FORMULATING POULTRY FEEDS FROM FOOD PROCESSING BY-PRODUCTS

Abstract

This study was undertaken to formulate poultry feeds (chick mash, growers mash and layers mash) from food processing by-products using mixture design experimental methodology. The proximate composition of the formulated feeds were also determined and compared with the recommended nutrient level of layers feed. Models for the proximate composition of the formulated feeds were also developed. The results of analyses for the formulated samples of chicks, growers and layers mashes showed that the crude protein, the crude fibre, the moisture, the fat, the ash, and the carbohydrate contents, ranged respectively from 16.1% to 17.89%, 4% to 6.25%, 9.34% to 11.9%, 2.9% to 6.1%, 3.54% to 6.23%, and 55.3% to 60.98%. The respectively recommended values for chick mash, growers mash and layers mash are: 18%, 16%, 15% (crude protein); 6.25%, 4.56%, 5.94% (crude fibre); 9.45%, 9.65%, 7.98% (moisture content); 3.25%, 3.84%, 4.1% (fat); 4.29%, 6.02%, 5.39% (ash); and 57.98%, 59.48%, 61.28% (carbohydrate). The study showed that the proximate compositions of the formulated feeds are in close agreement with recommendations on nutrient levels for poultry feeds.