Starter --
A balanced feed meant as the sole ration for chicks from hatching to twelve weeks of age.
At 12 weeks of age the birds can be changed to Grower or Developer. Starter can be Medicated or Non-Medicated when Medicated it is with either *Amprolium or Lasalocid.
Starter is available in Mash, Crumble or Pellet form
Stater/ Grower --
A balanced feed meant as the sole ration for chicks from hatching to chickens begin to lay, this feed can be Medicated or Non-Medicated. If medicated it will be with either Amprolium or Lasalocid. Starter/ Grower is available mostly in Crumble or Pellet form.
Grower --
Feed as the sole ration to chicks 12 weeks of age as a finisher. Grower feed is meant to feed until the chickens begin to lay, then bird can be switched to a complete Laying. Most Grower feed is Non-Medicated but some are Medicated with Bacitracin. Grower is mostly available in available in Crumble or Pellet form.
Finisher --
See above for Grower
Layer --
Feed as the sole diet to laying hens maximum production of eggs. Do not feed Layer feed to poultry, which are not in production because of the high calcium levels in the diet. This is particularly true of young growing birds. Layer is available in Mash, Crumble or Pellet form.
Layer/ Breeder --
Feed as the sole diet to laying hens and breeders for maximum production and for improved hatchability. Do not feed Layer feed to poultry, which are not in production because of the high calcium levels in the diet. This is particularly true of young growing birds. Layer/ Breeder is available in Pellet form.
Scratch Grain/ Corn (Maze) --
Is mostly used as a treat and should for the most part be feed separate from there sole feed (example - there Layer feed). Scratch should not exceed 40% of there diet when feeding a high protein feed.
Grit --
Grit is small pieces of rock that a chicken eats to help it grind up food. Grit can be purchased at most farm supply stores as crushed granite, but if your birds have access to the ground, they will find their own grit.
Oyster Shells --
A Calcium supplement used to increase intake of laying fowl. Oyster Shells should not be offered to Non-Laying Fowl (Chicks, Growers, Non-Laying Hens and Roosters).
Amprolium - which goes by the trade names Corid and Amprovine, Amprolium, Amprol, Anticoccid and is a thiamine analog, competitively inhibits the active transport of thiamine (B1).
Lasalocid - goes by the trade name Bovatec. Bovatec (lasalocid) is a coccidiocide that kills coccidia. It is an ionophore that moves potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium into the cell causing the cell to burst. Bovatec works primarily on a single developmental stage of coccidia, providing a more narrow range of action than Deccox.
Bacitracin - Bacitracin can also go by the names Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate and BMD. Bacitracin in Broiler And Replacement Chickens is an aid in prevention and control of necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens susceptible to bacitracin methylene disalicylate.
How to Read a Feed Label, By Jackie Nix
Product Name and Brand Name (if any) States the name of the product and the brand it is marketed
under. For example, in the Sweetlix 16:8 Meat Maker mineral, 16:8 Meat Maker is the product name
and Sweetlix is the brand name.
Purpose Statement States the specific type of animal for which the feed is designed and any specific
conditions that may apply. For example, for meat goats on pasture is a purpose statement. When the
product name includes a description of the species and animal class, the purpose statement may be
omitted.
Guaranteed Analysis This is lists the amounts of nutrients that are guaranteed to be present in the
feedstuff. The specific information required will vary according to the species for which the feed is
intended. Requirements also vary slightly from state to state. Typically, most goat feeds will list the
minimum amounts of crude protein, crude fat, vitamins and minerals (excluding calcium and salt which
are listed as a range) included, as well as the maximum amount of crude fiber. State inspectors
periodically test commercial feeds to make sure that they contain the amounts of nutrients stated in the
guaranteed analysis. If a feed does not match its guaranteed analysis, the state will stop the sale of that
feed and may levy fines against the feed manufacturer.
Drug Purpose Statement Medicated feeds are required to include the word medicated in addition to
the intended purpose(s) of the added drug or drugs. The drug purpose statement may include specific
conditions that qualify the drug claim(s). The label is also required to list the active drug ingredient(s)
added and its concentration in the feed.
Ingredients A list of the ingredients found in the feed is required on the label. However, in order to
protect the confidentiality of manufacturers formulas and to allow flexibility to deal with ingredient
availability, some major ingredients are often listed on the label in collective terms. Some commonly
used collective terms are:
Plant protein products - represents one or more of 41 different feedstuffs including: various forms of
soybeans, cottonseed, yeast and other plant meals.
Grain products represents any of the normal forms (whole, cracked, ground, etc.) of several grain
products such as corn, oats, barley, etc.
Forage products represents inclusion of one or more of several different forages including alfalfa,
coastal Bermuda, lespedeza, etc..
Roughage products represents inclusion of one or more high roughage feedstuffs such as various types
of hulls and pulps (cottonseed hulls, beet pulp, etc.).
Processed grain by-products as the name implies, includes over 40 by-products of grain processing
including wheat middlings, brewers dried grains, corn gluten feed, etc.
Molasses products - includes various forms of cane, citrus and beet molasses.
Animal protein products includes various forms of animal by-products. The FDA prohibits use of
mammalian protein sources in ruminant feeds, therefore, most feed manufacturers will not use this
collective term on their label. Some approved animal protein products for ruminants include hydrolyzed
poultry feathers, blood meal, fish meal, whey, dried milk, etc. If animal protein products are included in
goat feeds, most manufacturers will list specific rather than collective terms.
The list of ingredients will also include all sources of minerals and any vitamins, preservatives or
additives included. Minerals are typically listed in specific terms, for example, calcium carbonate, salt or
sodium selenite. Every ingredient in the product must be accounted for either in collective or specific
terms. Ingredients are often listed in order of the amount included in the feed from greatest to least;
however, this is not a requirement. Some list ingredients in alphabetical order. Some combine the two
methods and list the major ingredients in order of amount and the minor ingredients like trace minerals
in alphabetical order.
Feeding Directions Feeding directions vary from vague statements to very detailed instructions. There
are no guidelines on how detailed feeding directions need to be. Most directions will give you an
indication of how much product should be consumed per head per day; for example, feed to goats on
pasture free choice at the rate of 2-4 oz. per head per day. In some cases the instructions state a range of
medication levels; for example, feed continuously to provide not less than 60 mg or more than 200 mg
of (drug) per head per day. In these cases, you need to do a little math to determine the feeding rate.
Lets assume that the drug in this example was included at a concentration of 800 mg/Lb. 60 mg
divided by 800 mg/Lb equals 0.075 Lb. or 1.2 oz. For the upper range, 200 mg divided by 800 mg/Lb is
0.25 Lb. or 4 oz. Therefore, the feeding rate for this product is from 1.2 to 4 oz. per head per day.
Warning or Cautionary Statements Any applicable warnings or cautionary statements are either
included as part of the feeding directions or listed separately. An example would be Caution: contains
added copper. Do not feed to sheep.
An AFFCO approved label will also include the name and address of the manufacturer and a quantity
statement, which lists the amount of product per unit.
In summary, in the United States, the sale of livestock feeds and feed supplements is regulated by the
individual states. Most state regulatory agencies are members of AFFCO and thus follow AFFCO
guidelines concerning feed labels. All AFFCO approved labels contain the standard information listed
above in various forms.
http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Goat_011.pdf
Chris
