Statistical process analysis in broiler feed formulation

Abstract

Statistical analysis of broiler feed production was done with data obtained in an industrial plant in an attempt to characterise the causes of variations in feed composition. Analysis of the experimental data has shown that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) for broilers was between 1.8 and 2.5. This large range of observations were thought to be caused by the wide range of variations in the composition of the feeds. The major factor contributing to the variance of the feed compositions was the variance of the raw materials. It was found that the proteins and moisture were distributed normally in most raw materials and feeds. Water molecules can diffuse in the raw materials and the feeds to make the whole batch uniform. On the other hand, the protein containing fractions tend to segregate due to density differences. Therefore, the moisture content of the raw materials tend to vary in a smaller range than those of the proteins. Mixing the feeds for three minutes or longer was sufficient to achieve suitable homogeneity, but controlling the range of the individual raw materials is recommended for further improvement of the process capability indices.