This document discusses the potential for oil seed crops like sunflower and oil seed rape (OSR) to replace soy in organic poultry feed in the UK. Sunflower meal has good nutritional properties for poultry like adequate levels of sulfur-containing amino acids. Both sunflower and certain OSR varieties can make useful contributions to organic poultry rations. However, UK production of OSR is currently very small and limited by agronomic and economic factors. Sunflower has more potential as it grows well in parts of southern England and Wales and is easier to produce organically in the UK climate than OSR.
The non-conventional feed resources (NCFR) refer to all those feeds that have not been traditionally used in animal feeding and or are not normally used in commercially produced rations for livestock.
NCFR include commonly, a variety of feeds from perennial crops and feeds of animal and industrial origin.
Livestock play an important role in most small-scale farming systems throughout the world.
They provide traction to cultivate fields, manure to maintain crop productivity, and nutritious food products for human consumption and income-generation.
Despite the importance of livestock, inadequate livestock nutrition is a common problem in the developing world, and a major factor affecting the development of viable livestock industries in poor countries.
Thus the feed resources plays a major role in farm animals.
The non-conventional feed resources (NCFR) refer to all those feeds that have not been traditionally used in animal feeding and or are not normally used in commercially produced rations for livestock.
NCFR include commonly, a variety of feeds from perennial crops and feeds of animal and industrial origin.
Livestock play an important role in most small-scale farming systems throughout the world.
They provide traction to cultivate fields, manure to maintain crop productivity, and nutritious food products for human consumption and income-generation.
Despite the importance of livestock, inadequate livestock nutrition is a common problem in the developing world, and a major factor affecting the development of viable livestock industries in poor countries.
Thus the feed resources plays a major role in farm animals.
Amaranth is one plant that needs more research attention and can be used for providing more nutrition to the body, that can beat malnutrition in the long run. The increasing food requirements can be met with amaranth, the nutritious grain.
Dr. S. MANIKANDAN, M.Sc., Ph.D
Lecturer in Botany
Thiruvalluvar University Model Constituent College,
Tittagudi 606 106, Tamil Nadu, India.
Email id: drgsmanikandan@gmail.com
Nutritive compounds from leaves of Moringa oleifera L. and beans of Vigna ung...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract - The nutritive compounds of the shoots of Borassus aethiopum M. consumed in Côte d'Ivoire is not yet revealed whereas popularization of this plant’s basis food recipes is planned. The current study investigates the nutritive parameters of new shoots of Borassus aethiopum M., leaves of Moringa oleifera L. and beans of Vigna unguiculata W. in order to improve their valorization. Initially, samples of Palmyra are processed into meal, while powders are produced from those of Moringa and Cowpea. Then, seven nutritive traits performed from these derived products allow comparison of the studied food resources. The work showed a great divergence (P<.01) between the samples relating to the whole parameters. Thus, the leaflets powder of Moringa is more provided in ash (4.19±.05 g/100 g), lipids (8.35±.01 g/100 g) and fibers (5.74±.01 g/100 g) than samples resulting from Cowpea and Palmyra. On the other hand, the powder of Cowpea beans highlights the greatest proteins content (27.24±.13 g/100 g); whereas the meal deriving from shoots of Palmyra represents the most significant source of carbohydrates, either fermented (84.10±.11 g/100 g) or unfermented (83.79±.10 g/100 g). The meal of Palmyra is also richer in soluble sugars (5.19±.01 to 5.23±.01 g/100 g), moister (9.90±.03% to 10.03±.04%) and has the most significant caloric energy value (315.03±.10 to 315.41±.10 kcal/100 g).
The new shoots tubers, leaves and beans of respective Palmyra, Cowpea and Moringa plants are with diverse nutritive composition. Their uses in composite food formulations could contribute in preservation of the biodiversity, to ensure food safety for populations and to address the poverty and wilderness concerns.
This presentation show about feed technology how to feed and fodder process their History, Principles, classification and some related definition its also helpful to graduate student and post graduate student FEED TECHNOLOGY
Definition
The subject of feed technology deals with processing of feeds, fodders and preparation of formula feeds for which the knowledge of nutritional requirements of various livestock and poultry, quality control of feed ingredients, feed plant management and the storage of feed ingredients and feeds are essential.
