The composition of animal feeds

Abstract This paper postulates that, as the competition between animal and human feed is now a cause for socio‐political concern, it is likely that there will be a return to the situation in which the animal feed industry utilises raw materials surplus to, or non‐competitive with, human food. A brief discussion on each of the most important nutrients follows, outlining their importance in animal feeds before explaining the role of “fillers” in animal feeds. Least cost formulation is then explained, before an attempt is made at a raw material classification where the point is made that a dietary formulation depends more upon the specification of the required nutrients than it does on identifying individually selected raw materials. However, materials will be accepted or rejected according to their “economic value”.