Experts advocate switch to pellet feed
The USAID West Africa Trade and Investment Hub, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, have urged the Nigerian agribusiness operators to move from the commonly produced mash to pellet type of feed because of its rich nutritional value.
The organisations made the call at a workshop held recently in Lagos on the theme: ‘From mash to pellet; adding value in the animal feed sector’.
With the workshop they hope to galvanize firms and financial advisers to interface with animal feed companies for partnership in agricultural innovations, business development and funding.
By this, feed millers are expected to sign contract with the business, the development experts and financial institutions to enable agribusiness boost their agricultural capacity and optimal performance to ensure food security in poultry farming.
“We want to assist the animal feed industry in Nigeria to move to the next level of innovation, get better technology, improve the quality of animal feeds which will produce better poultry and livestock’s that customers are looking for,” Jafas Wade, USAID/West Africa Trade Hub.
The reason for pellet is informed by the fact that it has greater economic benefits because it makes the animal feed more and drink more water than animals that feed on mash. Mash fills the gut, but pellet supplies greater nutrients to the animals.
Farmers can earn more profit by five percent when using crumbs or pellet because the ingredients are more delivered to the animals, while millers’ production increases. Beside, the animal has the capacity digest food made of pellet as it grows and get fattened.
“This particular workshop will facilitate access to finance for the operator because West Africa Trade Hub in partnership with NIAS has brought together, investors and finance experts during the business to business session to give people access to finance, better quality financing and upgrade their equipment, because Nigeria recently produce 51 metric tones of animal feed as at 2015,” Gabriel .O. Oyediyi, chief executive officer, NIAS.