Animal feed technology may also be defined as the application of physical, chemical, biochemical, biological and engineering techniques to increase the nutrient utilization of feeds and fodders in animal system for the development of livestock and poultry and feed industry.
Beginning of feed Industry and related Activities in the US:-
• In 1875 Mr. john barwell initiated the production of a calf meal at Blatchford of Waukegan, Illinois.
• American Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) was founded in 1909 in Wisconsin and its name was changed to American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) in 1985.
• The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was established in 1909.
• Linear programming, a mathematical procedure, was developed by George B. Dantzig in 1947.
• W.V. Waugh of USDA was the first to see the potential of this mathematical procedure and developed a least cost dairy feed in 1951.
• Food and drug Administration (FDA) was passed in 1906 in USA.
*Some of the AAFCO Definitions:-
1. Complete feed: - A nutritionally adequate feed for animals other than humans and is capable of maintaining life and / or promoting production without any additional substance, except water.
2. Concentrate:- A feed used with another to improve the nutritive balance of the total and intended to be further diluted and mixed to produce a supplement or a complete feed.
3. Supplement:- A feed used with another to improve the nutritive balance or performance of the total and intended to be (1) fed undiluted as a supplement to other feeds, (2) offered free- choice with other parts of the ration separately available or (3) further diluted and mixed to produce a complete feed.
4. Premix:- A uniform mixture of one or more micro-ingredients with diluents and carrier.
Development of Feed Industry in India:-
• Feed industry came into existence in India in 1961 with the establishment of a feed plant in Ludhiana, Punjab.
• Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA) was formed on 8 June, 1967.
•
Smart Foods: Nutri-cereals for her - The creation of biofortified pearl milletICRISAT
To combat anemia in women and children, scientists developed biofortified pearl millet high in iron and zinc, which has been adopted by Indian farmers. A fine example of the Lab-to-Land approach. India: Every second Indian woman is anemic and one in every five maternal deaths is directly due to anemia*. Pearl millet biofortification opens up the possibility of a cost-effective strategy to beat micronutrient malnutrition in women and children.
Feed formulation is the major part of aquaculture.The main objective of feed formulation is to utilize the knowledge of nutrient requirements, locally available feed ingredients and digestive capacity of fish for the development of a nutritionally balanced mixture of feed stuff…
We, Hindustan Animal Feeds are supplying, distributing, manufacturing, exporting and wholesaling Animal Feed & Poultry Feeds and Supplements. These animal and bird feeds are appreciated for their excellent nutritive content and great taste.
Amaranth is one plant that needs more research attention and can be used for providing more nutrition to the body, that can beat malnutrition in the long run. The increasing food requirements can be met with amaranth, the nutritious grain.
Dr. S. MANIKANDAN, M.Sc., Ph.D
Lecturer in Botany
Thiruvalluvar University Model Constituent College,
Tittagudi 606 106, Tamil Nadu, India.
Email id: drgsmanikandan@gmail.com
Nutritive compounds from leaves of Moringa oleifera L. and beans of Vigna ung...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract - The nutritive compounds of the shoots of Borassus aethiopum M. consumed in Côte d'Ivoire is not yet revealed whereas popularization of this plant’s basis food recipes is planned. The current study investigates the nutritive parameters of new shoots of Borassus aethiopum M., leaves of Moringa oleifera L. and beans of Vigna unguiculata W. in order to improve their valorization. Initially, samples of Palmyra are processed into meal, while powders are produced from those of Moringa and Cowpea. Then, seven nutritive traits performed from these derived products allow comparison of the studied food resources. The work showed a great divergence (P<.01) between the samples relating to the whole parameters. Thus, the leaflets powder of Moringa is more provided in ash (4.19±.05 g/100 g), lipids (8.35±.01 g/100 g) and fibers (5.74±.01 g/100 g) than samples resulting from Cowpea and Palmyra. On the other hand, the powder of Cowpea beans highlights the greatest proteins content (27.24±.13 g/100 g); whereas the meal deriving from shoots of Palmyra represents the most significant source of carbohydrates, either fermented (84.10±.11 g/100 g) or unfermented (83.79±.10 g/100 g). The meal of Palmyra is also richer in soluble sugars (5.19±.01 to 5.23±.01 g/100 g), moister (9.90±.03% to 10.03±.04%) and has the most significant caloric energy value (315.03±.10 to 315.41±.10 kcal/100 g).
