ISSUE FOCUS 46 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2023 “As the demand for sustainable, responsibly-produced livestock increases, driven by calls from producers and consumers of livestock products, as well as regulators concerned with sustainability and food safety in the agri-food industry, addressing the role of feed ingredients is an important consideration. Plant-based ingredients have an essential role to play in this transition.” In the complex calculus of sustainable animal production, animal feed is a key link in the value chain for producers looking to improve animal health, productivity, and ecological outcomes. The livestock sector emits an estimated 7.1 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, around 14.5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by human activity. By enhancing the efficiency of livestock supply chains, including how these animals are fed, we can address some factors that will help limit the industry’s GHG emissions and realise more sustainable agricultural production. As the demand for sustainable, responsibly-produced livestock increases, driven by calls from producers and consumers of livestock products, as well as regulators concerned with sustainability and food safety in the agri-food industry, addressing the role of feed ingredients is an important consideration. Plant-based ingredients have an essential role to play in this transition. ANIMAL HEALTH A BUILDING BLOCK FOR SUSTAINABILITY It’s widely accepted that healthy animals are more productive and live better lives. But livestock health delivers benefits beyond just productivity, including better feed conversion, lower incidence of disease and less time and investment needed for medical treatments. This efficiency has a knock-on effect on emissions. Around a decade ago, the FAO posited that adopting a range of best practices in animal health and husbandry could reduce emissions from livestock by around 30 per cent. Improving animal health reduces the number of unproductive animals, increases efficiency, and ensures that more healthy animals reach their potential productivity. In field trials, researchers in Scotland found better disease management in cows could create emission savings of 4.5%, marking a significant reduction in GHGs for one of the country’s highest-emitting industries. Feed is essential in improving efficiency and delivering these functional benefits for livestock. THE ROLE OF FEED Plant-based ingredients, such as those derived from palm oil, provide a host of benefits that can improve animal health and promote efficient food systems. DOES PALM OIL HAVE A PLACE IN SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION? Pablo Arranz Quality and Sustainability Manager, Iberia Golden Agri-Resources
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