Poultry diets have been developed to provide for the best nutrition of the birds at each stage of their development. Cereals form the major part of all poultry feed, together with soya and pulses. A vitamin and mineral supplement is also included.

As a source of essential amino acids a small amount of fish meal is sometimes used, particularly in organically reared poultry.

Birds are omnivores and some animal protein is a natural part of their diet. However, in Britain, no meat and bone meal from poultry, cattle or any other animal is fed to poultry.

Feed ingredients are compounded in dedicated poultry feed mills operated to the highest hygiene and environmental standards, laid down in Codes of Practice by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC).

Each lorry load of ingredients is checked and analysed before being accepted into the mill and samples taken and kept for future traceability.

The compounding process generates heat and pressure which helps to kill any harmful bacteria in any of the ingredients. Poultry feed is regularly tested for bacteria which might cause infection in the birds.

The British poultry industry is the biggest user of British wheat, consuming almost one fifth of the total UK wheat crop each year.