maize ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Rice Polish: ................................................................................................................................ 15

Broken Rice: .............................................................................................................................. 16

Bran: .......................................................................................................................................... 16

Sources of Protein: ........................................................................................................................ 17

Fish Meal ................................................................................................................................... 17

Protein Points: ........................................................................................................................... 17

How is fish meal produced? ...................................................................................................... 18

Soybean Meal: ........................................................................................................................... 18

Canola:....................................................................................................................................... 19

Amino Acids: ................................................................................................................................. 20

Lysine, Methionine & other Amino Acids: ................................................................................ 20

Premix and other essential vitamins ............................................................................................. 21

Choline Chloride: ....................................................................................................................... 21

Feed Additives: .............................................................................................................................. 22

What are feed additives? .......................................................................................................... 22

Availability: ................................................................................................................................ 22

Limestone: ................................................................................................................................. 22

Apc:............................................................................................................................................ 22

Toxin Binder: ............................................................................................................................. 23

Phytase: ..................................................................................................................................... 23

Dicalcium Phosphate: ................................................................................................................ 25

Competitive Analysis: .................................................................................................................... 26

Feed presentation: ........................................................................................................................ 27

Testing your feed: ......................................................................................................................... 28

Laboratory Testing: ................................................................................................................... 28

How do we start? ...................................................................................................................... 28

Formation of your Broiler Feed: .............................................................................................. 29

Diet Specification – International Best Practices: ........................................................................ 30

Feed Processing: ......................................................................................................................... 31

List of Machinery Required: .......................................................................................................... 32

Hammer Mill ............................................................................................................................. 32

Mixer ......................................................................................................................................... 32

Boiler ......................................................................................................................................... 32

Pellet Machine: ......................................................................................................................... 32

Cooling Machine: ...................................................................................................................... 33

Conveyor ................................................................................................................................... 33

Elevator ..................................................................................................................................... 33

Rotary Cutters ........................................................................................................................... 33

Packing Hopper: ........................................................................................................................ 33

Conclusion: .................................................................................................................................... 34

Executive Summary: A nutritious feed is essential for the growth and sustainability of chickens. In addition to that, it helps us in

improving the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). FCR will generally increase if the feed is in the right combination

with just the right amount of fiber and protein combined with essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

An entrepreneur basically has two options: Home Made Feed vs. Commercial Feed. To be absolutely sure about

the quality of feed it is best to process the feed at your farm. Not only will this ensure a higher FCR and Feed

Efficiency Ratio (FER), it will also be cost effective. However, that being said, making your own feed can take

time and perhaps the possibility of using commercial feed, at the initial stage, can be exercised.

Different ingredients are combined to make a recipe that shall result in chickens with an optimum FCR. A

standard recipe would include sources of animal protein such as fishmeal, bone meal, and meat meal. In

addition to that it will ideally include sources of vegetable protein such as sunflower meal, soybean, canola etc.

Lastly, a good cook will include essential amino acids and other additives. Amino acids serve as protein

supplements and essentially include lysine and threonine. Moreover, additives include different enzymes such

as toxin binder, choline chloride and phytase. Finally, premix is used as an essential part of the poultry mix that

essentially is a mixture of vitamins and minerals.

Once we have the ingredients sorted out we process them using a combination of machines. Machines include

hammer mill, mixer, grinder, palletizer, boiler, hopper, packing equipment etc.

There are no wrong or right answers as to how much of which ingredient is to be used. This will majorly depend

on the cook or nutritionist. It is safe to say that we can use what works best for us using the finest ingredients.

Why do we need a poultry feed mill?

The quality of various types of feeds produced by different mills has wide variations. It is felt that

the quality of feed in general is deteriorating. The deterioration in quality is due to: non-

availability of good quality protein ingredients & non-existence of quality control of end products.

Also, it is not advisable to be at the whims and fancies of feed mills who regulate their production

schedule according to the effective demand from the livestock farms. They do not produce in

excess of ready demand as the shelf life of feed ranges from 2 to 3 months only.

Even if we buy a bottle of branded ketchup when and see the ingredients printed on the bottle.

Unfortunately, the practice of labeling bags in the poultry feed industry is nowhere to be found.

Even reputed market leaders like SB, Marjan and Sindh Poultry do not have their ingredients

listed. This, alone, is ample to create a fair bit of doubt in the mind of the entrepreneur and

therefore a desire to have cook your own feed is aroused.

