Norsk Kylling has halved the soy content in its feed from 19 to 10 percent in five years by replacing soy with rapeseed and sunflower. In the future, they will test both flour beetles and flies in the feed. The results can result in both healthier chickens and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
In a world with population growth and climate challenges, it is important to produce food in a responsible and sustainable way. In the spring of 2022, the Norwegian government launched a new social mission with the goal that all feed for farmed fish and livestock should come from sustainable sources by 2034 and thus contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the food systems.
Norsk Kylling takes its social mission seriously and is constantly working to improve both animal welfare and feed. Two research projects, "Sustainable Feed for Hubbard" and "BWell – assessment of Broiler Welfare in a medium-slow growing hybrid", are important in this work. The projects have received funding from the Research Council of Norway through SkatteFUNN and the Industrial PhD Scheme.
Soy out, bugs in?
The research project "Sustainable Feed for Hubbard" aims to find soy-free feed for the slow-growing Hubbard chicken breed. Soy is rich in protein but has some drawbacks. The production of soy requires large areas of land and is transported over long distances. In Brazil, this has led to the rainforest having to give way to soy plantations. Additionally, soy is a valuable food source for humans that can help replace animal proteins in our diet.
"Feed production accounts for a large proportion of the climate footprint of chicken production, in fact up to 70 percent. To reduce this, we need to find alternative protein sources that can be produced in a more sustainable way," says Gisle Bakken from Norsk Kylling. He is the project manager for "Sustainable Feed for Hubbard."
Bakken and his team are testing new raw materials in a separate test barn. Here, they compare different feed mixtures under similar conditions, to see how they affect the growth and health of the chickens.
"We have managed to reduce the soy content in the feed from 19 percent in 2020 to less than 10 percent today. We have achieved this by replacing soy with raw materials such as rapeseed and sunflower," says Bakken. In the future, they are also looking at the possibilities of using insects in the feed.
The goal is to reduce emissions from feed production by 50 percent by 2030. The project also leads to increased knowledge about how we can produce more of the feed in Norway, and thus increase our degree of self-sufficiency.
Better animal welfare with slow-growing chicken
In the BWell project, the researchers have compared the health and welfare of two types of chickens with different growth rates, Hubbard and Ross. Research shows that Hubbard chickens that grow more slowly than conventional fast-growing chickens are in better health. This results in less waste and better animal welfare, without compromising meat quality.
"We have seen that the Hubbard chickens have a lower incidence of diseases and disorders and are more robust to external factors such as temperature fluctuations. For example, they tolerate cold better than fast-growing chickens," says Merete Forseth, head of animal welfare at Norsk Kylling.
Chickens that grow more slowly, such as the Hubbard chickens, become more robust. Thus, fewer chickens die of disease and there is less waste in production. When chickens die before they reach their slaughter weight, there is a loss of both feed and energy. In addition, waste at the slaughterhouse is reduced, since fewer chickens have to be discarded due to illness or injury.
"The results from the project have also been used in the work on a new animal welfare report. This shows that our research will have a major impact on how we produce chicken in Norway," says Forseth.
Innovation for more sustainable animal feed
Both projects contribute to more sustainable chicken production. The support from the Research Council has been crucial. The results show that it is possible to produce healthy and good food with consideration for both animals and the environment. Forseth has taken an industrial PhD degree through the BWell project, where Norsk Kylling contributed large amounts of data . After completing his studies, Forseth has had the opportunity to bring his knowledge back to the industry.
Bakken, for his part, emphasizes how important innovation is to achieve the goals of more sustainable chicken production.
"We are dependent on cooperation and support from the Research Council of Norway to be able to innovate and achieve the goals we have set ourselves," says Bakken.
He points out that it is through research and development of new technology that they can find solutions to the challenges facing the industry.