April 1, 2009

The feed troughs of egg flocks are set for a year of change as nutritionists seek new ways to obtain rations to meet the challenges of price volatility, colony cages and other demands imposed by legislation, according to an industry player.

Feed costs would remain high, but chickens and eggs will still be great value, said Richard Scragg, group chairman of nutrition product manufacturer Optivite, at a recent meeting of the East Midlands Poultry Discussion Group.

Scragg predicted an increase in the use of enzymes and feed treatments to get full value from raw materials. The use of enzymes would increase to improve digestibility and a series of unfamiliar names on the ingredients list would boost the digestion of carbohydrates, phosphorus and protein.

The prices of micro ingredients, zinc oxide, copper sulphate and vitamin A, had more doubled since 2005 while vitamin E price was up 500 percent, Scragg said.

The EU programme for layers came in at the start of the year and will include broilers in 2010.

The rations for egg flocks colony eggs need to be adjusted to cater to different temperature levels, different feather cover and increased activity level, he said.

Control in the environmental legislation will ease the impact of nitrogen, phosphorus and trace minerals from livestock manure. Scragg suggested that the nutritional response would be lower levels of protein, balanced digestible amino acids, copper and phosphorus to minimise the impact of manure.