POULTRYINDONESIA, South Tangerang – The global poultry industry is currently in a transition phase. On one hand, production cost pressures continue to rise, primarily due to the high price of feed raw materials. On the other hand, demands for production practices that are more efficient, sustainable, and safe for human health are growing stronger. In this context, the approach to poultry nutrition can no longer rely solely on conventional patterns.
This was a key focus of discussion at the Masterclass forum organized by Huvepharma in South Tangerang on Tuesday (5/5), which presented various perspectives on the new direction of modern poultry nutrition.
Moving Beyond Conventional Formulation
Rik Pieterse from Dutch Feed Consultancy emphasized that conventional formulations—which focus only on meeting minimum nutrient requirements—are no longer sufficient to meet today’s industrial challenges.
“It is time we consider nutrient interactions, metabolic efficiency, and the economic impact of every feed formulation. Modern feed formulation must be able to optimize poultry performance without sacrificing production cost efficiency.”
The Role of Enzymes in Cost Efficiency
Lode Nollet, Global Product Manager for Poultry Enzymes at Huvepharma, highlighted in his presentation that most phosphorus in corn and soybean meal exists in a form that poultry cannot directly digest. Without the aid of enzymes, this phosphorus is wasted and contributes nothing to the bird’s nutrition.
“The utilization of phytase enzymes in feed formulation will increase nutritional efficiency while simultaneously reducing production costs. Amidst high raw material prices, especially inorganic phosphorus sources like DCP and MCP, the use of phytase enzymes is essential,” he explained.
Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
During the same event, Veerle Hautekiet, Global Marketing Director at Huvepharma, noted that in 2020, there were approximately 1.3 million human deaths related to AMR, a figure projected to rise to 10 million by 2050. One contributing factor is believed to be antibiotic residues, including those originating from the poultry sector.
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Human Health Priority: Farming cannot focus solely on production; it must pay closer attention to human health as the end consumer.
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Regulatory Shift: While antibiotics were originally developed as solutions for various diseases, many countries—including Indonesia—have now banned their use, particularly in poultry production.
