How to Make Broiler Starter and Finisher Feed

Broiler chickens are reared for meat consumption, and they consume a lot of feed.

Feeding is the most important factor in the management of broiler chickens.

Both broiler starter and finisher feed formulations must be rich in quality ingredients as it affects their weight and meat quality.

In fact, the largest proportion of the money spent on raising broilers is due to feed costs.

 

Broiler Feeding Regimen

The following feeding regimen is recommended when raising broilers.

• Broiler chicks (0 -5 weeks) = Broiler starter feed should be offered
• Broiler chickens (6-9 weeks) = Broiler finisher feeds
• Broiler chickens (10 weeks onwards) = Broiler finisher feed
• Pullets (6 -20 weeks) = Growers mash
• Pullets (up to 5% egg production) = Growers mash
• Pullets  = Layers mash

 

This is just a guideline on what to feed broiler chickens from a day old to maturity.

Now to broiler feed formulation, let’s assume you want to raise 100 broiler chickens for five months.

 

Analysis of the Above Table

The figure in the table above will be used to determine how much feed will be required by a certain number of birds for a period.

A. 100 broiler chicks up to 4 weeks

Feed consumed (110+245+365+495)*100=121500g = 121.5kg bags of feeds

= 121.5/25=4.86 bags

B. 100 pullets´ chickens up to 4 weeks

Feed consumed = 50+70+120+135*100=37500g=37.5g of feed consumed

A bag of feed measures 25 kg.

Therefore, to know the numbers of bags that will be needed to feed the chicks = 37.5/25 = 1.5bags

Note: Feed is always sold in 25kg bags.

 

How to make Broiler Feed

There are different formulas that can be used to formulate feeds for broilers.

The most popular ration formulas are below

1. Pearson’s square method,
2. Algebraic method,
3. Trial and errors method

Example of Pearson’s square method

To make the 27 percent crude protein catfish food, we mix 17/35.8 of rice bran with 18.8/35.8 soybean meal.

• Rice bran 17/35.8 = 47.5%
• Soybean meal 18.8/35.8 = 52.5%

So to make 100kg of this broiler feed, we must mix 47.5kg of rice bran with 52.5kg of soybean meal.

 

Example 1.

Broiler formulated starter feed for one tonne.

The broiler starter feed ingredients are carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins as listed under the Item column.

Broilers starter (Hybrid)

S/N	ITEMS	QTY (Kg)
1	Maize	400.00
2	Maize Offal	130.00
3	GNC	200.00
4	Soya beans	60.00
5	L/S	90.00
6	Bone Meal	30.00
7	Star Premix	1.25
8	Salt	3.00
9	Lysine	1.50
10	Meth	1.00
11	W/O	100.00
12	PKC	90.00
13	Chlorine	1.0
14	TOTAL

 

Broiler Starter Feed formulation formula

Now that you know the formula for making broiler feed, let’s discuss the broiler starter feed preparation.

Formulas for broiler starter from 0 to 6 weeks 1000kg= 1 tonne

MATERIALS	KG
Maize	440
GNC	273
Soya beans	230
Limestone	30
Bone Meal	22
Premix	2.5
Salt	3
Lysine	2
Meth

The above broiler starter feed formulation formula is helpful only if you want to make 40 bags of feed, which is one tonne of feed.

 

Broiler Finisher Feed formulation

Formulas for broiler finisher from 0 to 6 weeks, 1000kg – one tonne

MATERIALS	KG
Maize	570
GNC	180
Soya beans	190
Limestone	20
Bone Meal	30
Premix	2.5
Salt	4
Lysine	1.5
Meth	1.5

The above formula is for 40 bags of feeds, that is, one tonne of feed