Feed efficiency as a system: From single solutions to integrated nutritional portfolios

Traditional feed efficiency strategies often focused on isolated interventions, such as increasing energy density or adding a specific additive. While beneficial, they rarely address the full range of inefficiencies in practical production systems.

Hidden losses occur across several stages:

• Incomplete nutrient release from raw materials.
• Variability in ingredient quality and digestibility.
• Presence of anti-nutritional factors.
• Inefficient metabolic utilization of absorbed nutrients.

These “invisible” inefficiencies reduce feed investment returns, even in nutritionally adequate diets. Therefore, the industry is shifting from siloed solutions to systems-based feed efficiency strategies.

Building a feed efficiency portfolio

A modern feed efficiency portfolio combines complementary technologies that act across the full nutrient utilization pathway. Rather than depending on one mechanism, it integrates functional solutions that help release, absorb, and convert nutrients more effectively.

This portfolio is built around three connected pillars:

1. Maximizing nutrient release

Structural complexity and chemical binding can limit nutrient availability in feed ingredients, with non-starch polysaccharides, phytates, and resistant proteins restricting access to energy, amino acids, and minerals. Targeted technologies help overcome these barriers, improving digestibility, nutrient availability, and formulation flexibility without compromising efficiency.

2. Enhancing nutrient utilization

After release and absorption, nutrients must be efficiently converted into productive output, such as growth, eggs, or milk.

Modern strategies support this by matching nutrient supply to physiological needs through:

• Accurate energy systems, such as net energy approaches.
• Balanced amino acid profiles based on ideal protein.
• Better synchronization of energy and protein availability.

3. Reducing variability and increasing consistency

Variability in raw material quality, processing, and animal response can reduce feed efficiency and performance consistency.

A robust portfolio helps manage this variability by:

• Stabilizing nutrient release and digestion.
• Reducing the impact of anti-nutritional factors.
• Improving performance predictability across production cycles.

From cost per ton to nutrient value

Volatile raw material markets are pushing nutritionists to rethink feed formulation. Instead of focusing only on cost per ton, formulation should consider the value delivered by each unit of nutrient.

Feed efficiency portfolios support this shift by:

• Unlocking additional value from existing feed ingredients.
• Allowing greater inclusion of alternative raw materials.
• Improving predictability of performance despite ingredient variability.

In this way, feed becomes more than a cost factor—it becomes a strategic tool for value creation.

Sustainability through better feed efficiency

Improving feed efficiency delivers clear sustainability benefits. Better nutrient use reduces feed required per unit of output, lowering demand for land, water, energy, and other resources. It also decreases nutrient excretion and emissions, making feed efficiency a key driver of sustainable intensification.

Orffa’s commitment to sustainable livestock production

FEFAC’s feed sustainability charter highlights five core ambitions, including climate-neutral production and improved resource efficiency. Orffa supports these ambitions through nutritional solutions that help reduce antibiotic reliance, improve animal welfare, and enhance production efficiency.

A practical example is Excential Energy Plus, a nutritional emulsifier shown through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to reduce the environmental footprint of broiler production. By improving energy and nutrient digestibility in energy-reduced diets, it helps lower feed costs while maintaining performance.

• Reduced CO2 equivalent emissions per kg live weight by 2.86% in broilers.
• Delivered a sustainable return of 1:200.
• Requires 1.15 kg CO2 equivalent per kg produced, while saving 228 kg CO2 equivalent.

Toward a new nutritional standard

A feed efficiency portfolio reflects a broader evolution in animal nutrition—from formulating diets based mainly on nutrient levels to designing strategies that optimize nutrient function and overall system performance.

The focus is therefore no longer only on what the feed contains, but also on:

• How nutrients are released from ingredients.
• How efficiently they are absorbed and used by the animal.
• How consistently they support performance.

This system-based approach supports more precise and effective nutritional interventions for the demands of modern animal production.

For further information, visit Empowering viable animal farming | Orffa or [email protected]