Benefits of making your own feed:

One of the best ways to maintain quality:

There is substantial of fraud and ad hoc mixing in the market. In ingredients are not printed on

the bad. Certificate of analysis of major ingredients added is not available. That being said, there

are majorly a few reputable companies in the market. Namely, SB, Marjan, Jadeed, Sindh Poultry

feeds and Master Poultry Feeds. In case, there is a need to outsource feed production, we can

certainly opt for Master Poultry Feeds and Sindh Poultry Feeds; their production site is situated

at Korangi and Port Qasim respectively. The remaining are up-country and their quality

notwithstanding, it will not be economical to import feed from a different province.

Minimizing Cost:

Cost minimization – considering the quantity of feed required - is a vital benefit. This is very

similar to having home cooked food versus dining out. Home cooked food will always be cheaper.

You just have to get the recipe right.

Commercializing Al Khaleej Poultry Mills:

Perhaps a herculean task in the beginning, having out own feed mill plant will not only make us

self-sustainable but in addition, we can also emerge as a premier poultry feed brand in the long

run.

Home Feed versus Commercial Feed: Ideally, the objective of a nutritionist is to get a healthy FCR. However, is that really feasible?

Maybe, maybe not. So how do we know what will be a feasible feed:

FCR is the feed consumed/estimated weight gained. In the following example we have

hypothetically taken an FCR of 1.7 and 1.8 for commercial and home based feed respectively.

Let’s consider the two scenarios: Commercial feed versus Home Based:

Commercial Feed: FCR: 1.7

Price per bag: 2200 (50 Kg)

Cost = 1.7 * (2200/50)

= 1.7 * 44 = 74.8/Kg

74.8 is the cost of feed per kg of broiler meat gained from a commercial source.

Home Based Feed: FCR: 1.8

Price per bag: 1800 (50 Kg)

Cost = 1.8 * (1800/50)

= 1.8 * 36 = 64.8/Kg

64.8 is the cost of feed per kg of broiler meat gained from home based feed.

The computation made above prove that getting an optimum FCR using expensive feed is not financially viable. This underscore the importance of using our own feed which, even if does not give the right FCR may still lead to an overall advantage. (Source: Dr. Zahid Hussain, Hi-Tech Poultry Feed).

Broilers versus Layers: Broilers have different feed requirements in terms of energy, proteins and minerals during

different stages of their growth. It is important that farmers adapt feed rations to these

requirements for maximum production.

Young broilers have a high energy requirement for the development of muscles, feathers, etc. As

the broilers grow, their protein requirement also increases. According to Dr. Najaib, at Big Bird,

organs of a broiler are formed in the first week.

Broilers, as opposed to layers, are more sensitive to the feed given. Any misbalance in diet can

be toxic for the broiler chicken and can adversely affect mortality. Primary research indicates that

producing feed for layers is relatively less complex and less risky.

Common Ingredients’ used in a Poultry Feed Mill:

Poultry Feed comprises of several ingredients, basic ingredients include: whole maize, maize

germ, rice polish, broken rice (toota chawal), fishmeal (also called omena) and apc. The

mentioned ingredients are a combination of carbohydrates and protein.

Do we necessarily have to use the mentioned ingredients?

No, not really! Upon meeting various veterinaries and nutritionist, we were not able to get a static

answer. What is important is to know which ingredient is a source of starch, protein, vitamins,

minerals and antibiotics.

For example: Maize is an excellent source of starch; furthermore, we have rice polish, broken

rice, wheat bran etc. in the starch/carbohydrates family. Similarly, we have foods that are provide

essentials proteins. Proteins have two major sources (1) Animal Protein (2) Vegetable Protein.

Fish meal is a great source of animal protein whereas Soybean and Canola is a great source of

vegetable protein.

Finally, to balance the effect of protein, a combination of essential amino acids is sparingly used.

Amino acids are very pricy, therefore is imperative to use just the right amount.

Poultry Mix – A Graphical Presentation Pie Chart:

Note: The percentage figures stated in the pie chart about only give a fair idea and are not to be used as an

immutable law or hard and fast rule.

Linear Chart:

Note: The percentage figures stated in the pie chart about only give a fair idea and are not to be used as an

immutable law or hard and fast rule.

Pricing & Corresponding Details:

Ingredients: Price (Ex-works): Packaging Source Comments

Retail Bulk

Maize 30 Kg (25-29)/kg 40 Kg bag.

