A lower DORB rate can look attractive on a quotation sheet. But a quotation is not yet a feed-value comparison. Before approving a purchase, a feed buyer needs to know what the quoted price actually covers: the grade, the batch evidence, the freight basis and the quality parameters that affect usable value.
This guide gives procurement teams a practical way to compare DORB quotations without reducing the decision to one number per kilogram.
1. Is the quotation for the same quality basis?
Ask each supplier to state protein, fibre, moisture, total ash, sand silica or acid-insoluble ash, and any other agreed parameters on the same basis. A price comparison is meaningful only when the specification behind it is comparable. Protein alone is not enough; a batch with higher fibre, abrasive impurities or excess moisture can change the practical value of the material.
2. Is the report batch-specific?
A generic certificate shows what may have been produced at some point. A batch-specific report gives the buyer a clearer basis for the lot being offered. Ask for the batch or lot reference and ensure it can be matched to the dispatch.
3. What is the moisture position?
Moisture affects the quantity of usable dry material, handling and storage risk. Controlled moisture supports a more reliable comparison; excessive moisture can increase clumping, mould and rancidity risk. Clarify the acceptable limit and the action if a delivered lot exceeds it.
4. What do fibre, sand silica and AIA indicate together?
These parameters should be read as a pattern. High fibre can reduce digestibility; high sand silica or acid-insoluble ash can indicate abrasive contamination. If several indicators move in the wrong direction together, ask for clarification and consider independent verification before treating a low quote as a saving.
5. Does the price include freight, loading and taxes?
Compare delivered cost, not only ex-factory cost. Record the freight destination, loading terms, tax treatment, bagging, weighment method and any unloading or detention exposure. This prevents an apparently low quotation from becoming expensive at receipt.
6. What is the committed quantity and dispatch window?
A good price is less useful if supply timing is uncertain. Confirm quantity, permitted variation, dispatch schedule, replacement process and the person responsible for a supply issue. For repeat procurement, ask how the supplier manages raw-material variation across the season.
7. What happens if the delivered batch does not match?
Agree the sampling method, retained counter-sample, laboratory process and claim or replacement route before dispatch. Clear terms help both buyer and supplier resolve a genuine quality question without confusion.
8. What is the cost per useful result, not just cost per kg?
Feed decisions should consider the full formulation and expected practical performance, not a single ingredient price. Work with a qualified nutritionist to model the ingredient against current analysis, animal category and target diet. The cheapest quotation may not be the most economical option once quality and formulation corrections are included.
A simple quotation-comparison sheet
- Supplier and plant/source
- Quoted rate and delivered rate
- Batch reference and lab-report date
- Protein, fibre, moisture, ash, sand silica/AIA
- Freight, taxes, bagging and payment terms
- Quantity, dispatch date and claim process
RSPL encourages buyers to compare DORB with evidence, not assumptions. Ask for the relevant batch information, compare parameters consistently and keep a clear record before approving the order.
Educational note: final formulation and inclusion decisions should be reviewed by a qualified nutritionist using current ingredient analysis.