SS2 First Term Animal Husbandry Lesson Note – Formulation of Livestock Rations

The content is just an excerpt from the complete note for SS2 First Term Animal Husbandry Lesson Note – Formulation of Livestock Rations. Check below to download the complete PDF

WEEK FIVE: FORMULATION OF LIVESTOCK RATIONS.

Sub topic 1

Ration formulation

Ration formulation is the art and science of developing diets that are most economical by taking advantage of various feed ingredients available at cheap prices.

Rules in ration formulation.

1. The total percentage of a formulated feed should be 100%.
2. Ration formulation manual is prepared in percentages.
3. There are two types of ingredients in a ration:
4. Fixed ingredients: these are the micro-ingredients i.e. their percentages are very small in ration i.e. fish meal, bone meal, oyster shell etc.
5. Variable ingredients: these are macro-ingredients i.e. their percentages are high in ration e.g. maize, soya beans etc.
6. List the nutrient requirement of the age and type of animal to be fed by consulting a standard table.
7. Consult the table of feedstuff analysis and select feedstuff desired and available.
8. A formulated feed must have energy source, fibre source, animal protein source, plant protein source, vitamin source, and feed additive (especially for poultry and pigs).
9. In most cases, the metabolizable energy (ME, kcal) and crude protein (CP, %) are used as reference point. Once the right ME and CP is obtained, it is assumed that all other nutrients will fall in line.
10. Use any of the methods below to formulate the ration.

Methods/techniques of formulation of ration

There are different methods or techniques of formulating rations which include the following

1. Simultaneous method
2. Trial and error method
3. Linear programming
4. Computer method
5. Pearson square method

Simultaneous method

This is an alternative method for the Pearson square method using a simple algebraic equation. Here, a particular nutrient requirement is formulated by using two feed ingredients.

If maize is represented by X while groundnut cake is represented by Y

Then X + Y                  = 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Equation I

To gain full access to the note: DOWNLOAD FILE