Irshad Sons Seeds

Corporatiatio

n[ Wholesaler -

Pakistan ]

Digestibility: 85%, acceptable

moisture: 7-8%. Shelf life: 1 year. Oil residue (after extraction): less than

1%

Rice Polish Only

available

in bulk (17-22)/Kg 40 Kg bag.

Shareef Oil Industries/Irs

hadsons

Protein level: 14 – 16%; oil residue: 7

8%; price mentioned is ex-works (P. Qasim). This material is available from

Hafizabad. (1300 Kms from Karachi

approx.); oil is extracted, left

Soybean Only

available

in bulk

55/Kg(local), (60-

85)/Kg(import

ed)

50 Kg

Ghazi Brothers/Sha

reef Oil Industries

Protein: 36 – 37%; Digestibility: 75

78%; Oil residue (after extraction): less than 1%; shelf life: 1 year.

Commodity is being imported from

India, Argentina, Brazil and China.

Canola Only

available

in bulk 29.5/Kg

47- 48 Kg

Bag. Shahbaz

Incorporation

Protein: 47.5%; Digestibility: 68 – 70%, Oil residue (after extraction):

less than 1%; shelf life: 1 year. Material is being exported from their Port Qasim factory. Packing charges:

6 - 8 Rs/bag, Loading charges: 6 - 8

Rs/bag.

Apc 34/Kg 32/Kg 25 Kg Bag. A.S

enterprises (Dr.Ather)

Animals extracts

Steam Dried

Fishmeal

Only

available

in bulk

1450 per unit

protein 50 Kg.

Paradise Fish

Meal.

Price mentioned is ex-works. Protein 55 to 58%

Ash 22% Moisture 12 % Max.

100% pure and 100 % Steam Dried.

Steam cook Sun Dried Fishmeal

Only

available

in bulk

1350 per unit

protein Non printed

bags 80 Kg Paradise Fish

Meal.

Price mentioned is ex-works. Protein 50 to 53 %

Ash 22% Moisture

12 % max 100%

pure.

Limestone 10/Kg 8 - 10 Kg 25 Kg bags Karachi

Chemical

Locally available from Gadaap town in

the form of stones or mash form. Price depends on whether the

commodity is in rock form or

mashed/powered.

Dlm .2 Only

available

in bulk

500-550/Kg

(Crushed) 25 kg

Madaan Enterprises

This item is crushed.

Lysine Hcl . 200/Kg 195/Kg Madaan

Enterprises

Price can grossly vary depending on

several factors, essentially season &

demand against supply.

Dcp 1% 58/Kg 56/Kg 25 Kg. Madaan

Enterprises DCP is not available in the form of 1%.

Instead it is available in 24% and 18%.

PhyTaze Only

available

in bulk

1200- 1900/Kg(Depe

nds on Quality)

25 Kg Ghazi

Brothers

MOQ: 25 Kg bag, Origin: Belgium. This

commodity is not available local and is imported. Phytaze is susceptible to degradation during extended storage

periods. The ingredient is also available in the market under

different names, such as: Phyzyme®

XP. Choline

Chloride 115 100-110 25 kg Ghazi

Brothers Item is available in both corn based

form as well as salica based.

Toxin Binder

(Yeast Based)

Only

available

in bulk 600-650/Kg 25 kg

Ghazi

Brothers

Material is Store in a cool dry place

without exposure to direct sunlight. Temp. range from minus -5 to + 30

degrees C. & with a relative humidity of not

more than 80 %.

Premix

Vitamin bag:

750/Kg;

Mineral Bag: 250/Kg

25 Kg, 12.5

Kg Ghazi

Brothers This commodity is a composite of

vitamins.

Sources of Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are a vital source of energy and are essential to keep the chicken active.

Carbohydrates are found in various ingredients such as potatoes, rice, wheat bran, whole maize

& corn gluten.

Looking at carbohydrates as an essential source of energy for chickens we will be concentrating

on (1) Digestibility & (2) Price.

Maize

Maize is a vital source of starch, vitamins, proteins and minerals and it primary keeps the chicken

active. Maize gives the highest conversion of dry substance to meat, milk and eggs compared to

other cereal grains. Maize is a valuable feed grain, because it is among the highest in net energy

content and lowest in protein and fiber content.

