Feed additives

Compound feed mills and premix producers are the main buyers. Amino acids are produced by fermentation or synthesis and sold in standard forms, for example L-lysine HCl at 98.5 percent, L-lysine sulfate at about 70 percent and methionine as DL-methionine or its hydroxy analogue. Prices are usually compared per unit of active nutrient.

Feed additives must be authorised in most markets, often for specific animal species. In the EU, only additives entered in the register of feed additives may be used, and suppliers need feed safety certification such as FAMI-QS or GMP+. Ask for the feed grade specification, active content, heavy metals, dioxin and mycotoxin data where relevant, and the authorisation number for your market.