March 8, 2007

Low performance of feed mills in Nigeria
 

Nigeria's animal feed sector, particularly for poultry and aquaculture, do not live up to international standards and quality.

This was the view of Mope Omotosho, an animal nutritionist from the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PANOG).

Omotoso, who raised some issues on the shortcomings of feed milling operators, observed that "there is no standard in feed milling industry now because we are not ready." According to her, "if we are, operators will adjust."

Explaining the options available to feed millers in terms of raw materials, the seasoned nutritionist taught the farmers about benefits of adopting specific options. She disclosed that, in choosing groundnut cake, for example, the wide range of protein content should be primarily considered.

In her observation, variation could be due to a number of factors, such as soil at the farm source, adulteration with fibres, or actual use of fibres, to expel the groundnut cake from mill. She explained that adulteration of such ingredient is often done deliberately. Cotton seed cake, she added, can be used as binders for gossypol, an antinutritional factor.

Producing fish meal should also adhere to the standards where she noted some feed millers use spoilt fish while other manufacturers adulterate essential vitamins which she considers "criminal".

Omotoso advised the farmers to keep records and need to tag and label their materials to help identify the dates of purchase and utilisation.