Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Jaap VAN MILGEN
The food efficiency of these musicians is zero
They do not want to grow;
they eat so that they can play music
The feed efficiency of giant pandas is very low …
… and they are poor musicians as well
What is food/feed efficiency?
Jaap van Milgen .03
Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030: A Science Policy Dialogue - October 16, 2017
Armsby H.P. & Moulton C.R. (1925). The animal as an converter of matter and energy.
The issue of feed efficiency
and competition for resources is not new
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 25%
30%
Gain-to-feed ratio in pigs 35%
Ifip, 2015
Feed efficiency has increased over last decades
€10 M
Budget
€10 M
Budget
EU funded Research
project EU funded Research
project
2015 2020 2015 2020
8
Academic
8
Academic Industry
15
Industry
15
Partners
23
EU + China Partners
23
EU + China
The Feed-a-Gene Project has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 Programme under grant agreement no 633531
Adapting the feed, the animal and the feeding techniques to improve the efficiency and sustainability of monogastric livestock production systems
(www.feed-a-gene.eu)
What are we doing?
Feed
Develop new local feed resources that are not/less in competition with food
Improve the nutritional value of feed resources
Animal
Develop novel traits indicative for feed efficiency and robustness that can be used as selection criteria
“Do better with feeds that may be worse”
Feeding techniques
Appreciate variation among animals
Develop precision feeding techniques
Jaap van Milgen .07
Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030: A Science Policy Dialogue - October 16, 2017
understand
predict
control observe
Our capacity to observe has increased greatly
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 2
4 6 8 10 12 14
Body weight, kg
Digestible Lys, g/kg diet
Variation among individuals is natural, essential, and very well controlled
The average The lowest The highest
Jaap van Milgen .09
Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030: A Science Policy Dialogue - October 16, 2017
(Individual) Precision feeding of pigs allows to:
• Reduce lysine intake by 27%
• Reduce nitrogen and phosphorus excretion by 22-30%
• Reduce feed cost by 8-10%
Andretta et al. (2014). J. Anim. Sci. 92: 3925-3936.
Precision livestock feeding and farming has a great potential
Precision livestock farming …
Jaap van Milgen .011
Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030: A Science Policy Dialogue - October 16, 2017
The role of livestock production in the circular bioeconomy
products resources
The role of livestock production in the circular bioeconomy
J.L. Peyraud (2017). Animal Task Force
Jaap van Milgen .013
Is feed efficiency a relevant indicator to assess the role of livestock in sustainable food production?
Harnessing Research and Innovation for FOOD 2030: A Science Policy Dialogue - October 16, 2017
Livestock production and animal-derived products are part of a sustainable food supply
There is a potential to increase the efficiency and robustness of livestock production systems
There is no “one-size-fits-all”: variation (among animals and systems), differentiation (of products), and segmentation (of markets) are
essential
Information-based technologies (e.g., precision livestock farming) have a great potential and are inevitable. Is society ready for it?
The role of livestock production in the circular bioeconomy
Encourage the dialogue with society
to reduce the gap between citizens and consumers
