Due to the exponential growth of the world population and rising incomes, an increase of the food consumption and of the demand for animal proteins is expected in the coming years. The OECD and FAO report on the agricultural outlook 2021-2030 predicts a further global increase of the consumption of eggs, meat, fresh dairy products and fish by 9.2%, 11.6%, 21.7% and 11.4%, respectively. On the other hand, availability of resources is increasingly limited due to environmental pressure, world economics and worldwide regulations restraining the overuse of limited ingredients. Not only the availability of feed materials can be problematic but also the availability of several nutrients (e.g. energy, protein) is crucial for meeting the strict requirements of animals. In this global context, feed efficiency has been a popular topic to meet the demand for animal protein with as little resources as possible, while maintaining human, animal and environment health and welfare.
But what is feed efficiency exactly? “Feed efficiency is generally seen as the ability of the animal to fix the maximum amount of nutrients provided by the ration using the concept of RFI (residual feed intake)” (Agricultural Systems, 2023) is one of the provided definitions. However, sources describe this concept all sensibly in different ways, showing the difficulties of outlining such a wide and multifactorial notion. One measurable parameter of the feed efficiency is the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Despite a, what seems to be, simple formula (feed intake divided by weight gain for growing animals), several additional parameters are often overlooked, such as the weight reference (e.g. FCR 2.5kg live weight in broilers), the number of animals (mortality corrected), or the method to measure feed intake (including feed spoilage). These discrepancies clearly highlight the difficulties for comparison and finding an ideal, valid across the globe. In light of this disparity, it becomes key to work together on defining and reaching an acceptable way to measure feed efficiency. Orffa, as a global leader in animal nutrition, invests in such research activities and defines feed efficiency as an essential feed solution area for the future.
THE KEY FOR GOOD PROFITABILITY IS THE EFFICIENT USE OF FEED MATERIALS
It’s not a secret to anyone that feed is the main driver of animal production costs, being responsible for around 60-70%. Limiting feed costs is therefore important to enhance the industry profitability and competitiveness. One of the solutions to reduce costs is the use of alternative raw materials, such as byproducts, allowing for lower prices and better availability. When talking about energy nutrition, alternative fats (e.g. meat and bone meal) and oils (e.g. oils from the food industry) are common, while grain byproducts (e.g. brewer’s yeast, corn gluten feed) can be a solution for protein supply. The main issues of these alternative feed ingredients are their nutritional composition and, more precisely, their nutrient digestibility profile. As an example, soybean oil has a typical fat digestibility of 90% in broilers and 95% in swine, while it is 79% in broilers and 89% in swine for tallow fat (CVB Feed Table, 2021). This can be explained by the different fatty acid characteristics such as the unsaturated/saturated ratio or the melting point. As a result, tallow fat will be less digested and absorbed in the small intestine than a qualitative oil like soybean oil, resulting in less energy available for performance of the animal.
Orffa’s science-driven approach tackles key challenges in animal nutrition across three core areas: Gut Health & Immunity, Feed Efficiency, and Mineral Nutrition. Orffa’s feed efficiency solutions are specifically developed to be optimally active in the specific gastro-intestinal conditions (e.g. high-water level, pH, presence of pathogens), guaranteeing the most effective action for all animal species. As a result, nutrient utilization is enhanced even when using cheaper, less digestible ingredients, reducing waste and pressure on resources. The digestibility promoter Excential Energy Plus (Orffa Additives B.V.) is an effective additive, which is able to enhance the digestibility and absorption of fat, protein and fiber even in low digestibility raw materials. For the industry, it also means reduced feed costs for better profitability. Several meta-analyses prove the efficacy of Excential Energy Plus to promote feed efficiency (FCR: -4% in broilers (Figure 1), -5% in growing-finishing pigs and -6% in weaned piglets) and reduce diet costs (saving of >5 EUR/ton of feed, return on investment of 3.5), highlighting it as one of the most effective digestibility promoters, with more than 100 scientific and commercial studies across the globe.
