The inefficient mixing of feed ingredients by poultry farmers, coupled with high feed costs, is plaguing the poultry industry as farmers are unable to achieve optimal returns in the production of meat and eggs.

Farmers have been urged to prioritise measured feed concentration to reduce waste and increase production to safeguard their investments.

Experts are recommending cost-effective, locally sourced, ready-to-use feed solutions to boost profitability and efficiency.

Due to the lack of processing plants in Ghana, most poultry farmers are fixated on layers, with the other few going into broilers for the existing processing firms.

According to 2022 data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ghana consumes about 460,000 metric tonnes of poultry meat yearly.

Average industry egg production is also 230 to 250 eggs per layer per year.

However, production and quality levels of chicken and eggs are impeded by inadequate measures of the necessary ingredients in feeds for poultry.

Area Sales Manager of Intraco Limited, Steven Van Caekenberghe, is urging farmers to use premixed commercial feeds, analysing weather patterns and use strategies like toxin binders to enhance egg quality and laying performance.

“There is population growth, and demand for protein is also very high. And the future lies with these farmers and their production. Study weather patterns affecting feed production, and I will advise the effective use of toxic binder.

“Food and resources are going to waste. With adequate measurement, we can tackle it and improve eggshell thickness, achieve homogeneity in feed and boost laying performance. Farmers don't have a mixing facility for mixing feed and ingredients and they lose out on performance. It’s easier to have an almost ready package from local ingredients for poultry,” he said.

The discussion of proper feeds for poultry was the focus of a seminar in Kumasi for poultry farmers and dealers on the proper use of farm feeds, including layer concentrates, to improve and increase laying performance.

Lecturer at the Department of Animal Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Goodman Sarfo Kantanka, is admonishing farmers to consult nutritionists regularly and observe bio-security practices on their farms to protect returns and consumers.

“Farmers don't see the need for biosecurity and how it is cost-effective to maintain biosecurity rather than jeopardise it. They wait to jeopardise the health of birds before seeking treatments with antibiotics. This also affects consumers as they constantly feed on the meat, and they become resistant to the antibiotic.

"It makes it wholesome for consumption. Observing biosecurity practices will reduce the rate of disease infection and spread. Let’s hire the technical men when the need arises and consult experts to get the best of our investment,” he said.

The seminar, organised by Sky Agro and Aquaculture Solutions Limited and Intraco Limited, aims to educate and engage farmers on the proper application of feed products to improve eggshell quality and homogeneity in feed.

The training was under the theme: “Eggshell quality, homogeneity in feed and how to boost laying performance with intraco 5% layer concentrates”.

Founder and Chief Executive of Sky Agro and Aquaculture Solutions Limited, Alfred Kwame Agbestiste, is convinced the training will improve farmers’ farm performances.

“The feedback we get from farmers is that they are not getting results from constantly doing the same thing. And we noticed that the wrong application of our products and feeds and concentrates, along with poor farm practices like disregard for biosecurity and protocols, are some causes of the setback.

"After this engagement, we believe they will be able to apply our products correctly and other farm feeds to improve their farm performance,” he said.