It is reputed to have a digestibility of 85% and is priced around 28 – 30 Rs/Kg. Maize, is a major

part of poultry feed and is used as much as 57% of the poultry mix. This figure is not a static one,

reason being that different poultry feeds have different practices.

Contemporary practices suggest that keeping a 50 Kg bag of starter feed, 28.6 Kg of maize is used

which is approx. 57%. Price of maize is around Rs. 30/Kg in the whole sale market and is available

in a 40 Kg bag.

According to a certain article published in DAWN, One hundred gram of fresh grain contains 361

calories of energy, 9.4 g protein; 4.3g fat, 74.4g carbohydrate, 1.8g fibre; 1.3g ash, 10.6 per cent

water, 140mg vitamins, 9mg calcium, 290mg, phosphorus and 2.5mg iron.

Maize is reputed to be the fourth largest crop in Pakistan. Maize is available in heavy quantity

from the district of Okara, Punjab.

Rice Polish:

Rice polish is a by-product of rice milling industry and is one of the cheapest source of energy and

protein for poultry feeding. Rice, polish can be used in tandem with maize which is also providing

energy to the chickens. Certain research suggests that rice polish can be used up to 10% as part

of complete poultry feed.

Rich polish is a bi-product that is released during polishing of brown rice. The germ and husk are

removed and we also obtain rise polish. People call this: “chawal ka chilka.”

Rice polish has a digestibility of 85% and is readily available in Pakistan. The price is around 22.5

Rs/Kg.

Broken Rice:

The broken rice separated out after the polishing stage has the same chemical composition as

polished rice. There is seldom any surplus of broken rice available for feeding, as much of it is

remixed with the whole grains and sold as low-grade rice. It is also sold to the brewing industry

for mixing with barley.

Bran:

Bran is the coarse outer covering of a seed. It also contains a little of the flour. The most common

brans are corn, rice, and wheat. Nutritionally, bran contains fiber and protein.

Sources of Protein: Protein is the building essential building blocks of virtually every living being. Proteins are

complex compounds made up of smaller units called amino acids. After a bird consumes protein,

the digestive process breaks down the protein into amino acids. The amino acids are then

absorbed by the blood and transported to cells that convert the individual amino acids into the

specific proteins required by the animal. Proteins are used in the construction of body tissues

such as muscles, nerves, cartilage, skin, feathers, beak etc.

Different ingredients are being used as a vital source of protein. According to Dr. Athar – the

CEO of AS Enterprises, the following nutrients are the being used as a vital source of protein in

the poultry industry: Fish meal, Soyabean, Canola, Guar meal, Sunflower and APC meal.

Fish Meal

Fishmeal, is a vital source of protein. Fishmeal is produced in Pakistan. As the name suggest

fishmeal is obtained by drying and grinding or otherwise treating fish or fish waste to which no

other matter has been added. It is no surprise that fishmeal is produced in coastal areas. There

are several fishmeal factories in Karachi involved in industrial selling to various poultry feed

producers and exporting up-country.

Protein Points:

Fish meal is calculated on the basis of protein units. Price of fish meal depends on the

concentration of protein.

Calculating Protein Points:

1 Kg of fishmeal @ 50% protein concentration is purchased. If the price per protein unit is Rs.

1450, 1 Kg of Fish meal will cost us 1450 x 50/1000 = Rs. 72.5. This is the price of fish meal per kg

where protein is @ 50%.

Let’s take another example:

1 Kg of fishmeal @ 58% protein concentration is purchased.

Price of Protein = Rs 1500

Formula = (price of protein unit) * (% concentration of protein)/1000

= 1500 * 50/1000

= 75 Rs/Kg is the cost of fishmeal per Kg.

How is fish meal produced?

Fish meal is produced using a variety of fish including: Doma, Chaqoo, Mithu, Mori, & Khassa. The

preceding fishes are dried and thereafter fish oil is extracted. Fish oil is an essential source of

Omega 3 and Omega 6.

A kg of fishmeal shall be a combination of protein, ash and moisture. Moisture is generally around

12%, whereas the protein can be between 50 to 58%. Fish meal is either steam dried or sun dried.

With state-of-the-art steam dryers available, leading companies are opting for steam dried fish

meal with a protein concentration of 55 to 50%. Contemporary practices suggest that nowadays,

with the availability of world class steamers, steam dried fish meal is being used with a higher

percentage protein concentration.

