Demand for animal proteins is expected to double by 2050, presenting environmental challenges for the industry. But technology exists to keep animal agriculture both productive and make it more sustainable, in the view of Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech’s director of worldwide research. Here’s his top-nine list:

1. Sustainable nutrient management strategies that go beyond balancing nutrition to getting the most efficient production. Synchronizing nutrients and using appropriate forms of nutrients and minerals decrease waste and increase productivity. Such technology involves optimizing feeding systems and precision feeding.
2. Supplementation strategies, typically driven by economics, can also decrease environmental impact. These include the use of functional carbohydrates, microbial supplementation, minerals and antimicrobials.
3. Sequestering waste materials through processes that use technologies to capture waste and convert it to energy represent new sources of income in the form of the energy harvested and carbon credits.
4. Novel waste management systems, advanced technologies for manure handling, including aerobic, composting and biofilm reaction systems, can result in a 99 percent reduction in greenhouse gasses, and yield carbon credits.
5. Developing green feed processing systems include enzyme treatments and microbial fermentation systems. Some produce novel high-value ingredients like carbon dioxide, algae and carbohydrates. Microbial proteins from yeast could replace fishmeal as a feed ingredient, helping reduce overfishing in the world’s oceans.
6. Biorefinery component integration would produce less waste and potentially produce designer feeds using natural chemistry. One potential application that would complete the carbon cycle is the production of algae as feed. This application, which sequesters CO2, would be fast and efficient, producing a crop every five days.
7. Enzyme and microbial biotechnology can use orphan crop byproducts (corncobs, wood products, dried distillers grain solubles) as substrates to produce energy.
8. Microbial systems for detoxification could make previously toxic feedstuffs available for animal production. Deteriorated or contaminated feed could be rendered wholesome, increasing available feeds. Known toxins could be sequestered in feeds.
9. Advanced monitoring technologies, such as NIR biosensors, monitor the health and nutrition of animals and can improve efficiency and nutrient utilization. Animal production influences the quality of the environment. While challenges exist, solutions could be addressed at reasonable costs.

Alltech’s International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium full report.