Fewer proteins in ecological raw materials

This was the result of a digestibility research in finishing pigs at
Wageningen University’s Animal Sciences Group in the Netherlands. The research
was carried out for the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food
Quality.

The research focused on flakes of rape seed, soybean, sunflower
seed, sesame seed and whole ground blue lupins.

Lower
In the
ecological grown products, protein content, crude fibre content and ash content
were lower than in conventional products.

The level of major amino acids
as a percentage of crude protein was somewhat higher than in conventional
products.

Same composition
Up until now, it was thought that
ecological grown raw materials had the same composition and digestibility
coefficients as conventional products. The results however seem to point in a
different direction.

Researcher Hans van Diepen said, “It’s too early to
say that we should use a separate table for ecological raw
materials.”

The researchers are also doing research into feeds for
ecological kept laying hens.

Related websites:
Wageningen University and
Research Centre
Animal Sciences Group