Poultry experts have identified locally available alternative feed ingredients that farmers can adopt to reduce production costs and improve sustainability in the sector.
The experts made the recommendations in separate interviews with journalists on Friday in Lagos while reacting to reports on the use of coconut waste as poultry feed.
A veterinarian and poultry expert, Dr James Wageti, said although the use of coconut waste in poultry feed was yet to gain prominence in Nigeria, it remained a possibility that deserved further research.
“Science is dynamic and there is nothing to suggest that coconut waste cannot be processed into poultry feed if properly researched. Coconut is nutritious for humans and could also have nutritional value for birds, but more scientific studies are needed,” he said.
Wageti said Nigerian poultry farmers had access to numerous local feed resources that remained underutilised.
According to him, some farmers already produce maggots from processed poultry litter as a protein source to partly replace soybean meal in poultry feed.
He said maggot meal contained high-quality protein and amino acids and also possessed antibacterial properties that could improve birds’ gut health.
He, however, noted that maggot meal should only constitute about 10 to 15 per cent of feed formulation because birds cannot digest excessive animal protein.
The expert also listed moringa leaves, ginger and garlic as useful feed additives, while cassava meal could serve as an alternative energy source to maize.
He added that properly processed feather meal was another viable protein source already being used in developed countries.
“There are many raw materials that can be used in poultry feed formulation. What is needed is more research and training to enable farmers maximise these opportunities,” he said.
Also speaking, a poultry farmer, Mr Emmanuel Iregbeyen, called for increased investment in research to develop more affordable feed alternatives for the industry.
Iregbeyen said reports of using coconut waste as poultry feed in Indonesia were new to many Nigerian poultry farmers.
He identified “douza”, a by-product from pap production, and cassava flour as some of the alternative feed ingredients currently being explored by local farmers.
According to him, although the prices of some feed ingredients have moderated recently, researchers should intensify efforts to develop innovative feed options that would reduce dependence on conventional ingredients such as maize.
He said greater research efforts would help improve productivity and lower production costs in the poultry sector.
