Grazing dairy cow most efficient farm animal

The Belgian Feed Association (BFA), in collaboration with ILVO, has conducted a study into the edible protein efficiency of Belgian cattle. This study is the first to chart the relationship between, on the one hand, the vegetable proteins used in cattle feed, which in theory could also be used in human food, and, on the other hand, the quantity of edible animal protein (such as meat, eggs and milk) that is produced in return.

The ILVO study shows that cattle, eating a lot of grass among other things, are net producers of human edible protein. They produce more edible protein in the form of milk or meat than they consume. For pigs and chickens, the figure is close to break even (they consume about as much human edible protein as they supply as pork or eggs). Broilers currently appear to use more human edible protein than they give back, mainly because their feed contains a lot of grains.

Waste streams

BFA is committed to enabling the feed industry to source half of its feed from circular by-products not suitable for human consumption by 2030, up from 43% today. In addition, the sector wants to use even more protein sources that are not consumed by humans, such as rejected peas, lupin and insect meal.

Read the publication 'Evaluation of the net contribution of the Belgian livestock sector to the protein supply for man' (Dutch only)

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