Global feed output rebounds

Global feed production rebounded in 2024 after a stagnant 2023, increasing by 1.2% to 1.39 billion tonnes, according to Alltech’s 2025 Agri-Food Outlook, a report that includes the results of the company’s 14th annual global feed production survey.

This growth — which was achieved despite challenges that included highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), climate fluctuations and economic uncertainty — underscores the resilience and adaptability of the international agriculture industry, Alltech, a global leader in animal nutrition and biotechnology, noted in the report.

The annual survey collected data from 142 countries and 28,235 feed mills.

“By analyzing compound feed production and prices — collected by Alltech’s global sales team and in partnership with feed associations and official data-collecting organizations — the survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of global feed production,” Alltech said. “These insights serve as a barometer for the overall livestock industry, highlighting key trends across species, regional challenges and opportunities for growth.”

China was once again the top feed producer at 315 million tonnes, down 2% from the previous year. All the other top 10 countries increased feed production year on year. They include:

United States (269.6 million tonnes; up 0.68%)
Brazil (86.6 million tonnes; up 2.43%)
India (55.2 million tonnes; up 4.56%)
Mexico (41.4 million tonnes; up 1.38%)
Russia (38.4 million tonnes; up 8.53%)
Spain (35.9 million tonnes; up 1.46%)
Vietnam (25.8 million tonnes; up 3.41%)
Türkiye (24.5 million tonnes; up 4.83%)
Japan (24.2 million tonnes; up 0.14%)
These 10 countries are responsible for nearly 66% of the world’s feed production.

On a regional basis, Africa and the Middle East posted the biggest growth, with a 5.4% increase in output to 95.5 million tonnes, but Alltech noted that it was starting from a smaller base than other regions.

“This growth reflects expanding commercial feeds in the poultry, ruminant and pet sectors,” it said. “Stable growth in poultry and beef in the Middle East, however, has been tempered by water scarcity and import costs.”

The Asia-Pacific region remains the largest feed producer at 533.1 million tonnes, but its year-on-year output was down nearly a percentage point. The decrease, Alltech said, largely was due to headwinds in China as well as ongoing weather extremes, oversupply and cheap feed alternatives that hampered expansion.

North America, the second largest feed producing region, saw a modest increase (0.6%, 290.7 million tonnes) across beef, poultry and pork that was offset by the impacts of HPAI (in layers and turkeys) and stagnant aquaculture production.

Rebounds in pig, beef and aquaculture feed led to a 2.7% increase in Europe’s total feed production (267.8 million tonnes) but Alltech said structural constraints, including sustainability policies and diminishing herds, will temper future expansion.

Posting the second biggest year-on-year increase was Latin America, where output jumped by 3.6% to 198.4 million tonnes.

“This region experienced solid gains driven by robust demand for poultry, pork and beef, as well as favorable export markets,” Alltech said.

By far the smallest feed-producing region, Oceania’s output in 2024 reached 11 million tonnes, an increase of 2.5% compared to 2023.

Feed production for poultry, beef and dairy saw increases in 2024, while declines were noted in pig and aquaculture feed output, the report said.

Poultry feed experienced an increase in production both for broilers (385.4 million tonnes; up 1.8%) and layers (173.3 million tonnes; up 1.4%). Broiler feed remains the largest species segment, accounting for nearly 28% of the total feed tonnage in the world, Alltech said.

“As a ‘budget-friendly’ protein option, the broiler industry benefits from surges in red meat prices,” Alltech said. “Affordability drove demand in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, while rising incomes boosted growth in Africa. While HPAI was a persistent issue for poultry production, broiler feed volumes are positioned to continue on a path toward moderate growth this year because of broiler meat’s affordability and export opportunities.”

For layers, the slow 1.4% growth rate reflected the challenges facing the industry, including the disruptions by avian influenza and oversupply in some regions, Alltech noted.

“Disease challenges led to North America experiencing the steepest decline in production due to flock reductions,” Alltech said. “Layer production was able to maintain a positive global growth rate, however, due to volume gains in Asia-Pacific — where consumers are favoring eggs as a cheaper protein option — and healthy demand in Latin America and Africa.

“While the threat of HPAI continues to loom in various regions, the development of vaccines and improved biosecurity measures could help mitigate losses and keep the global layer sector on an upward trajectory.”

Global pig feed production experienced a 0.6% decline in 2024, to 369.2 million tonnes. Growth in the European, Latin American and North American pork segments was counterbalanced by downturns in Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, the report said. These trends were dictated in part by how well producers in each region continued to recover from outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF), with export demand allowing Europe and Latin America to reclaim lost ground, Alltech said.

“Survey respondents were divided in their outlook for pig feed production, which recorded the highest amount of pessimism among all feed segments,” Alltech said. “Proper disease management and stabilized feed costs will be critical for the pig feed sector to achieve growth worldwide.”

A significant gain was seen in dairy feed tonnage, which increased by 3.2% to 165.5 million tonnes due to robust consumer demand, favorable milk prices and a shift toward more intensive farming practices, with Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America all experiencing growth in dairy feed output in 2024, while production remained stable in North America.

“Despite challenges that ranged from disease pressures to volatile weather conditions, the global dairy sector continues to exhibit strong resilience and growth potential,” Alltech said. “The modernization and intensification of production and higher milk yields are expected to foster further increases — but lower farmgate prices in China could limit global gains overall.”

Beef feed tonnage rose from 131.6 million tonnes in 2023 to 134.1 million tonnes last year, reflecting a global increase of 1.8%. North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe and Oceania all recorded gains thanks to a rise in demand for beef exports due to tight supply elsewhere around the world, Alltech said.

“Additionally, scarce forages in parts of North America, Latin America and Australia drove cattle producers to rely more heavily on commercial feeds,” Alltech noted. “The decline in beef feed tonnage seen in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East was attributed to oversupply and lower prices.”

Global feed production for the aquaculture sector declined slightly, by 1.1%, in 2024 to 52.9 million tonnes, continuing a downward trend for the sector that first emerged in 2023. Alltech said, however, that concealed in the overall number was considerable regional divergence, including gains in Latin America, Africa and Europe.

“Unfortunately, the considerable decreases in Asia-Pacific and North America due to disease challenges, extreme weather events, cost pressures and low market prices weighed down the entire sector,” Alltech said. “Looking ahead, aquaculture is positioned to strengthen slowly, but this recovery will likely remain uneven across regions. Potential rebounds in shrimp and finfish production in Asia-Pacific will depend on stabilized prices and biosecurity improvements.”

The compound feed production totals and prices reported in the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook were collected in the first quarter of 2025 with assistance from feed mills and industry and government entities around the world.