The scale of cattle rustling by bandits in some parts of Nigeria has led to a sharp hike in prices of beef in various markets across the country. Butchers have resorted to importing livestock, especially cows from Niger and other parts of Africa, to meet the demand. A kilo of beef which was around N5000 two years ago is currently between N7,000 to N8,000. This has made meat unaffordable for many Nigerians.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has stated that the federal government has initiated moves to commence year-round availability of affordable and nutritionally balanced feed to boost livestock productivity. Maiha stressed that Nigeria’s livestock sector could not fully realise the genetic potential of its animals without adequate nutrition. He explained that good genetics must be matched with good nutrition to achieve optimal growth for milk production, fertility, animal health, and overall farm productivity.
Maiha noted that feed represents one of the major costs in livestock production, and its quality and availability have a direct impact on animal health, growth, and survivability. He maintained that the availability of feed throughout the year, whether through fodder, crop residues, or concentrates, is fundamental to sustainable livestock production and has wider implications for food security, economic prosperity, and peaceful livestock management.
The Minister commended Olam Agri for its investment in Nigeria’s livestock sector, describing the launch of its TrueValue Cattle Feed as a practical contribution to the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise livestock production. He encouraged the firm to make its feeds accessible and affordable to farmers and to support the product with farmer training, feeding demonstrations, and collaboration with research and regulatory institutions.
Olam Agri’s Global Head of Animal Feeds and Proteins Business, Sharad Gupta, said the company was leveraging its established feed business and distribution network to introduce its cattle feed into the Nigerian market. Gupta explained that the company intends to use its scale in sourcing, processing, and distribution to achieve efficiencies and pass the benefits on to farmers. He added that the company already sources over 90 per cent of the raw materials for its existing poultry feed business locally.
Gupta said Olam Agri is focused on making TrueValue Cattle Feed competitively priced rather than pursuing small volumes at high prices. He stated that the company is looking to make large quantities and keep them very tightly competitively priced. This move is expected to support the development of commercial feedlot systems for cattle and other livestock in Nigeria.
The introduction of quality concentrate feeds is particularly relevant to the development of commercial feedlot systems for cattle and other livestock. When concentrates are combined with quality fodder, clean water, and sound animal husbandry practices, they can support better feed conversion, faster weight gain, and shorter finishing periods, enabling farmers to take healthier and better-finished animals to market.
Key points
- The Nigerian government plans to ensure a year-round supply of affordable and nutritionally balanced feed to boost livestock productivity and address the deficit in the sector.
- The price of beef has skyrocketed due to the scale of cattle rustling by bandits and the import of livestock from Niger and other parts of Africa.
- Olam Agri has introduced its TrueValue Cattle Feed into the Nigerian market, aiming to make it competitively priced and accessible to farmers.
