Engineering and Applied Science Letter
Vol. 6 (2023), Issue 1, pp. 01 – 10
ISSN: 2617-9709 (Online) 2617-9695 (Print)
DOI: 10.30538/psrp-easl2023.0090
Minimization of layer feed cost using linear programming
Gabriel Obed Fosu\(^{1,*}\), Jones Brefo Konadu\(^1\), Michael Yaw Yeboah\(^1\) and Oppon-Wusu Kwaku Darko\(^1\)
\(^{1}\) Department of Mathematics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Copyright © 2023 Gabriel Obed Fosu, Jones Brefo Konadu, and Michael Yaw Yeboah. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received: December 01, 2022 – Accepted: February 05, 2023 – Published: June 30, 2023
Abstract
Poultry farms in Ghana are experiencing a decline, and some are at risk of collapsing due to the high cost of poultry feed. The aim of this paper is to assist poultry farmers in increasing their profits by reducing the cost of poultry feed. The linear programming technique is implemented to utilize locally available feed ingredients to formulate layer feed mix for the various stages of poultry growth, which includes chick mash (starter), grower, and prelayer. Mathematical models are constructed based on the nutrient requirements of the layers, nutrient composition of the available ingredients, and any other restrictions on the available ingredients for the formulation. Seven decision variables and eleven constraints are identified. Compared to the existing practice, it is estimated that the LP model’s optimal solution can reduce feed formulation costs by approximately 30%, 19%, and 14% in chick mash, grower, and prelayer, respectively.
Keywords:
Poultry farming; feed ingredients cost; optimization.