The new shoots tubers, leaves and beans of respective Palmyra, Cowpea and Moringa plants are with diverse nutritive composition. Their uses in composite food formulations could contribute in preservation of the biodiversity, to ensure food safety for populations and to address the poverty and wilderness concerns.
This presentation show about feed technology how to feed and fodder process their History, Principles, classification and some related definition its also helpful to graduate student and post graduate student FEED TECHNOLOGY
Definition
The subject of feed technology deals with processing of feeds, fodders and preparation of formula feeds for which the knowledge of nutritional requirements of various livestock and poultry, quality control of feed ingredients, feed plant management and the storage of feed ingredients and feeds are essential.
Animal feed technology may also be defined as the application of physical, chemical, biochemical, biological and engineering techniques to increase the nutrient utilization of feeds and fodders in animal system for the development of livestock and poultry and feed industry.
Beginning of feed Industry and related Activities in the US:-
• In 1875 Mr. john barwell initiated the production of a calf meal at Blatchford of Waukegan, Illinois.
• American Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) was founded in 1909 in Wisconsin and its name was changed to American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) in 1985.
• The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was established in 1909.
• Linear programming, a mathematical procedure, was developed by George B. Dantzig in 1947.
• W.V. Waugh of USDA was the first to see the potential of this mathematical procedure and developed a least cost dairy feed in 1951.
• Food and drug Administration (FDA) was passed in 1906 in USA.
*Some of the AAFCO Definitions:-
1. Complete feed: - A nutritionally adequate feed for animals other than humans and is capable of maintaining life and / or promoting production without any additional substance, except water.
2. Concentrate:- A feed used with another to improve the nutritive balance of the total and intended to be further diluted and mixed to produce a supplement or a complete feed.
3. Supplement:- A feed used with another to improve the nutritive balance or performance of the total and intended to be (1) fed undiluted as a supplement to other feeds, (2) offered free- choice with other parts of the ration separately available or (3) further diluted and mixed to produce a complete feed.
4. Premix:- A uniform mixture of one or more micro-ingredients with diluents and carrier.
Development of Feed Industry in India:-
• Feed industry came into existence in India in 1961 with the establishment of a feed plant in Ludhiana, Punjab.
• Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA) was formed on 8 June, 1967.
•
Smart Foods: Nutri-cereals for her - The creation of biofortified pearl milletICRISAT
To combat anemia in women and children, scientists developed biofortified pearl millet high in iron and zinc, which has been adopted by Indian farmers. A fine example of the Lab-to-Land approach. India: Every second Indian woman is anemic and one in every five maternal deaths is directly due to anemia*. Pearl millet biofortification opens up the possibility of a cost-effective strategy to beat micronutrient malnutrition in women and children.
Feed formulation is the major part of aquaculture.The main objective of feed formulation is to utilize the knowledge of nutrient requirements, locally available feed ingredients and digestive capacity of fish for the development of a nutritionally balanced mixture of feed stuff…
We, Hindustan Animal Feeds are supplying, distributing, manufacturing, exporting and wholesaling Animal Feed & Poultry Feeds and Supplements. These animal and bird feeds are appreciated for their excellent nutritive content and great taste.
Poultry and Cattle Feed, Animal Feed and Food Industry, Poultry Feed, Fodder,...Ajjay Kumar Gupta
Poultry & Cattle Feed, Animal Feed and Food Industry, Poultry Feed, Fodder, Feed Manufacturing Unit, Feed for Domesticated Livestock, Indian Poultry & Cattle Feed Industry, Manufacturing Plant, Detailed Project Report, Profile, Business Plan, Industry Trends, Market Research, Survey, Manufacturing Process, Machinery, Raw Materials, Feasibility Study, Investment Opportunities, Cost and Revenue, Plant Economics, Production Schedule, Working Capital Requirement, Plant Layout, Process Flow Sheet, Cost of Project, Projected Balance Sheets, Profitability Ratios, Break Even Analysis
The Indian feed industry is about 35 years old.The quality standards of Indian feeds are high and up to international levels. Raw materials for feed are adequately available in India.The feed industry has modern computerized plants and the latest equipment for analytical procedures and least-cost ration formulation, and it employs the latest manufacturing technology.
