by Given Hamanungu, Livestock Technical Advisor

Tiger Feeds has been operating in Zambia since 1996, providing livestock feed products, dog food and livestock technical services to the country for more than twenty years. They also supply a full range of technical services to their customers, including advice on nutrition, feeding programmes, husbandry, and production techniques.

Tiger Animal Feeds’ historical and continued success is driven by ensuring nutritional supremacy and the consistency of supplying quality animal feed and nutritional solutions to their customers for better business results.

Broiler feed range

Feeds available:

• Two ranges are available, namely Supreme and Classic
• Both ranges consist of a Starter, Grower and Finisher feed
• All feeds are available in pellets, while starter is also available in crumbs.
• Both ranges are available in 25 and 50 kg bags, and bulk (minimum 20 tonnes)

Feeding recommendations:

• Supreme Starter – 600 grams (0 – 14 days)
• Supreme Grower – 1 200 grams (15 – 27 days)
• Supreme Finisher – 1 300 grams (28 – 37 days)

Medication / Special additives:

• All broiler feeds contain a coccidiostat, which is changed every three to four months in order the prevent a build-up of resistance.
• All broiler feeds contain a growth promoter to help maximize performance.

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General comments:

• The difference between the Classic and Supreme ranges lies in the nutrient density of the rations.
• Supreme contains more nutrients per kilogram than the Classic feed, and can thus induce optimal performance.

Economic considerations / profitability:

• Broiler feed is only expensive if your birds do not grow.
• Measuring performance is therefore paramount when considering how much your feed is really costing you.
• Record-keeping is the key to determine performance.

Production efficiency factor – Determined through accurate record-keeping:

• Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
• PEF
• Margin Over Feed Cost (MOFC)

Layers feed range

• For the rearing of pullets, the following feeds are available: Pullet Starter, Pullet Grower, Pullet Developer
• All are available in 25 and 50 kg bags, as well as bulk
• Pullet Starter is available in crumbs and mash, Grower in mash and pellets, and Developer in mash only.

Feeding recommendations:

• Starter fed from 1 to 42 days (Target bird weight ±460 g @ 6 weeks)
• Grower fed from 42 to 105 days (Target bird weight ±1 180g @ 15 weeks)
• Developer fed from 16 weeks to POL (Target bird weight 1 500 to1 650g @ POL)

General comments:

• The most critical factors in rearing good quality pullets are the following:

– Target weights must be achieved (not too much heavier, not too much lighter)

– Uniformity of the flock (80% of the birds must be within 10% of the average)

• Look after the birds in the early stages when they are more susceptible to cold and other environmental factors.

Economic considerations / profitability:

• Birds that are either too light or too heavy are inhibited and do not produce as they should.
• An non-uniform flock does not reach as high a peak as a uniform one, and the persistency of production is not maintained very well in the former.
• The following parameters should be measured in order to evaluate efficiency of production:
  • Uniformity and bird weight
  • Total feed intake

Tiger Animal Feeds are located in Lusaka, but distribute their products and services to various areas across the country. For more information, contact them on +260-975-403834/+260-967-933658 or send an e-mail to givenhams@gmail.com or enquire their nutrition helpline at +260-977-771-250.