Improved contribution of local feed to support 100% organic feed supply to pigs and poultry

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From 2017 all producers will be required to feed monogastric animals a 100% organic diet. This raises a number of questions:

What is the availability of relevant locally produced organic feed?What is the nutritive value of new feed items?Which impact does the use of new feed items have on pigs and poultry in different phases of their production cycle?Can inclusion of roughage in the feeding regimen contribute to meeting the nutritional and behavioral needs as well as supporting animal health?To what extent direct foraging in the outdoor area can contribute to meeting the animal’s nutritional needs?

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Research questions

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ICOPP: Improved contribution of local feed to support 100% organic feed supply to pigs and poultry

Headed by FiBl and with contributions from all partners, data base of organic feed stuffs available at EU level constructed and balanced with projected demands of protein for the organic pig and poultry sector produced

The nine countries involved in ICOPP cover 50 % of European organic arable land and produce 85 % and 80 % of organic pigs and poultries, respectively.

Self-sufficiency of feed dry matter is on average 69 %, whereas self-sufficiency of crude protein is on average 56 %.

Thus, new and protein sources are needed for pigs and poultry.

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Local feed availability

Sainfoin and grasspea seeds possess specific advantages under difficult growing conditions (marginal, dry or wet soil conditions). This may (partially) compensate their relatively low yields.

If properly processed, both sainfoin seeds and grasspea seeds can be used to substitute for scarce protein sources (particularly soybean meal) without affecting growth performance and health of weaned piglets.

Mussel meal can replace common protein sources in feed for growing/finishing pigs with maintained production results in terms of growth, feed efficiency and carcass quality

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Organic pig feeding, concentrates

Roughage (clover grass and alfalfa) represents a good source for protein (high yield per ha with appropriate amino acid composition) and can (partly) substitute concentrate based proteins

And prevent ulcer damages

But If mixed with concentrates, daily gain and feed conversion rate

becomes poorer

Direct foraging on well-established alfalfa can pose an important contribution to energy and protein supply in fattening pigs if the pigs are fed restrictively with a low-protein feed mixture and if the pigs get regularly access to new land (strip-grazing).

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Organic pig feeding, roughage

Main problem in existing local organic sources is the low content of methionine compared to other proteins.

For new sources, protein from organically produced Spirulina algae or insects protein can fully replace protein from traditional sources in broiler diets.

For existing sources two ways can be suggested enriching the relative content of Methionine by fractioning seems to be a useful way to supply relevant protein sources for poultry, eg for sunflower seed expeller. ‘dilution’ of the diet energy wise. This can eg be relevant when including high quality roughage in the feed mixture for layers.

For layers and slow growing broilers direct foraging can make a significant contribution to the amino acid supply

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Poultry

Much more focus should be put on homegrown forage as a protein (and amino acid) source, also for pigs and poultry by

Harvesting at the right time in relation to plant development when used for silage.

Take the protein content of the roughage into account in the practical feeding planning, both when fed as forage and when animal are foraging

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Conclusion

25 articles published to date Includes web-pages, magazines, newspapers, extension newsletters

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WP 7 – Dissemination headed by ORC and with contributions form all partners