By: Henri E. Prasetyo, DVM, M.Vet

The national layer poultry industry is currently facing increasingly complex pressures. Feed costs still account for more than 60–70% of total production costs, while the volatility of key raw materials such as corn and soybean meal continues to rise due to global factors, climate, logistics, and market dynamics. At the same time, demands for production stability, product quality, and the sustainability of farming systems are becoming more stringent.

In this situation, a feed formulation approach that relies solely on least-cost formulation is no longer sufficient. Feed formulation must evolve into a more adaptive and precise system, based on the biological responses of the birds. The use of alternative feed ingredients, combined with smart nutrition strategies, has become a key approach to maintaining the competitiveness of layer production.

However, the utilization of alternative raw materials cannot be implemented simply by substituting conventional ingredients. Without a proper understanding of nutrient characteristics, anti-nutritional risks, and their physiological implications for laying hens, this strategy may instead increase performance variability and reduce biological efficiency.

This article discusses how alternative feed ingredients can be strategically utilized through precision nutrition evaluation and smart nutrition approaches to maintain production performance, cost efficiency, and the sustainability of layer farming.

The Strategic Role of Alternative Feed Ingredients in Layer Feed Formulation

In feed industry practice, alternative raw materials are often treated as emergency solutions when the prices of primary ingredients surge or supply is disrupted. Such reactive approaches, in reality, tend to increase the risk of inconsistent feed quality and fluctuations in layer performance.

In modern formulation approaches, alternative ingredients should be positioned as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen feed system resilience. These ingredients include various groups, ranging from energy sources such as cassava, sorghum, and rice bran; protein sources such as DDGS, palm kernel meal, and canola meal; to agricultural by-products such as wheat bran and corn gluten feed.

The main advantages of these materials lie in supply flexibility, cost-efficiency opportunities, and their contribution to circular economy principles. However, in layer production, the primary challenge is not merely reducing feed costs, but maintaining egg production stability, production persistency, as well as eggshell and internal egg quality.

This article is an excerpt from the Management section of Poultry Indonesia Magazine, April 2026 edition. For the full article, please refer to the April 2026 issue. For subscriptions or further information, contact: https://wa.me/+6287780120754 or sirkulasipoultry@gmail.com

Get more insights on Indonesia’s poultry industry by joining the Satwa Media Group WhatsApp Channel.