Pellet quality is essential to broiler feed efficiency as it directly impacts feed intake. Pellets that are too soft crumble, those too hard are brittle and break. Pellet disintegration leads to unconsumed fines and impacts broiler productivity and feed conversion.
Broilers are naturally going to select coarser feed particles, the size of which is largely driven by age. Ensuring broiler diets have high quality feed form means that flocks receive nutrients more uniformly, spend less time searching and selecting feed particles and generally exhibit improved feed intake and efficiency.
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Inadequate pellet quality leads to increased fines production, which results in an unequal allocation of crucial nutrients in the formula. This, in addition to low-quality feed, failure to meet demand, and excessive formulation of diets, can be a financial burden on broiler producers due to decreased broiler performance, a reduction in feed quality and increased feed expenses.
Broiler diets containing a high percentage of feed fines reduces broiler feed efficiency. An impact which has been confirmed via an extensive body of literature. Evidence shows that improved pellet quality maximizes FCR, increases broiler yields, reduces broiler mortality and mitigates excess feed costs.
For example, when a broiler diet consists of more than 40% fines, broiler producers typically lose 3-6 points of FCR, requiring more feed to achieve target weights and reducing broiler feed efficiency.
Inadequate management of feed moisture and form can result in mold growth in both raw materials and finished feed, lower feed efficiency in animals, and increased waste during the feed production process. To increase efficiency in feed milling, it is important to enhance production processes, optimize resources, and reduce process loss. Achieving a balance between milling efficiency and nutritional value requires better meal conditioning and moisture management. By improving moisture retention and penetration, feed ingredients undergo better gelatinization, which enhances nutritional value and pellet quality.
Improved broiler feed efficiency can be achieved by adopting strategies to optimize feed moisture, minimizing feed waste and maximizing the output from expensive raw materials.
Pellet quality is crucial to broiler feed efficiency. Broiler diets exhibiting good pellet quality ensures equitable nutrient distribution, improves flock uniformity and FCR and positively impacts broiler productivity. Improved pellet quality has been shown to maximize feed conversion ratio, increase broiler yields, reduce broiler mortality, and mitigate excess feed costs. Implementing effective strategies to optimize feed moisture can enhance nutritional value and pellet quality, leading to increased efficiency in feed milling and more productive and sustainable broiler production.
Producers ready to take control of feed mill efficiency and produce more, higher quality feed should access our guide to pellet quality.
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