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Phytogenic feed additives as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry dietsDeepak Nelagonda
Use of antibiotics as growth promoters is an age old process but due to many factors thrust for the search of alternative to antibiotics is growing, 'phytogenic feed additives' are one of the possible domains which could address the issue if they could be properly explored.
Commodities - SAVE THE DOLLAR YOU INVEST: OPTIMISED RAW FEED MATERIAL PRESERV...Milling and Grain magazine
Global contemporary animal production quadrupled during the past 50 years and totaled with 308 million MT of meat produced in 2013, with Asia as the main animal production center.
Lupins are a high protein, high energy, nitrogen-fixing grain legume with a protein and oil composition that can effectively compete with imported soya as part of livestock and fish diets. As a result, lupins have considerable potential to provide a comparable UK-grown vegetable protein source for farmed animals and aquaculture, as well as providing other advantages as arable break crops. With the proposed CAP greening reforms and the requirements of the new Basic Payment Scheme in respect of Ecological Focus Areas, there has never been a better time to look at legumes in crop rotations and lupins in particular tick several boxes.
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Fishmeal used to hold an important position as a constituent of pig and poultry diets, but use in the sector declined as the aquaculture sector developed and sourced an increasing proportion of global supply of this marine ingredient. With fishmeal now regarded as less of a commodity and more of a strategic protein, another look at the benefits of this high value material is warranted.
Most poultry producers identify feed issues and feed costs as one of their biggest challenges. Part of the problem is that the UK poultry industry depends heavily on imports, leaving producers at the mercy of global commodity prices for key feed ingredients. For organic farmers, the problem is even more acute; organic, and indeed non-GM, soya is getting harder to come by and therefore more expensive.
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http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
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Home assignment II on Spectroscopy 2024 Answers.pdf
Making Poultry Feed More Sustainable
1. Making poultry feed more
sustainable
The potential for oil seed crops to replace soya in organic
poultry feed
Author
Rebecca Nelder
Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm
June 2012
2. Making poultry feed more sustainable
Acknowledgements
The completion of this project would not have been possible without the significant help
and support received from numerous individuals and organisations, including the BOBL
team at OCW, project lead partner organisations and all those who developed and
delivered such a breadth of innovative local initiatives.
The Better Organic Business Links (BOBL) project, run by Organic Centre Wales, is a four
year project designed to support the primary producer in Wales and grow the market for
Welsh organic produce in a sustainable way.
The aim is to develop markets for organic produce whilst driving innovation and promoting
sustainable behaviours at all levels within the supply chain, to increase consumer demand
and thence markets for organic produce, especially in the home market, and to ensure that
the primary producers are aware of market demands. The project provides valuable
market information to primary producers and the organic sector in general.
Delivery of the project is divided into five main areas of work:
1. Fostering innovation and improving supply chain linkages
2. Consumer information and image development of organic food and farming in
Wales
3. Market development
4. Providing market intelligence to improve the industry's level of understanding of
market trends and means of influencing consumer behaviour
5. Addressing key structural problems within the sector.
In all elements of the work, the team are focused on building capacity within the organic
sector, to ensure that the project leaves a legacy of processors and primary producers with
improved business and environmental skills, able to respond to changing market
conditions, consumer demands and climate change.
The project is funded under the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, in turn
funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development
Page 2 of 14
3. Making poultry feed more sustainable
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... 3
1
Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 4
2
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4
3
Nutrition and rationing .............................................................................................. 4
3.1
Factors affecting inclusion rates of oil seed rape and sunflower ....................... 4
3.2
Potential for soya substitution ........................................................................... 5
3.3
Whole seed vs compound feed ......................................................................... 6
4
Current and potential production ............................................................................ 8
4.1
Current UK areas .............................................................................................. 8
4.2
Production potential .......................................................................................... 8
4.2.1 Sunflower .......................................................................................................... 8
4.2.2 Oil Seed Rape. ............................................................................................... 12
5
Conclusions ............................................................................................................. 14
Page 3 of 14
4. Making poultry feed more sustainable
1 Executive Summary
Organic poultry rations are heavily dependent on imported soya to meet the protein
requirements of the birds. However, organic and GM-free soya is becoming increasingly
difficult, and therefore expensive, to source, and relying so heavily on imports is not in
keeping with the organic ethos. This report looks at the potential to substitute soya with UK
grown organic oil seed crops, specifically oil seed rape (OSR) and sunflower.
