This project aims to reduce the use of soybean meal (SBM), increase the use of locally produced protein-rich feedstuffs (PRF), reduce carbon footprint of broiler meat, reduce N excretion, and reduce cost of broiler feed. These aims will be addressed by developing a new energy evaluation system for composing sustainable diets resulting in high feed efficiency.
Feed accounts for~70% of the broilers' total climate footprint. Soybean meal (SBM) is the most widely used source of protein/amino acids (AA) in broiler feed in Denmark. SBM's carbon footprint is seven times higher than that of locally produced protein-rich feedstuffs (PRF) such as peas and rapeseed cake (Appendix 1). Thus, reducing the inclusion of SBM in broiler feeds in Denmark will reduce climate impact.
The consortium for this project is Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University (lead), Danish Agro, SEGES, Williamsborg Gods and AgroVision (the latter do not ask for funding). The project will be organized into six work packages (WP). AU-ANIVET will develop the new NE-based system (WP1) and evaluate local PRF in digestibility studies (WP2). AgroVision and AU will update software and nutrient recommendations (WP3). SEGES and AU will evaluate the system in small-scale at Foulum (WP4), and Danish Agro and Williamsborg Gods will demonstrate in large-scale, that broilers grow well with the sustainable diet formulation (WP5). SEGES will disseminate the outcome of the project to the industry (WP6).
The results will be presented at the Nordic Poultry Conference, an annual poultry conference where researchers, nutritionists, farmers, and others involved in poultry production meets. The conference is scientific, meaning fellow researchers will evaluate the results. Poultry nutritionists at SEGES will then start getting the knowledge out to all feed manufacturers, broiler farmers, producers of local PRF in Denmark to ensure that the new NE system is well adopted in Denmark. At least 12 papers will be published in peer-reviewed journals.
