Poultry feed is food for farm poultry, including chickens, ducks, geese and other domestic birds. Healthy poultry require a sufficient amount of protein and carbohydrates, along with the necessary vitamins, dietary minerals, and an adequate supply of water. Lactose-fermentation of feed can aid in supplying vitamins and minerals to poultry. Egg laying hens require 4 grams per day of calcium of which 2 grams are used in the egg. Oyster shells are often used as a source of dietary calcium. Certain diets also require the use of grit, tiny rocks such as pieces of granite, in the feed. The feed must remain clean and dry; contaminated feed can infect poultry.
India's demand for compound feed is expected to rise 28 million tonnes by 2017-18. The market is expected to grow from USD XX billion in 2016, to USD XXX Billion market by 2022, growing at a CAGR of over 2.7% during the forecast period.
The globally poultry feed market is projected to generate revenues worth $252,036.2 million and poultry feed additives is projected to generate $7,829.8 million by 2018 growing at a CAGR of 6.1% and 6.0 % respectively by 2018. . Which facilitates the development of new technologies and ensure a high quality product.
Few Indian major players are as under
· Amalgam Nutrients & Feeds Ltd.
· Amrit Feeds Ltd.
· Anmol Feeds Pvt. Ltd.
· Annam Feeds Ltd.
· Balaji Agro Inds. Ltd.
· Jhunjhunwala Oil Mills Ltd.
· Kapila Feeds Pvt. Ltd.