In modern livestock management, feed phosphates play an important role in animal nutrition. An adequate supply of inorganic feed phosphates in animal feed is critical for the optimal performance and well-being of animals. Feed phosphates strengthen the immune and reproductive systems of livestock and help in improving the metabolism of livestock, and are, therefore, widely used in all types of feed for livestock such as poultry, ruminants, swine, aquatic animals, and equine, among others.
Feed phosphates are used as supplements for the diets of livestock, such as poultry, swine, cattle, and aquatic animals. They help animals attain faster growth, which includes weight gain. Feed phosphates optimize the nutritional value of feed and further enhance the quality of meat and dairy. For instance, optimized tenderness in meat, high selenium content in eggs, and high calcium content in milk are some examples of consumer-driven beneficial modifications in livestock products, which are brought about by the addition of feed phosphates.
According to MarketsandMarkets, the global feed phosphates market is projected to grow from USD 2.25 billion in 2018 to USD 2.80 billion by 2024. The growth of the market is expected to be directly affected by the growth of the feed additives industry. The feed additives industry is projected to grow at a steady rate of 4%–5% annually, while the feed phosphates market is projected to grow at a 3.7% CAGR from 2018 to 2024.
What is driving the growth of feed phosphates?
- High Threat of Diseases in Livestock
The outbreak of diseases such as avian flu, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) not only affect livestock breeding and the economy, but also pose a serious threat to human health. The emergence of swine diarrhea in the US caused significant losses to swine farmers. Moreover, countries such as China, India, and Indonesia are constantly facing outbreaks of avian flu and swine flu, due to the hot and humid climatic conditions. Meat vendors, meat processors, wholesalers, retailers, and ultimately livestock growers suffer financial losses, due to the culling of disease-affected animals, which further lead to a drop in animal productivity. The foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the UK in 2007 led to losses of USD 3.7 billion to the livestock sector. The avian flu outbreak of 2013 resulted in economic losses worth USD 6.1 billion in China. Nearly, 130 people were infected in mainland China during this outbreak, according to the UN.
The usage of feed phosphates in such cases proved to be an effective medium to reduce such outbreaks by improving animal health with the provision of necessary nutrients. Calcium and phosphorus are two important macro-minerals required for the proper performance, growth, health, and production of livestock. Most feed ingredients from plant sources are inadequate in meeting such requirements, and hence, the inclusion of feed phosphates is important for the maintenance of animal health in such cases. This is one of the main factors that drive the demand for feed phosphates in the market.
- Toxicity of Feed Phosphates
Despite feed phosphates being used as a key component to maintain animal health and productivity, their usage above certain limits could be toxic to animals. For instance, excessive intake of phosphorus can interfere with both calcium and magnesium absorption. Excessive calcium intake by consuming dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, mono-dicalcium phosphate, and tricalcium phosphate can lead to osteopetrosis, vertebral ankyloses, and degenerative osteoarthritis in cattle. It also leads to reduced feed intake, resulting in lower milk yields in cattle. Excessive dietary phosphorus results in weak bones, downer cow syndrome, and urinary calculi. Such toxicities due to excessive intake of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are generally observed to decrease animal performance and even lead to anorexia, weight loss, and diarrhea.
However, because mineral deficiencies in animals are more common occurrences in comparison to toxicities, there is a general tendency to easily exceed minimum animal requirements. In such cases, it becomes imperative to determine if dietary mineral concentrations exceed the maximum tolerance levels of the cattle. Mineral toxicities, which could be a result of excessive consumption of feed or water, may then have significant degrading effects on animal health and performance. Therefore, an excessive proportion of feed phosphates in animal feed could cause deteriorating effects on animals and severe toxicities.
The monocalcium phosphate (MCP) market is projected to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period
The purified form of monocalcium phosphate is obtained by the reaction of calcium hydroxide with wet process phosphoric acid. Highly soluble and easy to handle, it can be used in mixed feed and minerals. It also enhances the reproduction cycle of animals. Monocalcium phosphate helps prevent the abnormal development of bones in animals. It is beneficial to herbivorous animals as it helps in protein metabolism and energy generation for animals.
Monocalcium phosphate (MCP) can be produced from burnt chalk (CaO) and phosphoric acid (H3PO4). In the production process, CaO and H3PO4 are mixed in a reaction tank to produce MCP, which is then granulated, dried, and sieved. MCP is generally fed in combination with concentrated feedstuffs, grain wastes, silage, bagasse, herbage, crushed pip feeds, wet mush, and is also used for compound feedstuff enrichment.
The high solubility and optimal phosphorus concentration of MCP offer increased flexibility in dietary formulations. Further, compared to other sources of phosphorus, MCP has some advantages such as neutralizing the harmful effects of a number of elements: sodium, potassium, and magnesium, among others; and improving efficiency of carbohydrate, protein, fat, mineral, & energy metabolism in the body, due to which it is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
Based on region, the feed phosphates market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Rest of the World.
- South America accounted is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period. The rise in demand for meat and the increase in income levels in emerging economies such as Brazil and Argentina are the key factors that drive the feed phosphates market. Countries in this region have been increasing their production of feed phosphates to enhance the meat quality of livestock.
- The major challenges faced by the feed phosphates market in South America include the high costs of animal feed (60%–70% of the total production costs), the limited availability of quality forage, inefficient use of available feed resources which affect productivity, increased risk of diseases, and lack of awareness among farmers.
