According to “ 2018 Global Feed Research Report ” published by Alltech, global feed production has exceeded 1 billion tons for two consecutive years, and the total feed production in 2017 reached 1.07 billion tons. The growth in 2017 is very strong, it has an increase of 2.57% over the same period last year. The feed industry with a market value of US$430 billion has grown by 13% over the past five years, which is equivalent to an average annual increase of 2.49%. This increase was driven by the high consumption of meat, milk and eggs.
Global Feed Survey Results of Main Livestock Species
China and the United States are still the two countries with the largest output, accounting for one-third of all animal feed. The main growth comes from the pig, broiler and dairy cattle industries, mainly in Europe and Asia Pacific.
Poultry Industry
In the poultry industry, broiler feed production in all regions has increased, with Africa growing at a maximum of 10% and Europe increasing by 7%. Romania, Russia, and Ukraine all enjoyed steady growth, contributing to overall European production, while Africa’s growth came mainly from Egypt, Uganda, and Mozambique.
Pet Food Industry
The pet food industry has performed strongly in all regions. The pet food production in the Asia-Pacific region has increased by 13%, of which China, Thailand and China Taiwan are the main growth drivers. Europe grew by 17%, of which Russia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland and Hungary produced more than 580,000 tons of supplemental pet food. Uruguay, Ecuador, El Salvador, Chile, and Argentina represent almost all Latin American pet food production growth, totaling more than 725,000 tons.
Beef Cattle Production
The overall global output of beef cattle has declined by about 1%, mainly in Latin America, Africa and Europe. As more and more consumers turn to “white meat” such as chicken, pork and fish, the industry generally feels this global decline.
Aquaculture Feeds
A slight increase in aquaculture feeds overall, especially in Europe and Asia Pacific. According to the report, China has fallen by 5% this year and 2016, which may be related to the government's control measures on feeding methods and food safety (such as the use of antibiotics).
Dairy Animal Feed Production
Global dairy animal feed production has increased in all regions. Europe is the world leader in dairy production, with an average increase of about 2%. The largest increase in feed production for dairy cattle in Africa was 10%, with significant increases in production in countries such as South Africa, Morocco and Zimbabwe.
Pork Production
In 2017, China and Russia, the world leader in pork production, are leaders in pig feed production. Many small African countries, especially Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda and Namibia have also seen growth.
Global Feed Producing Industry
The top seven feed producing countries in 2017 were: China, the United States, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, India and Spain. These countries have 54% of the world's feed mills, which account for 53% of total production, and can be seen as a trend indicator for agriculture.
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North America | Latin America | Europe |
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One-third of beef cattle feed is produced in North America which is five times the output of the second-largest producer. The United States and Canada are the top two animal feed producing countries. Feed prices in North America are lower than in other regions. |
Mexico is a leader in feed production for beef cattle and layer chickens. The growth rate in Latin America for the past five years ranks third, with a strong focus on aquatic feed, horses feed and pet food. |
The region is led by Russia, with a production of 37.6 million tons in 2017, rising from the seventh place in the country to fourth place. |
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Asia Pacific | Africa |
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Compared with the results of the survey in 2017, the Asia Pacific region’s output increased by 3%, mainly due to the increase in pig and pet feed production.
The increase in production in the Asia-Pacific region also originated in India and Thailand by 7% and 8%, respectively. Last year, Vietnam’s output grew by 4%, making it the second largest pig and aquaculture feed producer in the Asia Pacific region. 70% of aquatic feed and 44% of layer chicken feed are produced in Asia Pacific countries. |
Pigs, cows, laying hens, and broiler chickens increased their feed production, and beef cattle and aquafeeds decreased. In addition, on average, Africa is the most expensive area for pigs, laying hens, and broilers.
Small countries like Botswana and Mozambique have brought about growth in feed for pigs, dairy cows, laying hens and broilers. In countries such as Zambia and Morocco, beef cattle feed production has decreased. |