As ingredient prices soar, What solutions can poultry nutritionists offer?

Nutritionists should first develop confidence in the quality of the alternative ingredients and reduce the risk by formulating low inclusion levels.

The poultry industry continues to face many challenges to obtain maximum profits. It’s an industry that relies on maximum efficiency and small margins. Feed accounts to nearly 70% of the total production cost (Photo 1). 

Photo 1. Feed represents about 70 % of the total cost of producing poultry. Source: Cobb-Vantress LLC

Therefore, the impact that feed cost has on input costs and profitability is constantly being scrutinized and considered by many as a “pressure point” in decision making. 

It is the responsibility of the nutritionist to constantly evaluate alternatives that may reduce feed costs without affecting maximum profitability. 

From a nutritional standpoint: 

• Protein and energy represent the majority of the cost in a poultry diet. These nutrients represent a major opportunity for nutritionists to impact overall feed cost. 
• Improving feed utilization should always be considered a priority. 
• The use of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, enzyme supplementation and the inclusion of alternative feed ingredients are some alternatives that will be discussed in this article. 

Feed enzymes largely focus on improved feed cost-savings (through improved feed utilization), rather than increases in live performance. They represent one of the greatest tools available to nutritionists to improve feed utilization. 

Moreover, enzymes reduce the environmental impact of animal production and have the potential to improve gut health and animal welfare. 

Phytases, carbohydrases and proteases are used for: 

Improving nutrient digestibility of phytate bound phosphorus

Removal of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) that interfere with energy utilization and protein digestion, respectively

Today, phytases are commonly used in the industry and recently, carbohydrases and proteases have become very attractive to nutritionists. Current increases in corn and soybean meal costs have presented an opportunity for nutritionist to use carbohydrases and proteases. 

Cereals, such as corn and wheat, contain a high amount of arabinoxylans, with wheat arabinoxylans almost doubling the amount of