Feed formulation & procurement engine

Catfish feed formulation calculator — Nigeria

Nigeria is Africa's largest broiler, layer and catfish feed market, with strong domestic maize, sorghum and soybean supply but heavy exposure on phosphates, amino acids, premix and fishmeal. Maize seasonality between harvest and lean season moves the ration cost more than any single additive decision. Set your own NGN or USD prices below, formulate to the catfish specification, then convert the result into a tonnage-based RFQ.

Objective
Nigeria — local sourcing context

Nigeria is Africa's largest broiler, layer and catfish feed market, with strong domestic maize, sorghum and soybean supply but heavy exposure on phosphates, amino acids, premix and fishmeal. Maize seasonality between harvest and lean season moves the ration cost more than any single additive decision.

Import gateways

Lagos (Apapa / Tin Can), Onne, Calabar

Usually domestic

Maize / corn, Sorghum, Rice bran (full fat), Wheat bran, Full-fat soybean (extruded), Sunflower meal 34%, Limestone, Salt (NaCl)

Usually imported

Soybean meal 48%, Fishmeal 65%, Dicalcium phosphate, L-Lysine HCl, DL-Methionine, Vitamin–mineral premix, Soybean / vegetable oil

Compare inland-delivered Lagos or Onne pricing including port charges and trucking; contract maize forward across the lean season to remove the single largest cost swing.

Nutrient targetsCatfish · Grower

Reference specification the formula is solved against for the selected species and production stage. Adjust ingredient prices and limits below to meet it at least cost.

Energy (kcal/kg)
2,900 min
Crude protein %
28.0 min
Fibre %
8.0 max
Calcium %
0.40 – 2.50
Available P %
0.45 min
Lysine %
1.40 min
Methionine %
0.60 min
Met + Cys %
0.90 min
Threonine %
0.70 min
Sodium %
0.10 min
Available ingredients & local prices

Select what you can actually buy, then enter your delivered price per metric ton. Optional min/max caps let you respect mill or nutritionist limits.

Raw materials with no reliable local or import channel in this market are unchecked and capped at 5% by default. Re-enable any line you can actually source.

Available ingredients Local availabilityPrice / MTMin %Max %
Domestic
Limited
Limited
Domestic
Domestic
Domestic
Imported
Domestic
Domestic
Limited
Imported
Limited
Limited
Imported
Imported
Domestic
Domestic
Imported
Imported
Limited
Domestic
Feed requirement
Feed / day
750 kg
MT / month
22.8 MT
MT / cycle
112.5 MT
Feed cost / month
Turn this into a procurement request

Health problems can have nutritional, environmental, infectious or management causes and must be evaluated by a qualified veterinarian or animal nutritionist. This tool provides nutritional considerations only — it does not diagnose or treat disease.

Reference calculation only. Ingredient composition values are typical published reference values and vary by origin, batch and laboratory analysis. Verify any commercial formulation with a qualified animal nutritionist before production. FeedMatch Group does not guarantee growth, FCR or profitability.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate a commercial feed formula?

Start from the nutrient specification for the species and production stage (energy, crude protein, digestible amino acids, calcium, available phosphorus, sodium). Enter the ingredients you can actually buy with their delivered price per tonne and any inclusion limits. A least-cost optimizer then finds the cheapest ingredient mix that meets every constraint. Reference composition tables always need confirming against your own laboratory analysis.

How do I calculate feed cost per metric ton?

Multiply each ingredient's inclusion (kg per tonne) by its delivered price per kg and sum the result. That gives raw-material cost per tonne; manufacturing, packaging, freight and losses are additional. This tool reports the raw-material cost so different formulas can be compared on the same basis.

How can a farm reduce feed cost without hurting performance?

Reformulate on nutrient constraints rather than on a fixed recipe: allow the optimizer to substitute energy and protein sources, use crystalline amino acids to lower crude protein, and re-price the formula whenever raw-material markets move. Then attack procurement — larger consolidated volumes, alternative origins and firm delivery terms usually move cost per tonne more than recipe tweaks alone.

How do I calculate monthly feed requirements?

Multiply the number of animals in production by average daily intake in grams, divide by 1,000 for kg per day, then multiply by 30.4 and divide by 1,000 for metric tonnes per month. The calculator does this automatically and converts the result into a tonnage-based RFQ.

Can a custom feed formula be manufactured for my farm?

Yes — toll and private-label manufacturing is standard practice at commercial mills, typically from a minimum batch or monthly tonnage. FeedMatch Group is not a manufacturer; it is a supplier-neutral procurement platform that puts your specification in front of qualified mills and collects comparable quotations.

What information is required for a bulk feed RFQ?

Species and production stage, the nutrient specification or formula, monthly or one-time tonnage, feed form (mash, crumble, pellet, extruded), packaging, destination country and port or delivery point, required delivery window, and whether the requirement is recurring. Target price and incoterm help suppliers respond faster.