Animal Feed Production: Feed Safety
Optimise the safety of your animal feed manufacturing process and keep your animal production system healthy and profitable.
Duration
5 weeksWeekly study
4 hours
Animal Feed Production: Feed Safety
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
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Discover key hygiene regulations, feed processing and feed formulation methods
Please note this course runs without facilitation
Producing animal feed safely will ensure your animal production system remains healthy. Well-fed animals not only live longer but are healthier and more productive in quality and quantity, which means larger farming profits.
On this course, you’ll discover the control and testing methods used to maximise the safety of animal feed. You’ll explore the safety of different types of animal foodstuffs, including forages, oilseeds and by-products.
You’ll also learn hygiene regulations around the microbiological and chemical aspects of animal feed, as well as feed processing and formulation methods.
Syllabus
Week 1
Feedstuff Categories
Welcome to the course
Welcome to the course. Here you will meet the team who you will learn with. This includes staff from Queens University, Belfast, University of Turin and The German Institute of Food Technologies.
Forages
Forages are grasses or legumes fed to animals as pasture, hay or silage. A sustained supply is required to maintain profitability of livestock. Here we will explore animal feed stuffs and forage digestibility and analysis.
Animal by-products
Animal by-products can have adequate to high nutritional value and thus, be fed to farm animals as a competitive alternative to traditional feedstuffs. Here we will explore the use of animal by-products in animal feed.
Plant by-products
Providing sufficient protein for animal nutrition is a challenge. Protein can be sourced from various crop residues and by-products from food and drink manufacture. Here we will discuss the use of plant-by products in animal feed.
Summary
To end the first week please try the quiz to see what you have learn about animal feedstuff. We also encourage you to reflect on this weeks content.
Week 2
Legislation
Welcome to week 2
Welcome to week 2. This week we will introduce the principles of food and feed law and official controls which are outlined in European legislation.
Principles of food and feed law
EU food law helps to ensure appropriate measures exist to address risks in the food and feed chain and ensure a fair act of authority. Here we will explore the principles of food and feed law in more detail.
Official Controls
The official controls regulation and other official activities are carried out to ensure the application of food and feed law. Learn more about official controls here.
Additives and contaminants
EU legislation on undesirable substances in animal feed exists to ensure that feed is only put into circulation if it is of sound, genuine and/or merchantable quality and doesn't pose any danger to animals, humans or environment.
Summary
To end the week please try the quiz to test your knowledge on feed legislation and reflect on what you have learnt this week.
Week 3
Microbiological and chemical aspects
Welcome to week 3
Welcome to week 3. Feed contaminants are undesirable substances which can be classified as biological, chemical or physical hazards. This week we will explore undesirable substances in animal feed.
Foodbourne pathogens in feed
Food producing animals are the major reservoirs for many foodborne pathogens. The zoonotic potential of foodborne pathogens requires the feed manufacturer to reduce the incidence of salmonella in all aspects of production.
Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi (mold) growing on grains before harvest and in storage which can contaminate food and feed worldwide. We will explore mycotoxins in animal feed here.
Environmental pollutants
Environmental pollutants are chemical substances, compounds or mixtures of compounds which can occur at any stage of the food and feed chain. Here we will explore these contaminants and their potential toxicological properties.
Summary
To end the week please try the quiz to see what your have learnt about the microbiological and chemical aspects of animal feed.
Week 4
Feed Processing
Welcome to week 4
Welcome to week 4. This week we will explore feed processing. Processing alters the physical and/or chemical nature of feed commodities to optimize utilisation by animals and to enhance mixing and stability of the diet.
Reasons for feed processing
Feed processing can help increase feed intake and digestibility, improve feed conversion or efficiency, improve carcass quality and yield grade, reduce feed waste, lower transportation, storage and labor costs.
Food processing methods
In compound manufacturing the raw materials of widely ranging physical, chemical and nutritional composition are converted into a homogeneous mixture which is fed to the animals. We explore some of these processing methods here.
Influence of feed processing on the food supply chain
The principle role of feed is to provide nutrients that can be digested and utilized for maintenance and productive functions. Here will we explore some of the elements which influence the suitability and processing of animal feed
Summary
To end the week please try the quiz to see what you have learnt about the reasons for and influences in feed processing.
Week 5
Feed Formulation
Welcome to week 5
Welcome to week 5. This week will outline the exercises for determining volumes of ingredients and additives to blend in order to create compound feeds that meet the nutritional requirements of targeted species.
Fundamental Feed Formulation
Feed formulation involves combining feedstuffs with different nutritional composition to obtain feeds that fulfill, either completely or partially, the nutritional requirements of animals. We will explore feed formulation here.
Ration Evaluation
Ration evaluation is the counterpart of feed formulation. It's useful to assess whether a given ration or feed is adequate to fulfill the nutrient requirements of a given animal or group of animals. We will explore this here.
Linear Programming in Feed
Linear programming is a mathematical procedure by which limited resources are allocated or evaluated to achieve an optimal solution to a particular objective. Here we will explore how they are applied in the animal feed industry.
Summary
To end the week please try the quiz to see what you have learnt about feed formulation this week.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Evaluate the multidiscipline nature of animal feed production
- Identify solutions to animal feed safety issues
- Explore the regulatory requirements related to the production of animal feed
- Demonstrate an understanding of animal feed safety issues
- Assess animal feed safety control systems
- Experiment with feed formulation to meet the nutritional requirements of targeted species.
Who is the course for?
The course is designed for animal feed mill managers for continuous professional development and training existing and new operators, as well as other personnel (such as administrative and sales staff), food scientists, process engineers, regulators on feed safety practices.
If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on this topic, you might also find of interest the following EIT Food courses on animal feed production and farming:
Who will you learn with?
Michaela is a Lecturer in Education working on the development of EITFOOD education programmes. Her background is in food science and research at the Institute for Global Food Security.
I am subject matter expert for the German Institute of Food technologies e.V. and loving to transfer value and practically useable knowledge.
DVM, Assistant Professor at the Department of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Turin, Italy.
Research field: Food Safety
Who developed the course?
EIT Food
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted.
Queen's University Belfast
Queen’s University Belfast is a member of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK research-intensive universities.
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