From a nutritional point of view both sunflower and certain varieties of OSR can make a
useful contribution to organic poultry rations. However, a number of agronomic, economic
and infrastructural limitations mean the contribution from UK grown OSR is likely to be
remain small for the foreseeable future.
Sunflower has more potential. It is much easier to produce under organic conditions, and
is grown quite widely in Europe. Meteorological data suggest that it could be grown
successfully in many areas in the UK. This includes SE Wales and small pockets of land in
Pembrokeshire, Anglesey and NW Wales.
2 Introduction
Soybeans and more importantly soybean meal has long been a staple component of the
monogastric diet. It is has a complimentary relationship with cereal grains in meeting the
amino acid requirements of farm animals and is therefore used as a standard to which all
other plant based proteins are comparedi. It is estimated that the UK imports 800,000
tonnes of beans and 1,075,000 tonnes of soybean meal annually. ii The increased global
requirement for animal protein, and therefore high quality livestock feeds, has led to high
demand and high prices for soybeans and soybean meal. The environmental and social
impacts of the growth of soybeans, not to mention worries from an organic producer’s
perspective of contamination with genetically modified soy has led to a greater interest in
what can be grown in the UK to feed our monogastric animals. This report looks into the
feasibility of using organically grown sunflower and oil seed rape (OSR) as a feed stuff for
poultry in Britain.
3 Nutrition and rationing
3.1 Factors affecting inclusion rates of oil seed rape and sunflower
The nutritional composition of OSR and sunflower in various forms is shown in Table 1
below.
Table 1 Basic Nutritional Composition of Organic and Conventional Sunflower Meal and
Conventional OSR Meal and Beaniii
Sunflower Meal
Oil Seed Rape
Conventional
Organic
Bean
Meal
Dry Matter
89.0
94.0
93.0
91.0
Protein
31.0
30.5
20.5
33.9
Oil
1.5
10.0
40.5
3.5
ME (adult)
6.5
9.0
18.5
7.0
Lysine
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.8
Methionine
0.7
0.7
0.4
0.7
Page 4 of 14
5. Making poultry feed more sustainable
A number of factors influence the maximum inclusion rates of sunflower and OSR in
poultry diets including:
Amino acid (AA) availability. Methionine and cystine are the sulphur containing
amino acids (SAA). The first limiting amino acid for poultry, whether they are
breeders, layers or table birds is methionine. It is used for growth in all animals but
is particularly important to poultry because it is vital for egg and feather production
Metabolisable energy (ME) content
Fibre content,
Digestibility;
The type and quantity of anti-nutritional factors (ANF). These are compounds that
reduce the nutritive value of the feed in one way or another
The type of bird (i.e. table birds, layers or breeders) and stage of production.
3.2 Potential for soya substitution
Although sunflower meal is deficient in lysine it is very rich in SAA. Its inclusion rate in
organic diets for laying hens may be limited less by its ANF’s than by its moderate
metabolisable energy.iv Rape cake has a high crude protein content. The lysine and
methionine contents are comparable to those of soybean meal. The metabolisable energy
value of OSR is low.
The inclusion rate of OSR in poultry rations is limited by the presence of high
concentrations of ANF’s.v, specifically glucosinolates and uric acid which affect palatability
and can negatively affect intake levels. It also contains sinapine which is converted to
trimethylamine in the gut and can cause a fishy taint in eggs of birds that lay brown eggs.
Interestingly, white shelled layers have the ability to break down the trimethylamine into an
odourless oxide that does not result in the problemvi. It has therefore been suggested that
OSR meal should not be fed to chicks or breeders and kept to low levels, such as 2.5%,
for broilers and 5% for layersvii of brown eggs.
