Nutritional management for environment friendly animal production

Abstract

Animal manure can be a valuable resource while it can be a major obstacle in the future development of animal industries if the impact on environment is not properly controlled. The first option of manure management is developing 'environmentally sound' nutritional management, that is feeding programs and feeds to result in less excreted nutrients that need to be managed. Important nutrients that should be managed are P, N, and minerals that are used at super-nutritional levels. In order to control P excretion, microbial phytase has been used successfully. Activity of natural phytase in certain plant feedstuffs is high enough to be considered in feed formulation. Nitrogen control can be achieved through amino acid supplementation and protein restriction in the diet. Supplementation with carbohydrases reduces output of excreta as well as N. Ammonia release from the manure could be I-educed by using a low crude protein diet along with the supplementation with probiotics products. Excretion of minerals used at super-nutritional level can be reduced by using chelated forms. Cu and Zn in the form of methionine chelate have been successfully used in the broiler and pig diets.