Significance of laboratory analysis of poultry feed

Qualitative analysis of poultry feed:- Nowadays due to heavy usage of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, the load of pesticide residues is increasing in feed ingredients. The trends for adulteration of feed and feed ingredients is also rising e.g. salt is commonly found in fish meal these days. In tropical climate of our country the problems of fungus growth and mycotoxins is very common. Antibiotic residues are also very commonly found in bodies of all living beings. All these cause serious health hazards to animals as well as humans and also generate great economic losses. The residues of pesticides and drugs cause many diseases in living beings as they go inside body, reach to liver after absorption and cause liver insufficiency and cancers. Liver health is very much important for growth and production in birds. They also cause skin diseases and lower down the immunity. Hence qualitative analysis of feed is very much important from public health point of view and for economic aspects also. The various qualitative tests that can be performed for feed are mycotoxin levels especially aflatoxin B1, pesticide residues levels, salt and urea adulteration tests, levels of tannins in the feed. Tannins and salt are toxic to poultry birds in very low amounts also.

Quantitative analysis of feed:- quantitative analysis of feed ingredients involves estimation of protein, fibre, carbohydrates, moisture and mineral contents of feed ingredients and complete feed. The least cost ration formulation is popular these days and for this it is important to incorporate cheap ingredients with good nutritive value. Standard values of composition of feed ingredients given in textbooks and other sources do not apply to all the feed ingredients of different qualities. Hence, to make a good formulation it is very important to analyse feed ingredients first and on the basis of that data the formulations should be made for meeting requirements of the birds. This way feed can be made more economical and balanced.

Dr. Gunjan

Department of Animal Nutrition, LUVAS, Hisar