However, the problem has been addressed, to a large degree, by the development of
‘Canola’. Canola was registered in Canada in 1979 and is the name used to describe
varieties of oil seed rape low in both glucosinolates and uric acid (they are therefore also
referred to as ‘double-low’ varieties For these varieties, the extracted oil will contain less
than 20g/kg of uric acid and the air dried meal less than 30 µmol of glucosinolates per g of
air dried material. Conventional canola meal is required to have a minimum of 350g/kg
crude protein and a maximum of 120g/kg crude fibreviii. Canola, or double low varieties,
may be a suitable type of OSR for poultry diets.
Sunflower meal does not contain ANF’s such as those found in soybean and OSRix.
Although Baines reports a slightly laxative affect when used in high quantities, this is not
backed up by other authors.
When looking at substitution of soy with UK grown protein in conventional poultry diets,
Table 2, Bainesx found OSR meal has the lowest substitution value (1.63:1) compared to
Hipro soy beans and each kg included in the ration would increase energy by 4MJ ME.
Page 5 of 14
6. Making poultry feed more sustainable
This is closely followed by sunflower (1.86:1) which would increase the net energy per kg
inclusion by 1.21.
Baines goes on to suggest the following inclusion levels for poultry based on consideration
of ME and ANF’s: OSR; Broiler 2.5%, Layer 5% Sunflower; Broiler 5%, Layer 10%,
Breeder 10%.
Jacob et alxi found body weight gain of broilers to 42 days of age was not affected by
total replacement of soybean meal with sunflower seed meal but concluded a good
substitution level was 67% based on gaining a satisfactory level of energy in the diet.
Serman et alxii suggest that sunflower meal can be used as the protein source for laying
birds as long as the dietary lysine and energy values are maintained.
Table 2 The substitution ratio for alternative protein feeds compared to Hipro soybean meal
for poultry and the net change in metabolisable energy as a result.
Adapted from Ewing 1997
xiii
3.3 Whole seed vs compound feed
From a commercial point of view sunflower and OSR meal is more likely to be available for
use in livestock and poultry feeds. This is because the oil is of high value, and therefore
likely to be extracted and sold onto other markets. In addition, high levels of oil in feed
stuffs can cause them to become soft, difficult to pellet and prone to rancidity. Pelleting of
sunflower meal has been found to be beneficial in helping to overcome its the bulkiness in
the diet.xiv
Full fat canola has to mechanically disrupted and heat treated to allow glucosinolate
destruction and maximum nutritional benefit to be obtainedxv. Once ground the oil
becomes susceptible to rancidity very quickly; a practical solution is to simply grind enough
Page 6 of 14
7. Making poultry feed more sustainable
for immediate use. This poses the obvious problem of on-farm machinery. Work in Saudi
Arabia showed that a 50-100g/kg inclusion of whole seed OSR did not affect hen-day egg
production, egg mass, feed conversion efficiency or egg weightxvi. Talebali and Farzinpour
reported that broilers grew well on diets containing up to 120g/kg OSR seed as a
replacement for soybean mealxvii.
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8. Making poultry feed more sustainable
4 Current and potential production
4.1 Current UK areas
The Farm Business Survey (FBS)xviii provides information on the physical and economic
performance of farm businesses in England, to inform policy decisions on matters affecting
farm businesses. It is intended to serve the needs of government, government partners,
farming and land management interest groups, and researchers. The 2009/10 data shows
no organic farms growing OSR, either double low or other varieties. Sunflowers do not
have their own category and are included as ‘other crops,’ again this suggests that areas
grown are very small.
4.2 Production potential
4.2.1 Sunflower
Climatic conditions
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) establishment and growth are very dependent on
temperature. Soil temperature needs to be between 6-8OC in the top 10cm for drilling.
Figure 1xix shows the average soil temperature on the first of May. For growth of the plant
sunflower requires a base daily air temperature of above 6OC. Figure 2xx shows areas that
have achieved an accumulative 1400 day degrees between 1971 and 2000 (yellow,
orange and red).
