Optimizing nutrition of commercial livestock for minimal negative impact on the environment through precision feed formulation

Abstract

Manure  (excretory  products,  including feces  and  urine)  produced  by  animals throughout the world represents an enormous amount of organic matter and inorganic minerals added to the environment each day. Environmental stress is suffered by confined livestock as a result of dust and toxic gases produced during manure decomposition or other animal waste problems. The primary way to reduce the amount of nutrients excreted by animals is to decrease the amount consumed and increase  the  efficiency  of  utilization  of  the  dietary  nutrients.  “Precision  Nutrition”   is  a  concept currently being introduced as  a new approach to evaluate, adjust, properly utilize and possibly reduce the excretion of potentially damaging nutrients within livestock and poultry operations. Precision diets are formulated to  precisely  meet the animal’s specific  minimum  requirements for essential nutrients throughout the production period to minimize excretory loss to the environment. Proper management of  the  diets  of  farm  animals  can  be  a  valuable tool  for  reducing  nutrient  excretion,  thereby significantly reducing potentially negative impacts of animal production on the environment.