Poultry feed standards revised in Guyana
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) recently revised the national standard for poultry feed in order to address quality concerns associated with it and to harmonise the standards for its use within Caricom.
The specification for poultry feed and feed ingredients was revised by the livestock sub-committee and the Technical Committee Agriculture to ensure that poultry animals used either as poultry meat, or for the production of eggs used for human food, are fed rations which are appropriate for the category of bird. This was also to help ensure safety of food for human consumption through adherence to recommended poultry feeding practice at the farm level and good manufacturing practices during procurement, handling, storage, processing and distribution of poultry feed and feed ingredients.
The GNBS also said hygiene requirements and principles, special conditions applicable to emergency situations which may influence the production process, inspection and control procedures, health hazards associated with animal feed, feed additives and veterinary drugs used in medicated feed, safety conditions for storing feed and feed ingredients and control measures to minimise the risks associated with undesirable substances in feed and feed ingredients were included in the standard.
The standard also advised that feed should not be stored or transported near substances such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It also advises farmers and other stakeholders on selecting suitable sites, choice fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, mixing techniques, record keeping and monitoring water and good animal feeding practices.
The GNBS said the standard will be made mandatory and it is conducting feed tests to ensure that the feeds comply with nutrient requirements as has been set out.
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