Food for Feed: Valorisation of Agro Industry by- Products in Animal Feed

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1. Research background: there is a global recognition of the imperative need to address environmental impacts of contemporary agricultural systems and enhance food/ feed security. An urgent challenge facing the planet is the competition between the food produced for humans and the feed for animals. In EU the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC proposed the following waste management hierarchy: prevention, processing for reuse, recycling, energy recovery and disposal. This project will response in these challenges with the valorisation of agro industrial by-products associated with the local industry in N. Ireland, and focus on apple pomace, distillery by-products (whisky production) and mushroom waste compost, as few data exist. Apple pomace is a rich source of nutrients phytochemicals, (carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals). Mushroom waste compost has high mycelium content may improve animal health by increasing antioxidant capacity. Distillery production by-products are generally favoured due to their high protein/fibre content and found to have positive effects on the animal performance and methane emissions. These by-products may already being used in animal feed, however, more accurate information is needed on their nutritional value and conservation methods. 2. The goals of the research: evaluate the nutritive value of different agro industrial by-products and assess their potential to 1) improve nitrogen use efficiency in dairy cows; 2) improve milk quality and b) reduce methane emissions3. Research Methodology:3.1. Evaluate the nutritive value of different by-products.Samples will be collected and analysed for chemical composition (i.e. antioxidants, vitamins) and profiling and biological activity of their bioactive compounds. 3.2. Assess in vitro their effect in rumen fermentation. Samples be screened using the ANKOM Gas Production System. Measurements include: gas production/composition and fermentation end products. 3.3. Optimize the ensiling process. The selected by-products will be ensiled in experimental silos with or without additives or associated with other conventional animal feeds. Silage quality will be evaluated. The most efficient ensiling method will be used to prepare silage for the animal trials3.4. Access their inclusion effect in the diet of dairy cattle on feed intake, milk production, nutrient digestibility, energy and nitrogen utilization efficiency and methane emissions.3.5. Reveal how rumen microbes influence metabolic pathways related to N use efficiency and milk quality.This study includes, milk composition analysis, fatty acid profiling of the milk.3.6. Assess the overall environmental consequences of increasing the use of co-products in diets of ruminants by developing an improved life cycle assessment (LCA).