GLOBAL compound feed production has risen to a record 959 million tonnes in 2012.

The data is according to the latest survey by US animal health and nutrition company Alltech.

That's a 10 per cent increase on the 873 million tonnes reported in January last year, although Alltech said the real increase was more like 4-5 per cent, given that new sources of information became available which were not included in the 2011 survey.

This year's report is the second undertaken by Alltech in a bid to record the world's  tonnage.

Alltech vice-president Aidan Connolly said the lastest report was being released as an industry outlook resource which “will hopefully allow governments, non-governmental organisations and the greater public to appreciate the value that the feed industry is generating globally”.

Where possible, Alltech collected data in partnership with local feed associations in the 134 countries surveyed but when not possible, the company's own staff gathered information from the 26,240 feed mills operating around the world.

The Alltech report showed China remained the world's leader in feed production with 191.3 million tonnes – a rise of 16.9 million tonnes from 2011.

The country’s pork sector was the biggest user of milled feedstuffs in 2012, accounting for 58.1 million tonnes.

The poultry sector was the country’s second biggest consumer, using 53 million tonnes.

The US is the world’s second largest compound feed user with 179.1 million tonnes consumed, or 14.2 million tonnes more than that recorded the previous year.

Nearly one third of total US tonnage was used by its broiler industry, accounting for 57.2 million tonnes.

The US poultry layer industry used 23.1 million tonnes of feed, while turkeys accounted for 6.5 million tonnes.

Pork producers in the US used 23.6 million tonnes, while beef was not far behind on 23.4 million tonnes.

Alltech’s survey showed Brazil remained the third largest compound feed user with 66.2 million tonnes, half of which was consumed by its broiler industry.

Mexico, Spain, India and Japan were the next four biggest feed users, ranging between 25 million tonnes to 28.5 million tonnes.

Australia was ranked 24, with 9.7 million tonnes of compound feed produced.

The Australian broiler industry used 1.9 million tonnes, while dairy farmers consumed 1.8 million tonnes and pork producers 1.5 million tonnes.

Ruminants other than the beef and dairy industry were the biggest users on 2.3 million tonnes.

Asia accounted for 350 million tonnes of feed, or 36 per cent of global production, while Africa and the Middle East was the fastest growing region, rising 15 per cent to 54 million tonnes in 2012.

“The Middle East was estimated to have the largest feed mills, with an average of more than 63,000 tonnes produced per mill,” Alltech said.

Globally, the poultry industry is the largest feed user, accounting for 43 per cent of total consumption.

“Aquaculture is the fastest growing species sector by tonnage, with growth greater than 55 per cent since 2011,” Alltech said.

The Chinese aquaculture sector used 13.3 million tonnes, while the US industry consumed 11.7 million tonnes – both more than Australia’s total compound feed usage.

Alltech founder and president Pearse Lyons said the 2012 survey results should “stir optimism and resolve” within the feed and food industries.

“Our global feed industry is rising to the challenge and we’re seeing growth across the board,” Dr Lyons said.

“Moreover, we’re seeing it in some particularly key areas – BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), Africa and aquaculture.”