It is important to state that if we get a quote from any leading fish meal factory, they may not

categorically include the percentage of silica (sand) that may be included as fishes, once extracted

from the sea, are laid on sand plus sand is also found inside the body of the fish, particular Mori

fish.

Best practices suggest that 8.6 Kg of fishmeal is required in a 50 Kg bag which accounts to 17% of

the whole diet. This is no hard and fast rule and different companies have adopted different

practices of using different ratios of fish meal in the overall poultry mix.

Soybean Meal:

Soybean meal is the dominant protein supplement used in poultry diets and is the standard to

which alternative protein sources are compared. Soybeans can be fed to poultry whole or as

soybean meal. It has a protein percentage of 48% with ME (k/cal/kg) of 2557. It also contains

traces of calcium and lysine with their percentage concentration being 0.66 and 2.2 respectively.

Research suggests that there is 10 Kg of Soybean in a 50 Kg bag of chicken feed, which amounts

to 20% of the total diet. Again this figure can be very misleading and again is used as part of the

protein mix in the poultry section. Soybean, although, readily available in Karachi, is primary

being imported from India, China, Brazil and Argentina.

Soyabean a digestibility of approx. 80% or more and is available for approx. 62 Rs/Kg. This this

material is imported, companies perform a joint exercise of importing this material. Soybean can

be loaded upto 20 – 22 tons per 20’ container.

For example, if 20 tons of Soybean is being imported by four feed mills, each feed mill shall receive

approx. ton.

Canola:

Canola meal is a vital source of vegetable protein. It has a protein percentage of 37.5% with ME

(k/cal/kg) of 2000. It also contains traces of calcium and lysine with their percentage

concentration being 0.66 and 2.2 respectively.

According to Dr. Athar, canola has a digestibility of 80% plus and hence, being low relatively low

priced, canola is being used as a vital part of vegetable protein source in the poultry mix.

Current price of canola is: 29.5/Kg. This price was obtained from Shahbaz Corporation; based in

Multan and having a site office at Port Qasim.

Amino Acids:

Lysine, Methionine & other Amino Acids:

Amino acids play central roles both as building blocks of proteins and as intermediates in

metabolism. There are 20 different types of amino acids, each having its own chemical versatility.

Research has found that the animal needs more lysine, methionine and threonine than is present

in a feed made mostly of corn and soybean meal. While expensive, it is more economical to

provide the birds with these amino acids in synthetic form. This is logical: if we only need to top

off the levels of lysine and methionine to reach the bird's requirement. Therefore, there is no

reason to add all 20 amino acids, which is what would happen if we simply added more of a high-

protein ingredient. Synthetic amino acids allow us to meet more precisely the birds' nutritional

needs, and do so more economically.

According to a certain article: http://www.nation.co.ke/business/seedsofgold/Poultry-

ChickenFeed-Farming, the expert suggested in using 3.0g of lysine, 10g of methionine & 70 g of

Threonine.

Quality amino acids are generally not available and Pakistan and are imported from Europe and

USA. We are able to get in touch with Dr. Amir Shah & Dr Syed Mudassar who are imported

essential amino acids from different parts of Europe including Uk and Spain.

Pricing:

Lysine will cost us Rs. 195/Kg whereas Methionine will cost us Rs 550/Kg. According to Dr. Syed

Mudassar - nutritionist and RSM (Regional Sales Manager) at Ghazi Brothers – Methionine is used

as a vital amino acid, however, quantity used depends on various factors. It can be safely stated

that amino acids are a protein top-up that are used to enhance flesh building of the chicken. No

feed mix is complete without the inclusion of essential amino acids.

Premix and other essential vitamins A premix is a mixture of vitamins, trace minerals, medicaments, feed supplements and diluents.

It is a value added solution for feeds with sustainable safety and quality. Premix is classified as a

poultry feed additive. No poultry feed mix is complete without adding premix.

Premix is imported in Pakistan from different developed countries of the world including UK and

Spain.

How much premix is used?

Approx. 500 grams per 1000 Kg (1 ton) is used in a standard poultry mix. This account to 0.05%.

Again this is no hard and fast rule. According to a certain article:

http://www.nation.co.ke/business/seedsofgold/Poultry-Chicken-Feed-Farming-Agriculture the

nutritionist asserted using 70g of premix in a 70 Kg. This means – in other words – 1 Kg per ton

or 0.1 percent.

Pricing:

When we ask for premix the vendor will provide us a price which is categorically stated for

vitamins and minerals. The price we obtained from Ghazi Brother was: 750/Kg for vitamins and

Rs 250/Kg for minerals.