Figure 1 Average Soil Temperatures at
30cm for 1st of May (1971-2000)
Figure 2 May to October Accumulated Days
Air Temperatures above 6OC (1971 – 2000)
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These areas, generally south of a line between the Humber and Severn estuaries, are best
suited to production in the UK. Current weather conditions in the UK mean successful
sunflower crops could be achieved in southern England in 9 out of 10 years. The map also
suggests that they could be grown successfully in the SE corner of Wales and pockets of
land in Pembrokeshire, Anglesey and the extreme NE of Wales.
Agronomy
The following agronomic advice is from HGCAxxi and has been adapted to take into
account organic standards and practices.
Sunflowers are planted at the end of April and grow rapidly given warm conditions. Buds
begin to form in mid June and begin to show colour during the second week of July.
Flowering lasts for approximately 2 weeks and then the crop begins to senesce ready for
harvest in early October. In the UK water availability is not limiting, but excess rainfall will
tend to result in taller crops. Predictions of global warming would bring drilling and
harvesting dates earlier. Sunflowers can be grown on a wide range of soil types. However,
a well-drained soil that will warm up rapidly in spring is preferred. The drought-tolerance of
sunflowers also makes them suitable for growing on more drought-prone soil types. The
optimal pH range is from 6.0 to 7.5. Seedbed preparation is crucial for sunflowers and a
fine firm seedbed, similar to that for sugar beet and peas, should be prepared.
Seed is the most expensive input and there is no scope for home-saved seed as the crop
is a hybrid. They yield between 1.5-2.5 t/ha when grown conventionally in the UK, organic
data is unavailable but de Ponti et al (2012)xxii using a meta analysis of mostly NorthAmerican data suggest that organic yields are 77% of conventional, but can range from
54–114%. Plant population is an important factor in the production of a sunflower crop
since it can affect a variety of yield components. Low populations result in plants with large
heads, these tend to ripen slowly. An established plant population of between 80,000 and
110,000 plants/ha with a row width of 34 cm is optimal. Actual sowing rates should be
between 10% and 20% higher than the target plant population to allow for losses during
establishment. The lower figure applies to later sowings, light soils, warm seedbeds and
conditions generally favourable to germination; the higher figure to heavy clay soils under
less favourable conditions. Due to the nature of the sunflower crop there are no
opportunities for reductions in seed rate.
Sowing
Seed should be sown to a depth of 2.5 - 5.0 cm (1 to 2 inches), according to seed size and
soil type and condition. In dry conditions, seed should be sown more deeply into moisture.
Most seed-drills can be adapted for use with sunflower but seed rate, seed spacing and
row width are critical. Sunflower is a non-branching crop and cannot compensate for
uneven plant-spacing and low plant populations. Accuracy of drilling has an important
bearing on yield and quality. Pneumatic disk drills, belt drills and pneumatic cereal drills
have all been used to establish successful sunflower crops. Near optimal seed spacing
can be achieved with the precision drills. With a pneumatic cereal drill optimal row spacing
can be achieved by blocking-off alternate coulters, but these drills are not well adapted to
the low populations required by the crop. Plant spacing within the rows can be very
uneven.
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For drills of all types, accurate calibration is essential, both to achieve the optimal plant
population and to conserve expensive seed. Grower experience has shown that best
results are achieved by calibrating the drill over a full hectare. Unless the drill has a presswheel behind the seeder unit, the seed bed should be consolidated immediately after
drilling, using a Cambridge roller, this conserves moisture and improves seed-soil contact.
Plant nutrition
The deep-rooting nature of sunflower can remove nutrients from depth in the soil profile.
As a result the crop will yield satisfactorily at quite low levels of soil nitrogen so could be
grown in the second and possibly the third year after a legume based fertility break. High
levels of nitrogen can lead to excessive vegetative development, encouraging disease,
delaying maturity and reducing seed oil content. UK experience indicates that N
applications of more than 25-50 kg/ha are rarely required.
Phosphate is required at relatively low levels by the crop so a targeted adjustment is not
likely to be needed. If soil phosphate levels are particularly low the farm should have a
programme of rock phosphate application in place. Sunflowers require a relatively high
level of potassium but most of this is returned to the soil after harvest. Potassium levels
should be adequate in an active soil with a good clay content but could be a problem on
lighter soils. Applications of potassium sulphate are permitted under organic standards but
a very good case needs to be made (soils must be close to deficient and have less than
20% clay). A light application (10-15t/ha) of green waste compost could supply sufficient
potassium and phosphorus without causing problems with nitrogen levels as a significant
proportion is tightly bound.
