The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) says it has developed new standards for animal and livestock feeds value chain to hedge the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on key sectors such as agriculture.
Director-General Osita Aboloma of the SON, made this known at a work group meeting hosted virtually in Lagos as part of the ongoing Livestock Micro Reforms in Agribusiness (L-MIRA) program, a World Bank project focused on the cattle feed value chain.
The SON is responsible for improving the accuracy of measurements as well as for developing and promoting standards that relate to products, measurements, materials and processes, among other things, at the national, regional and global levels.
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Speaking on behalf of the director-general, SON deputy director and head of food technology, Omolara Okunlola, explained that the new standards were developed through a consensus between relevant parties and academics, who came together to elaborate on requirements that would help improve Agribusiness.
Okunlola noted that the standards considered by the work group were born out of the urgent demand for and relevance of the animal and livestock feed within the market, emphasizing that the effort was focused on further developing the livestock sector’s standards, both recent and historic.
She indicated that the standards applied to salt mineral licks, blood meal used for the production of fish feed, and wheat bran for small ruminant feed destined for animals such as sheep and goats.
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“It will ensure proper proportioning of minerals in animal and poultry feeds for effective productivity of animals husbandry.
“Other requirements specified were that of Blood Meal as an ingredient in fish meal production to ensure adequacy in meeting the protein requirements in fish farming. The elaboration of the Standard for Small Ruminant Feed was also established,” she said.
“”It will enhance meat and dairy from small ruminant production thereby contributing to the country’s gross domestic product in Agribusiness. ”
