Quality assessment of some commercially produced animal feeds and two native forages in southern Nigeria

Samples of broiler starter feed, grower mash, broiler finisher feed and layers mash were collected from three commercial feed manufacturers and were coded commercial feed A (CFA), commercial feed B (CFB) and commercial feed C (CFC). The proximate compositions of the feed samples were determined using the methods of the Association of the Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Forage samples of Andropogon gayanus and Panicum maximum at young growth stage were also collected from two locations, Ado-Ekiti and Port Harcourt (PH). The proximate composition for broiler starter feed was 8.2% DM, 19.9%CP, 3.2% crude fat, 4.2% crude fibre, 10.3% ash, and 2893.8kcal/kg ME. Growers mash had 8.2% DM, 15.1% CP, 2.0 % crude fat, 5.3% crude fibre, 14.0% ash and 2663.3kcal/kg energy. The results of A. gayanus from Ado-Ekiti was 11.46% DM, 9.16% CP, 0.89 fat, 32.18% crude fibre, 8.07% ash, and 1103.6kcal/kg energy, while P. maximum had 16.37% DM, 11.50%CP, 1.21% crude fat, 32.65% crude fibre 8.78% ash and 1215.4kcal/kg energy. Proximate composition of A. gayanus from PH was 10.38% DM, 10.823% CP, 0.883% crude fat, 30.803% crude fibre, 8.807% ash, and 1176.382kcal/kg energy. The results of the poultry feeds revealed little variation from what the labels state. Panicum maximum showed more promise than A. gayanus. Results of the proximate analysis of the poultry feed and forages examined in this study suggest that the commercial feed producers largely maintain the required nutritive contents of the feed types they produce, and the forages hold quality promise as feed resource for ruminants and forage reserve consideration. It is therefore, recommended that regular monitoring and screening of feed and feed resources should be done and sustained to ensure the safety and quality of animal feed.