Report: Looks at factors impacting current feed costs

Today, feed costs account for 50-70% of livestock and poultry production. What factors are driving these costs and how are scarce resources for food, feed and fuel going to be allocated in the future as we struggle to feed a growing population? These questions and more are addressed in the report.

The analysis includes an economic outlook of how industry profitability, production efficiency, and demand will be impacted as it pertains to US feed grains and livestock and poultry feeding. Along with the key driving factors of future livestock and poultry industries, this study outlines variables and potential effects, addresses questions not answered, and covers short medium and long term horizons.

According to the report, the three main factors impacting feed availability and cost are biofuels, global demand, specific exports and annual crop yields.

In the short-term, feed availability should improve, provided weather doesn’t impact grain production significantly. Beyond the short-term, the livestock and poultry industries need to keep an eye on things such as China’s demand for not only corn and soybeans but ultimately, meat, milk and eggs; the development of biobutanol; and potential growth in production of de-oiled distillers grains.

Dr Robert Wisner, retired University Professor Emeritus, Department of Economics, Iowa State University, was the principal investigator for the study. It was financed by the Institute for Feed Education & Research (IFEEDER)

Click here for a link to the full report and here for a link to the report summary only.

Related links
The Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE)
American Feed Industry Association (AFIA)