Navigating Poultry Nutrition in a Tropical Environment: Strategies Amid Unique Challenges
It is easy to romanticize the Caribbean’s climate—until you try to raise livestock in it. For poultry producers, heat stress is not a seasonal inconvenience; it is a year-round opponent.
Unlike temperate regions that experience predictable cycles of summer and winter, we contend with constant high temperatures and humidity. In Jamaica, the two primary rainy seasons—May and October—bring a predictable cascade of issues: reduced average daily gains, gut health challenges, and an increase in flushing requirements.
Added to this is the unique logistical, cultural and regulatory environment that Caribbean poultry producers operate in. Regulatory frameworks in CARICOM lean towards the European Union model, meaning some antibiotics are not as readily available for commercial animal production, indeed some integrators have even moved to full ABF operations.
To add another layer of complexity, feed ingredients cost over 30% more than in the USA or Brazil. As small players in the global market, we often have little choice but to accept what is available—whether or not it truly meets our needs.
This reality has forced us to be adaptive. We do not have the luxury of trial and error on a grand scale, nor can we afford to wait years for solutions. Instead, we have become early adopters of technologies that, in larger markets, would have been cautiously integrated over time.
Suppliers quickly realized that advanced enzymes, organic minerals, amino acids, pre- and probiotics, and phytogenic compounds would gain traction in the Caribbean—provided they were backed by solid science. These are not mere enhancements; they are essential components of our nutrition strategies.
Rather than being reactionary to heat stress problems the key lies in pre-emptive action, For example before the spring and summer months approach, start making incremental dietary adjustments; adapting diets and management strategies before the challenges arise.
Managing Heat Stress: More Than Just a Nutritional Problem
Indeed, because formulation does not happen in a vacuum as nutritionists, we must be aware of the role the physical environment plays. For example, in Jamaica, we have high bauxite soil. Why is this important? Because these soils are high in minerals that act as antagonists to other minerals, making the form of the minerals we use in our diet critical.
Indeed, I usually recommend a combination of i...
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