A certificate of analysis shall be presented which shall state the authenticity and efficacy of the

related premix.

Choline Chloride:

Choline, formerly known as vitamin B4, has been rediscovered as an indispensable feed additive

in poultry. This particular additive is either corn based or salica based. In addition, to what has

been stated, this particular chemical accelerates growth.

Pricing:

Choline Choride is imported in Pakistan and is available for Rs 100 – 110/Kg.

Feed Additives:

What are feed additives?

Additives are micronutrients, amino acids, minerals and vitamins to make ensure that the chicken

have a balanced feed that meets their daily nutrient requirements.

Availability:

Feed additives are generally not available in Pakistan. Various importers are importing these

brands from different parts of the world including: UK, Spain, Holland, Austria, Argentina and

Jordan.

Feed additives will include Choline Chloride which is either corn based or salica based. Choline

chloride is a common supplement to poultry feed. However, published dietary requirements are

based on studies several decades old and there has been significant change both in feed

formulation and bird performance since these requirements were established.

Limestone:

In relation to poultry production, lime is a generic term used to refer only to the manufactured

forms of lime. These forms of lime are quicklime, which is calcium oxide (CaO), and hydrated lime,

which is calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2).

Limestone is exposed to extreme heat which converts into calcium oxide and finally calcium

hydrooxide. This is commonly referred to as Choona. Next to energy, birds adjust their feed intake

based on calcium requirement. In other words, birds will eat more feed for want of calcium-a

phenomenon also referred to as calcium hunger.

Research indicates that limestone is used approx. 2.8 Kg or 5.7% as part of the total feed mix.

There are several limestone factories in the area of Gadaap and the current price is approx. 8

Rs/Kg. Limestone is available in both rock and crushed form.

Apc:

Apc is chicken extract of left over bones and meat extracts that is 1 – 2% of a standard poultry

mix and is available at 32 Rs/Kg.

Toxin Binder:

Toxin Binder, as the name suggests, is used to reduce the negative impact of feed borne

mycotoxins & aflatoxins. In addition to that, they help in maintaining the broilers immune system.

A good toxin binder will have strong antifungal, ammonia binding and anti-caking properties.

Upon research we found two categories of toxin binders - yeast based and clay based. Upon

talking to various doctors and nutritionist, we discovered that yeast based toxin binder is being

used as part of best practices.

Toxin binders are being imported in Pakistan from different parts of the developed world

including UK, Spain and Holland. Moreover, they are available under different brands. For

example: Ghazi Brothers, is importing this material under the brand Fusion Orego Mix as well as

Fusion MBX.

Price:

Toxin Binder is available locally in Karachi from several vendors for Rs. 600 – 650/Kg in a 25 Kg

bag.

Phytase:

Phytase is an enzyme that has the ability to liberate the phosphate and mineral residues from

phytic acid (phytate), a compound formed during the maturation process of plant seeds and

grains that is commonly found in plant-based foods. Roughly two thirds of the phosphorous

present in plant based foods (cereal, wheat and various grains) is bound in the form of phytic

phosphate.

Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc are frequently bound (chelated) as

positively charged ions in phytate. Phytase cleaves and frees the bound phosphates from the

phytic acid molecule providing essential phosphorus needed for healthy nutrition. In addition,

calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium are liberated making these essential minerals available as

well.

Phytase is one of the many essential enzymes necessary for the digestive process and a key

enzyme for bone health. Commonly found in plant material, phytase is a natural enzyme often

used for breaking down and increasing the nutritional quality of grains, legumes, seeds and corn.

Studies confirm that the use of this enzyme can help reduce the need for calcium phosphate and

increase digestive health.

Price:

This material is priced approx. 1900/Kg, Generally, Phytase is used 1 kg/ton, however this will

essential depend on several factors. It is important to dose as economic optimum taking into

account the cost-benefits in terms of improved FCR and animal production instead of a constant

inclusion rate.

As mentioned earlier, this material is available in the market under different brands. Ghazi

Brother is importing Phytase under the brand: quantumblue and claim to give a higher P

(Phosphorous) release.

