Impact of different types of local concentrates on productivity, health, behaviour and welfare of pigs and poultry in different production phases, D3.4

Summary

The overall discussion of the projects resulted in the following conclusions concerning:
Pigs
From a biological point of view, 100% organic feeding (with focus on protein/essential amino acid supply) seems to be feasible.
It seems to be questionable whether the quantities and qualities of the required feeding stuffs are available at present and in the near future if only regional till EC-wide origin is aimed. (These views are also based on the previous of wp 1 and wp 2 discussions.)
100% organic feeding will stress economy.
Poultry
Regarding the issue of supplying organic concentrates main findings were:
Protein from organically produced Spirulina algae can fully replace protein from traditional organic sources in broiler diets.
Refining of ingredients of plant origin enriching the relative content of Methionine seems to be a useful way to supply relevant protein sources for poultry, eg for sunflower seed expeller.
Insects meal (Hermetia illucens) up to 12 % in the diet can replace soybean cake without any difference in egg production, feed conversion, health and taste of eggs.
Crushed mussel shells (particle size 10-20 mm) supplied in the litter on every day basis to layers affected neither birds’ feather cover, nor other welfare parameters or production performance. Crushed mussel shells cannot fully replace dietary calcium as calcium source without impairing bone health and egg shell strength.