Annual feed production in New Zealand is in excess of 800 000 tonnes, with approximately two thirds of all compound feeds produced in New Zealand manufactured in the North Island.

The majority of animal feed manufactured in New Zealand is produced to meet the requirements of commercial animal production. A portion of the animal feed manufactured is also used in backyard production systems and for pet animals. As well as compound feeds simple raw materials such as grain mixtures are also sold as feed products.

Feed may be supplied to customers either in bulk or in bags, with the majority (> 80 %) of the feed produced sold in bulk. 

NZFMA members manufacture feeds for a wide range of animal species. Most of the feed produced is produced for poultry, pigs, ruminants (sheep, cattle, deer and goats) and horses. A small amount of feed is also manufactured for other animals such as dogs, rabbits, ostriches and emus.

The graph below shows the percentages of feed manufactured in 2006 for the various animal types.

The exact composition of compound feed varies depending upon the type of animal it will be fed to and the raw materials that are available at the time of production. However, there are five main classes of raw materials that are used for the manufacture of compound feed. These are

• Grains (e.g. wheat, barley, maize and oats)
• Grain by-products (e.g. wheat bran or broll, pollard and malt culms)
• Plant proteins (e.g. soya meal and canola meal)
• Animal proteins (e.g. milkpowders, meat and bone meal and fishmeal)
• Others (e.g. molasses, salt, lime and vitamins and minerals)

Raw materials are sourced both locally and internationally. Approximately 35 % of raw materials are imported with the main raw materials imported from overseas being wheat and soya meal. Sorghum, barley, canola meal, palm kernel meal and fishmeal may also be imported.

The graph below shows the percentages of raw materials used in the manufacture of compound feeds in 2006.