Dicalcium Phosphate:

DCP is a source of both the mineral calcium and of phosphate, Dicalcium phosphate shows up in

some foods as a calcium supplement, but isn't typically used in calcium pills. This is because it's

lower in calcium as a percentage of weight than tricalcium phosphate, which has the chemical

formula Ca3(PO4)2. It's also sometimes added as an anti-caking agent, because the dry form of

the dicalcium phosphate salt can complex with water, forming the salt-hydrate. This removes

water from foods that can become stale and helps keep them fresh.

Di-calcium phosphate feed grade that finds extensive application in food processing industry.

Made from dibasic calcium phosphate (CaHPO4), this feed grade is used as a leavening agent,

dough modifier, buffer, nutritional supplement, emulsifier & stabbilizer. DCP is not available in

the form of 1%. Instead it is available in 24% and 18%.

Price: Di-Calcium Phosphate is available for 58 Rs/Kg and, if purchased in bulk, can be negotiated

to Rs. 56/Kg. This information was obtain by Madaan Enterprizes at Jodia bazaar.

Competitive Analysis: Competition will only affect us if we make our feed commercially available. There are about 113

Poultry Feed Mills operating in Karachi. Most of them are operating in North Karachi, FB Area,

Port Qasim, Korangi and Landhi. Not all feed mills enjoy the same reputation. Feed mills are

notorious of adding contaminated materials, spec sheets and certificate of analysis (CoA) is

usually not available. There are, however, feed mills that have a good reputation. They –

particular in Karachi - include Master Feeds, Marjan Poultry Feeds and Sindh Feeds. In upcountry,

we will be in competition with SB and Jadeed. SB is considered to be the giant in the poultry

business.

Feed presentation: Intake is directly linked to the quality of the crumbs, pellets (hardness and durability) or mash

(particle size and uniformity) placed in the chain or pan feeders.

• Provide birds with a uniform quality feed, which is adapted to their ability to eat and

swallow, to reduce feeding time and energy used.

• Broiler growth and FCR will be better if the starter feed is given in sieved crumbles or

minipellets followed by pellets of appropriate size (diameter and length) to processing.

• Poor feed presentation with high level of fines will have a negative impact on broiler

intake. By instinct chicks pick up larger and more palatable particles of feed and because fine

feed contains higher levels of additives, vitamins and trace minerals, it will generate an imbalance

in the bird’s intake.

• The change from crumbs to pellets is often difficult and can causes waste, above all if

pellets are too big for the age of the bird and the size of their beak.

Testing your feed: Feed can be heavier due to moisture. Due to this, the crop may seem heaver on the weighing scale but this

can very deceiving. Therefore, it is important to gauge the correct moisture. For example maize, soybean and

canola have an acceptable moisture of 7 – 8%. Anything beyond that can result in alfatoxins as well as other

forms of fungal infection.

Due to this predicament, farm supervisor should always have a moisture scale so that moisture can be tested

before making the payment. In case the moisture is more than the acceptable level two things can happen: 1)

we need the shipment back 2) we negotiate the shipment at a lesser price.

Similarly, in fishmeal, acceptable moisture is 12%. 13% maybe acceptable, however we can yet again negotiate

the price. We can measure fishmeal on the site using a moisture measuring scale (digital).

Laboratory Testing:

To get a through result, we can send a sample of ingredients to the laboratory. There are two main laboratories;

namely, Paramount Laboratories and Diligent Laboratories.

Laboratories have both normal and urgent testing service. Urgent testing takes 1 working day whereas normal testing takes 3 – 4 working days.

Charges taking fishmeal as an example:

Moisture testing: Rs 300 (Normal)

Silica: Rs: 400 (Normal)

Ash: Rs: 300 (Normal)

Salt: Rs: 300 (Normal)

How do we start?

Unlike orthodox laboratories, we have to open an account with the mentioned laboratories. Account opening

take 10,000 – 15,000 Rs. Whenever a sample is presented for testing the accrued amount is deducted from the

deposit money.

It is advisable to get a laboratory testing report before approving bulk quantities.

Formation of your Broiler Feed:

Upon having discussion with different doctors and nutritionist feeds are essentially either mash or pellets.

According to Dr. Zahid at High-Tech Poultry feeds, if the feed is in a mash form, the chicken can cherry pick

what they find delightful and leave the rest. This may not result in a balanced diet. Therefore, pellets are

common now as they are like small capsules with everything in a pill.

A pre-starter diet will have pellets that are 2mm as the beak size of a day old chick is very small. As the chicken

grows so does the size of the pellet. Pellet size of a finisher feed will be 3mm (approx.).

