Importance of animal feed resources in developing countries and current constraints on their utilization

Inadequacy and poor utilization of animal feed resources are the main limiting factors on animal production in most developing countries. The bulk of ruminant foodstuffs consists of poor quality fodder, such as pasture and rangeland grass, crop residues and fibrous by-products. It is very rarely possible to use cereals as supplements, since most developing countries at present need to import cereals for human consumption. This has not prevented many development agencies from recommending that cereals and other concentrate feeds be imported to boost monogastric production, reproducing the model developed for temperate countries where there is a cereal surplus. In most cases, the types of feed available locally do not allow high levels of individual animal performance. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to improve animal production in developing countries. During the last two decades, much research on animal nutrition has been successfully conducted and the results are being applied in practice. The most significant of these concern the utilization by animals of sugar-cane and its by-products, the use of non-conventional animal feeds and the treatment of straw and other fibrous materials. In all cases, supplements are required. Livestock feeding systems could also be improved if it were possible to use more of those by-products which are at present exported. New livestock feeding strategies must be developed based on currently or potentially available local resources. It is more logical and profitable for developing countries to adapt animal production systems to available feed resources than vice versa. (author)