Nutrition of monogastrics: A summary of research conducted under the German Federal Programme for Organic Agriculture and other forms of Sustainable Agriculture

Summary

The thematic focus of monogastric nutrition runs very regularly through the entire federal programme. A strong focus was on the use of feed made from 100% organic origin (EC Eco-Regulation). In experiments in 2006 on the use of roughage in outdoor rearing pigs, for example, it was shown that Jerusalem artichoke can lead to significantly higher weight gains, compared to the control, while weight gain decreased significantly in some cases using other roughages. In another project in 2007, the various processing methods for soybean cake and feed produced therefrom were tested on broiler chickens, laying hens and pigs. The aim was to develop a suitable technology to inactivate the anti-nutritive components in soy and thus to increase the protein digestibility and the nutritional value. At the same time, as part of a broad collaborative project, the use of five different roughages (straw, hay, clover silage, maize silage and Jerusalem artichokes) were compared in organic piglet production. It could be demonstrated that the feeding of various roughages resulted in a stabilisation of the intestinal flora in comparison to the control group. In particular, by feeding various roughages, the Clostridium perfringens population can be significantly reduced. A review of the compensatory protein uptake of organic pigs has found that it cannot be concluded that an economically relevant compensation takes place, and that under the specific feeding restrictions of organic farming GfE recommendations for lysine supply for the initial fattening period are estimated too high. In studies of different genotypes, management and feeding strategies it was also found that turkey diets with reduced ME (metabolisable energy) and amino acid levels, in combination with free-range management, result in a lower animal loss and high growth and carcass performance. In a review of the use of the microalga Spirulina platensis in a feeding trial with fattening broilers a positive dose-response effect was observed. The higher the amount of Spirulina absorbed, the better the carcass weights. Due to the high cost of the Spirulina product (despite improved fattening and carcass performance) the economics of its use in broiler production are unfavourable. Thus the application of this product is only recommended in the first phase of the rearing (1-14 days). The aim of another project was the development of NIRS calibration which allows a more timely determination of the constituents, especially the protein and amino acid contents (AS), of organically produced grain legumes immediately after harvest, in order to create optimal, demand-based rations.
In 2007, a database for feed was created to assist in ration design. In 2011 a number of projects started in which various locally available protein feeding stuffs will be tested in different feeding trials with pigs. The supply of essential amino acids within the available protein feed, especially for poultry, is often insufficient, and another research project is testing approaches to produce high-quality protein feed in the form of clover silage and use this feed in feeding trials with laying hens and broilers. The first results of these projects are expected in 2015. Further results from the BÖLN research on animal nutrition in monogastric animals are regularly published at www.bundesprogramm-oekolandbau.de.