3rd International Poultry Meat Congress

standards (DIN EN ISO 14040/44:2006) . This covers the production of raw materials for the
manufacturing process, the use by the consumer, and including the disposal of the used product.
But such an LCA reflects only one exemplary feeding scenario. To demonstrate the sustainability
improvement potential of each feed formulation, a new web-based system AMINOFootprint® is
now available to assess the ecological footprint of each individual poultry diet. AMINOFootprint®
is a web-based application for notebooks and tablets. It focuses on calculating ecological profiles of
compound feed and enables the identification of diets with the least environmental impact. This is a
change within the feed industry. Optimizing the nutritional and economic dimensions of compound
feed has always been core to the added value that feed additive companies promise to deliver; however.
Now diet evaluation will be based on a third dimension as a broad approach to sustainable diets.
As already expressed through the equitation of Ehrlich and Holdren (1974) the reduction of
crude protein in diets for livestock production leads to environmental improvements. This effect
can also be easily shown when calculating and comparing the ecological profiles of diets due
to their specific crude protein content. Table 2 below describes typical diets for broilers where
the level of crude protein is stepwise reduced by replacing soybean meal with additional amino
acid supplementation. The impact to the specific contributions to the Global Warming Potential
(GWP expressed as kg CO 2
-eq/mt feed), Acidification Potential (AP expressed as kg SO 2
-eq/mt
feed) and the Eutrophication Potential (EP expressed as kg PO 4
-eq/mt feed) are shown in figure
2 including the use phase and animal performance in a so-called “Cradle to Grave”-approach
including the nitrogen digestibility of the animal and thus the impact of the nitrogen excreted
with the manure.. Figure 2 furthermore illustrates the specific improvement potential for the
environmental performance of broiler production following the advanced feeding technology of
amino acid supplementation.
The reduction of the crude protein content by replacing imported soybean meal through locally
produced cereals leads to a stepwise reduction of the GWP up to roughly 140 kg CO 2
-eq/mt feed,
the AP 4,5 kg SO 2
-eq/mt feed and of the EP contribution by 1,2 kg PO 4
-eq/mt feed.
Diet A Diet B Diet C
Ingredient Share [%] Share [%] Share [%]
Soybean Meal (48%) 29,92 26,63 23,26
Corn 65,31 37,99 10,73
Wheat 0 30 60
Soybean Oil 1,25 1,81 2,34
Biolys 0,09 0,23 0,28
DL-Methionine 0,13 0,13 0,14
L-Threonine 0 0 0,04
Mineral Premix 3,3 3,21 3,21
Crude Protein Content 19,6 19,6 19,4
Table 2:Composition of different broiler diets, where Soybean meal and corn are stepwise
replaced by wheat for further calculations with AMINOFootprint®
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