OK-Net EcoFeed: working towards 100% organic and regional feed for monogastrics in Europe

Summary

For pigs and poultry, achieving fully organic diets from regionally grown feedstuffs is problematic. The major difficulty is sourcing protein that satisfies specific amino acid requirements.
Overfeeding of protein to correct amino acid levels leads to environmental pollution and underfeeding of amino acids can cause welfare problems such as cannibalism as well as poor growth and egg production. To test potential solutions, the OK-Net EcoFeed project is working with farmers and industry partners in 12 Innovation Groups in eight European countries. The Innovation Groups (IGs) first identified current gaps and barriers which include gaps in knowledge of protein quality and amino acid content in all feedstuffs and a lack of knowledge about the specific nutritional requirements of animals managed in organic systems. Adequate and optimal storage of feedstuffs as well as a lack of land for growing crops were issues and poor collaboration with regional arable growers and feed companies were also seen as barriers. Organic regulations state that feed should be produced in the same region in which animals are kept, but the word ‘region’ has several meanings. IGs were therefore asked for their understanding of what was ‘regional’. Farmers considered it to mean closer to the farm than advisors or feed companies who both accepted ’region‘ to be up to EU level for difficult-to-source feed components. IGs have all identified potential solutions to be tested including like-for-like replacements for soya such as camelina, canola and sunflower; sprouting seeds to optimise protein and palatability; ‘green protein’ from grass/clover leys; on-farm processing of regionally-grown soya; silage from brewer’s yeast and straw; management methods for feeding silage; and the development of an annual ration plan using in-season forage and fodder.
All IGs will produce videos and factsheets to be placed on the Organic Farm Knowledge platform: https://organic-farmknowledge.org