Poultry feed availability and nutrition in developing countries

Worldwide, production of poultry meat and eggs has increased consistently over the years, and this trend is expected to continue. it is predicted that most increases in poultry production during the next two decades will occur in developing countries, where rapid economic growth, urbanization and higher household incomes will increase the demand for animal proteins. several factors have contributed to the consistent growth in world poultry production, including: i) genetic progress in poultry strains for meat and egg production; ii) better understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition; and iii) disease control. For example, the age for a meat chicken to reach the market weight of 2 kg has steadily decreased from 63 days in 1976 to 35 days in 2009, and the efficiency of converting feed into poultry products also continues to improve. this growth in poultry production is having a profound effect on the demand for feed and raw materials. Feed is the most important input for poultry production in terms of cost, and the availability of low-priced, high-quality feeds is critical if poultry production is to remain competitive and continue to grow to meet the demand for animal protein.