Comparative Economic Analysis of Poultry Egg Production under Two Feed Management Regimes in Ogun State, Nigeria

In this study, the comparative economic analysis of egg production using two (2) types of feed regimes vis-Ã -vis farm produced (self-compounded) feed and procured (commercial) feed in Abeokuta South & North LGAs was examined. A multistage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of sixty (60) poultry (egg) farmers: thirty (30) who procured commercial feeds, and thirty (30) who produced their feeds. The data was analyzed through a combination of descriptive statistics, cost and return structure, profitability and efficiency ratios as well as t-statistic test of difference between means. The result of the analyses showed that most of the poultry (egg) farmers for both categories studied, were educated and would make use of any qualitative innovation introduced to them, while most of them have a mean farming experience of below ten (10) years, also, farmers who use farm produced feeds had a higher average stock size of about 1,218 birds while those who use commercial feeds had about 1,050 birds. Feed cost, being the most important and expensive component of variable costs in poultry egg production was 79.6% using farm produced feed, while it was 80.6% using commercial feed. The profitability ratios calculated revealed that poultry (egg) farmers in the area could generate a return on fixed cost of N687,798.83and N244,901.93 and a rate of return on investment of 31.4% and 11.9% using farm produced feed and commercial feed respectively. For the efficiency ratios, a bird fed with these two types of feeds, produced an approximate number of five (5) eggs in a week. However, while for every Kg of farm produced feed, six eggs were produced for commercial feeds, five eggs were produced. Moreover, for a dozen of egg to be produced, 1.97Kg and 2.33Kg respectively of feed are expected to be fed. This was further accentuated by the cost of feed (N/kg) and profit (N /bird), which were significant at 1.4% and 1% respectively. The study therefore concluded that although poultry (egg) production is economically profitable and that farm produced feed is highly responsive to less cost and higher profit in Abeokuta metropolis, it is however not left without some limitations. These include: high cost of feed and feed ingredients, lack of capital and occasional power outage. Hence it is recommended that more concerted efforts be directed towards boosting agriculture specifically the production of such crops used in compounding feed so as to reduce the competition between man and poultry. In addition, proper enlightenment programmes can be organized for feed millers coupled with the direction of more labour force to the indigenous production of such equipment mostly grinders which can equally be better utilized in the absence of electricity.