animal protein chicken feed

[aart]

If spoilage is an issue, why wasn't it 15-30 years ago?

Was just a thought.
Agrees that pricing and the whole 'veg' thing killed it.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I've given up on finding any quality poultry feed with animal protein. Its an issue for me during the winter months. My chickens free range. I was pleased to see Purina is producing a feed with black soldier fly larva (as another poster mentioned in this thread) but when I contacted them about how much was in the feed I got a disappointing answer. After reading the label it turns out there is more calcium than BSFL and they wont disclose how much is in the feed. So its probably very little. Chickens didn't find it very palatable so I suspect it doesn't reduce cravings for animal protein and is mostly soy based.

The irony of it is three years ago Purina decided to make a feed for honey bees with an animal based protein using chicken blood of all things. Honey bees don't EVER require animal proteins and the beekeeping community did not receive it well at all.

I would gladly pay extra for a quality feed just like others are willing to pay more for organic.

 

[Folly's place]

The other problem that changed animal ingredients in feeds is BSE, first seen in England (and it was awful!) and then appeared in Canada and here, in a couple of isolated incidents. Nobody wants a repeat of that disaster!
Properly supplemented, and they are, the poultry feeds are fine. I prefer the 18% to 20% protein feeds, with better fat % too, rather than the least expensive stuff.
The 'veggie craze' is part of the picture too, and the cost of fish meal (sustainable?).
How are commercial amounts of fly larva raised? On what? Is this a 'feel good' item, or actually something good?
Mary

 

[aart]

So its probably very little.

Just enough to put it on the label.....hates marketing BS.

 

[Cindy in PA]

The other problem that changed animal ingredients in feeds is BSE, first seen in England (and it was awful!) and the appeared in Canada and here, in a couple of isolated incidents. Nobody wants a repeat of that disaster!
Properly supplemented, and they are, the poultry feeds are fine. I prefer the 18% to 20% protein feeds, with better fat % too, rather than the least expensive stuff.
The 'veggie craze' is part of the picture too, and the cost of fish meal (sustainable?).
How are commercial amounts of fly larva raised? On what? Is this a 'feel good' item, or actually something good?
Mary

Fly larvae growing became big in Europe first I believe & was being done in Africa, as they seem to not have access to a lot of feeds we do here (Africa). There are many studies online going back maybe 3-5 years. You can also google facilities in the US that are growing them. This has been gearing up for awhile & is supposedly more sustainable than soy or fishmeal. Again, I give Purina kudos for being the first commercial feed company to come out with it. I see Grubbly has a feed with it also, but it super expensive & has pellets added to a whole grain feed like Scratch & Peck. If we keep asking for this stuff, maybe someday we will see the perfect feed. LOL.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Fly larvae growing became big in Europe first I believe & was being done in Africa, as they seem to not have access to a lot of feeds we do here (Africa). There are many studies online going back maybe 3-5 years. You can also google facilities in the US that are growing them. This has been gearing up for awhile & is supposedly more sustainable than soy or fishmeal. Again, I give Purina kudos for being the first commercial feed company to come out with it. I see Grubbly has a feed with it also, but it super expensive & has pellets added to a whole grain feed like Scratch & Peck. If we keep asking for this stuff, maybe someday we will see the perfect feed. LOL.

I have to respectfully disagree, I cant give kudos to a company that is deceitful.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have to respectfully disagree, I cant give kudos to a company that is deceitful.

You got next to no info, which unfortunately is how most companies operate, so now you are convinced that they are deceitful? I take it you do not use Purina feed. I still want more info before I judge.

 

[aart]

I still want more info before I judge.

But you gave them Kudos...and you've been in this game long enough to know how the big print on the bags is very often misleading in order to sell more product.

 

[Apis mellifera]

You got next to no info, which unfortunately is how most companies operate, so now you are convinced that they are deceitful? I take it you do not use Purina feed. I still want more info before I judge.

That's the problem, I got next to info from them. That's not how most companies operate, at least not the ones I deal with. Yes, I'm convinced they're deceitful. I wont be sending them a participation trophy for trying to add animal protein to a feed and selling it as a quality product.

 

[centrarchid]

Why not contact the Purina representative that participates in the feeds and feeding subforum to get information currently in contention?