November 18, 2024

 

Indonesia explores alternative feed ingredients amid rising costs

 

As the poultry industry in Indonesia grapples with soaring feed costs and sustainability challenges, researchers and farmers are increasingly turning to alternative feed ingredients.

 

Those innovations not only promise to reduce expenses but can also enhance the nutritional value of poultry diets.

 

With feed costs accounting for up to 70% of poultry production expenses, the search for viable substitutes has become critical. The industry has been significantly impacted by rising prices of conventional feed ingredients, such as corn and soybean meal.

 

Local solutions

 

Nahrowi Ramli, IPB University's Professor of Feed Technology, emphasised the importance of exploring locally available ingredients to improve poultry nutrition. One promising alternative is palm kernel cake (PKC), a byproduct of palm oil processing. Ramli has developed Palmofeed, a patented product derived from PKC that serves as a functional feed ingredient rich in energy and protein for livestock. The development of Palmofeed started six years earlier.

 

Indonesia produces more than six million tons of PKC annually, making it one of the largest producers globally. However, most of Indonesia's PKC is exported overseas as animal feed. This has led to Indonesia suffering from animal feed shortages.

 

"The issue of PKC being underutilised as feed in Indonesia is related to its quality. Therefore, this animal feed product still needs improvement," Ramli explained. "PKC has high potential to be used as animal feed due to its abundant availability."

 

Ramli has been developing the roadmap for developing livestock feed from PKC for 10 years.

  

Exploring cassava pulp and BSF

 

Another potential feed alternative is cassava pulp. Research from the Faculty of Animal Science at IPB University shows that diets containing cassava pulp did not significantly alter broiler feed consumption. It also did not markedly affect broiler growth and internal organ functionality.

 

Many tapioca flour factories in Indonesia produce waste as a viable feed ingredient for broilers. For every tonne of cassava processed, approximately 250 kilogrammes of tapioca and 114 kilogrammes of cassava pulp are produced.

 

The Directorate General of Food Crops at the Agriculture Ministry reported that Indonesia's cassava production was 16.35 million tonnes in 2022. There is potential to generate approximately 1.8 million tonnes of cassava pulp annually.

 

Given its availability and potential, cassava pulp can be a good raw material alternative in broilers and can replace corn.

 

Furthermore, the black soldier fly (BSF) has emerged as a viable protein source. Studies show that BSF larvae contain 40-50% crude protein, making them a strong candidate to replace traditional protein sources in poultry feed. This not only helps in reducing organic waste but also poses no competition with human food resources.

  

Challenges in alternative feed adoption

 

Despite these promising alternatives, challenges remain.

 

Desianto Budi Utomo, chairman of the Indonesian Feed Millers Association (GPMT), pointed to the importance of quality and competitive pricing which can facilitate the adoption of local feed ingredients.

 

For instance, the cost of BSF meal is around US$2.44 per kilogramme, which can make it economically unfeasible when compared to conventional feed.

 

Utomo also noted that negative effects should be considered before using local feed ingredients, such as cassava and palm kernel meal, due to anti-nutritional factors and the need for additional processing.

 

Future trends

 

As Indonesia's poultry industry continues to evolve, the exploration of alternative feed ingredients offers a path toward greater sustainability and cost-efficiency.

 

With ongoing research and development, there is hope that local resources will help stabilise feed costs and improve the overall health of poultry in the country.

 

Farmers, researchers, and industry leaders are also encouraged to collaborate and innovate, ensuring that Indonesia can meet its food security goals while navigating the challenges posed by fluctuating feed prices and supply chains.

- Meliyana, EFL AG-DATA