•Making animal feeds from locusts could reduce production costs, says expert
•Making animal feeds from locusts could reduce production costs, says expert
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Manufacturers can make animal feeds from desert locusts that have invaded parts of the country, an entomologist has said.
Dr Muo Kasina, chairman of the Entomological Society of Kenya, said among the many ingredients required to make animals feeds are maize and a source of protein.
He said animal feed manufacturers mainly use fish meal for protein, which they can now replace with the desert locusts. He spoke to the Star on phone yesterday.
“By doing so, they will be able to cut down on the cost of production and animal feed products because fish meal is expensive,” he said.
Kasina explained that all manufacturers need to do is harvest the locusts, dry them and use them as a supplement to make dairy, dog or cat feed.
“There will be minimal costs as the only cost they will incur is collection and transportation. Farmers can also get some money from harvesting the locusts and selling to the feed manufactures,” the expert said.
Humphrey Mbugua, manager, Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers, confirmed that indeed, the locusts can provide a good source of proteins for animal feeds.
Feed manufacturers have for long blamed the high prices of maize for the high cost of animal feeds.
In July last year, Martin Kinoti, the secretary general of the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers, said the cost of production of animal feeds was high due to expensive raw materials.
In addition, producers compete with maize flour millers for the available white maize in the market.
“This is keeping feed prices up there. We are always the losers,” Kinoti said.
The animal feed millers urged the government to allow the feed industry to shift from using white maize as a raw material to yellow maize as a longterm solution to ease pressure on white maize.
“We are asking for an arrangement where the animal feed industry is allowed to shift from white maize to yellow maize so that we can be competitive in the international market,” he said.