Formulators must look at the bigger picture
While achieving the least cost recipes within nutritional specifications is the main purpose of feed formulation software, the decisions made by formulators in these recipes can have unforeseen consequences when it comes to their production; consequences that can have a significant impact on the rest of the process and the true cost of the finished product.
Non-nutritional parameters, such as processing and energy constraints, can be hidden from, or even ignored by formulators.
It is common to find formulators passing recipes to production that cause problems, such as using an inappropriate number of raw materials, or recipe designs that cause quality issues.
Understanding the issues and applying appropriate techniques can improve results, raw material selection and cost prediction, Ian Mealey of Format International will tell delegates at the Feed Ingredients & Additives Asia Pacific (FIAAP) Conference, to be held in Bangkok March 4, 2010.
Mealey will explain some creative techniques that can be used in formulation software to incorporate these wider considerations and give the formulation role a broader perspective, resulting in more informed raw material selection, recipe design, reducing recipe and production costs and, ultimately, improving profitability.
FIAAP conference program
Chaired by Dr. Warren G. Dominy, Oceanic Institute, Hawai’i and Dr. Geoff Allan, Port Stephens Fisheries Centre, Australia, the FIAAP conference program comprises:
- The global supply and demand for fishmeal and fish oil – Dr. Andrew Jackson, Technical Director, International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation, U.K.
- Optimizing uses of rendered products – Dr. Geoff Allen* and Mark A. Booth, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australia
- Bacterial control in feed production and processing – what are the options and benefits – Dr. Adam Smith, Dep. Technical Director, Europe, Middle East & Asia Pacific, Anitox, U.K.
- Trace Minerals – quality challenges and protecting our business – Tara Jarman, Asia Pacific Quality Assurance Manager, Alltech, USA
- Sodium benzoate – a promising acidifier for pigs – Dr. Li Li, Technical Manager, Kemira Asia Pacific, Singapore
- Rapid analysis prediction of available energy in feed grains – John Spragg, AusScan Program Manager, Pork Co-operative Research Centre, Australia
- Optimization in the round – the bigger picture: Taking account of non-nutritional parameters such as plant and energy constraints within the formulation process – Ian Mealey, Head of Operations, Format International Ltd., U.K.
- Raw material evaluation and how to extract the full value from it – Ms. Sheila Heidi M. Ramos, Technical Sales Manager, ASEAN, Evonik Degussa SEA Pte Ltd, Singapore
The FIAAP Conference is an integral part of Victam Asia 2010, the feed and grain industry trade show taking place in Bangkok March 3-5, 2010. Full details, including conference program, presentation summaries, accommodation details and registration can be found on the conference websites.
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