ISSUE FOCUS 42 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2025 As global demand for animal protein increases, feed formulation must balance nutrition, cost, and sustainability. By integrating life-cycle assessments, reliable data, and transparent sourcing, formulators can meet animal needs while protecting the environment. In recent years, the livestock sector has faced growing scrutiny over its environmental footprint, prompting a shift in priorities for animal feed formulation. Traditionally, feed formulation centered on providing the necessary nutrients at minimal cost, ensuring optimal animal health and productivity. Today, the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, protect biodiversity, and manage land resources responsibly means feed formulators must integrate environmental criteria alongside nutrition and economics. Achieving this balance is no simple task. It requires not only technical expertise but also reliable environmental data and robust analytical methods. At its core, feed formulation involves selecting a combination of ingredients—grains, protein sources, fats, vitamins, and minerals—to meet the nutritional requirements of livestock. Historically, decisions were guided by feed efficiency and cost, but the landscape is changing. Increasingly, the question is not just how to feed animals effectively, but how to do so in a way that aligns with global sustainability goals. This expanded perspective integrates life-cycle assessments (LCAs), environmental impact data, and resource-use metrics into the decision-making process. Formulators now face the challenge of weighing ecological factors against traditional metrics to make informed, balanced choices. BEYOND NUTRITION AND COST: A CHANGING PARADIGM Feed formulation once revolved around two primary considerations: providing essential nutrients and minimizing expenses. While these goals remain crucial, the industry is embracing a more holistic approach. Environmental concerns, such as carbon footprints, land-use changes, and water scarcity, are now part of the equation. The challenge is to incorporate these considerations without sacrificing animal health, productivity, or profitability. For example, a protein ingredient might be nutritionally sound and economically attractive, but if its production involves deforestation or intensive irrigation in water-stressed regions, it carries hidden ecological costs. Similarly, a promising low-emission ingredient might be more expensive or less concentrated in certain amino acids. Balancing these tradeoffs requires a deep understanding of both nutritional and environmental parameters. REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN FEED FORMULATION THROUGH ADVANCED TECHNIQUES Ricardo Amaral Chief Executive Officer Optimal Technologies
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