According to Dr. Muddasir, at Ghazi Brother, as the chicken shifts from 2mm to 3mm, pellets are generally

mixed. So - in the words - we phase out one form of the diet and subsequently phase in to the next feed unit.

Diet Specification – International Best Practices:

Feed Processing:

List of Machinery Required:

Some of the machines mentioned may not be required if we do not wish to palletize the feed.

However, we are working under the hypothesis that we shall eventually produce palletized feed

to many benefits associated and previously explained and reiterated.

Hammer Mill

Hammer Mills are widely used to crush or break score materials into small tiny pieces or to

desired sizes. Hammer mill can also be used to process wet or dry granulations and disperse

powder mixtures. It grinds grains, pulses, soybeans, canola seeds etc. to converting it in feed

mash.

Hammer Mill works through an electric motor which drives the rotor. The rotor in turn makes the

hammer rotate in high speed. The rotating hammer crushes the materials to powder form.

Mixer

Once the key ingredients are grinded, a mixer is subsequently used to mix all the mashed

ingredients resulting in a balanced feed mix. A mixer is mainly applied in grain processing

industries such as feed and flour milling for mixing premixes and ready-made mixes.

Feed mixing may include all possible combinations of solids and liquids. Within each ingredient

are differences in physical properties. For solids there are differences in particle size, shape,

density, electostatic charge, coefficient of friction as represented by the angle of repose, elasticity

or resilience and, of course, colour, odour, and taste. For liquids there are differences in viscosity

and density.

Boiler

A boiler is used in generating steam to condition mash feed before pelleting.

Pellet Machine:

The transformation of a soft, often dusty feed into a hard pellet is accomplished by compression,

extrusion, and bonding. Pelletizing is the process of compressing or molding a material into the

shape of a pellet. This will be our next step. The machine can be adjusted to make 2mm to 10mm

pellets. We would require a pelletizing machine of 5 tons per hour.

Cooling Machine:

The temperature imparted to pellets in the process of their manufacture assists the removal of

moisture by the air-drying process. Generally, within ten minutes after extrusion, hard pellets are

cooled to ambient temperature and brought to a moisture content slightly above that of the

entering soft feed.

Conveyor

Drying and cooling a variety of products including extruded petfood and fish feed, ready-to-eat

cereal, snacks and food ingredients. The multi-pass dryer features conveyor beds positioned one

above the other in order to maximize capacity in the least amount of floor space.

Elevator

The Belt and Bucket elevators LBEA are optimally suited for applications in plants for the

collection and reception of grain and other bulk materials from the food and animal feed industry,

in port facilities as well as processing industries, e.g. malting plants or mills.

Rotary Cutters

Rotary cutters are a type of grinder which reduces dry particle solids mainly by shearing with knife

edges against a striking plate. The mill also includes the processes of attrition and impact,

although these actions are limited if the material is easily reduced by cutting and the screen

limiting discharge has large perforations. The mill consists of a rotating shaft with four attached

parallel knives and a screen occupying one fourth of the 360 degree rotation. The mill is best used

to crack whole grains with a minimum of "fines". It is not used as a final process for reducing the

size of ingredients used in fish feeds.

Packing Hopper:

A hopper can be used as a container, as a crafting ingredient. A hopper has an "output" tube at

the bottom that can face down or sideways and provides visual feedback of which direction the

hopper will output items to if a container is present. In the context of poultry feed an elevator is

taking the material to an elevated level where gravity is being used to feed the hopper. The

output tube will minimize any spillage and the material can be unitized.

Conclusion:

A balanced diet is a combination of proteins, carbohydrates and various additives which include

protein supplements in the form of amino acids, minerals, vitamins, antibiotics and enzymes that

facilitate digestion. Although a fair assessment can be made as to the percentage of ingredient

inclusion rate, it will eventually always be advisable to consult a qualified nutritionist in order to

obtain the perfect recipe. Moreover, in case the right FCR is not being attained, the nutritionist

should be able to make necessary adjustment(s).

In addition, it is important to keep a watch on aflatoxins, mycotoxins and other forms of bacteria.

Furthermore, moisture is vital factor that may be instrumental in misrepresenting weight as well

as the reason behind creation of fungus. All necessary means are to be kept into consideration

to preserve and protect poultry feed.

We begin with the end in mind. A healthy chicken will produce the finest quality meat at an

optimum time. We are what we eat and this applies to every living thing. Chickens are no

exception!