Sunflowers are sensitive to boron deficiency, and can be a particular problem on
calcareous or sandy soils where boron levels are often naturally low. Boron is taken up
chiefly during the vegetative period prior to heading and signs of deficiency usually
become apparent during flowering and seed maturation. A characteristic feature is poor
seed-set, with many heads having large areas of hollow seeds. Other symptoms are redbrown necrotic patches and abnormal head and neck development. Organic standards will
allow the use of soluble inputs to address trace element deficiencies but once again a
strong case has to be made. Boron deficiency can be addressed through the use of borax
(sodium tetraborate) at rates of 5-10kg/ha. In the case of sunflowers a single application
of 5kg/ha could be used where levels are marginal but be aware that the gap between
deficiency and toxicity is relatively small.
Pest disease and disease management
The height and broadly spreading leaf-canopy of sunflower enables it to compete very
effectively with weed growth from as early as the fourth week from emergence. Despite
this the crop is highly sensitive to competition during establishment. The effects of early
competition are particularly marked where low soil temperatures and/or poorly aerated soil
slow the growth of the crop relative to that of the weeds and where low plant populations
or uneven drilling delay canopy closure. Maturity can be delayed and this can cause
harvesting problems. The late drilling date of sunflowers allows ample opportunity to
control weeds by cultivation and if conditions allow for a stale seed bed and weed strike
the opportunity should be taken. Sunflower crops grown in wide rows allow an ideal
opportunity for weed control through cultivation. A tractor mounted steerage hoe or other
inter-row weeders (brush hoe, finger hoe, etc.) can be used successfully in the UK.
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11. Making poultry feed more sustainable
Mechanical weed control is most successful when soil conditions are dry and the weather
is set fair.
In the UK the crop is most vulnerable to slugs from drilling until one pair of true leaves is
visible. All soils are at risk but particularly cloddy or stony soils with high levels of organic
debris. Surface consolidation can be important and there is an approved input for slug
control based on ferric phosphate although the economics need to be carefully considered.
Pigeons are a major pest of UK sunflowers; they graze the crop as it emerges, snipping off
the growing point. Similar damage has been attributed to pheasants. Rabbits can also
cause damage by grazing emerging crops. Finches can damage ripening crops, but they
tend to venture only up to 24 m into the crop, because of predators. In a small field (less
than 4 ha), bird damage can be considerable and the whole crop can be lost. To decrease
damage to seed-heads, plant spacing should be controlled to reduce head size and
increase head angle to discourage perching. Other mammals, such as mice and badgers,
can also damage crops during ripening, but this is generally a localized problem. There
have been reports of minor damage caused by Tortrix larvae, leaf minors and looper
caterpillars, thrips and silver Y moths (Autographa gamma L.). Various aphids, including
Brachycaudus helichrysi , Aphis fabae and Myzus persicae have been recorded but
caused little damage.
Sunflower is host to a number of fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens that can cause
varying amounts of crop damage, the two most common being Botrytis cinerea and
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Botrytis head rot or grey mould is caused by Botrytis cinerea, a
fungus widely spread throughout a range of crops. It occurs frequently in sunflower
growing under relatively cool (15-25˚C) and wet conditions and may cause extensive
damage. Botrytis can develop on seedlings, stems and leaves, but only if the fungus gains
entry through wounds. However, it is most damaging when it infects heads. Botrytis makes
its first appearance on the back of the head as sunken brown spots. As the infection
develops, the lesions spread and eventually the back of the head becomes soft and grey.
A late season infection on the head can result in increased seed losses during harvest;
earlier infections may reduce both yield and quality. There are no chemical options for
controlling Botrytis in the sunflower crop and few management options beyond avoiding
fields known to be wet or at risk of flooding. The use of dessicants is not permitted in
organic agriculture although it can be a common approach in the conventional crop.
Mycotoxins are not an issue for sunflowers as the husks are removed before consumption.
Harvesting and Storage
Harvest should take place when seed moisture content reaches 30% or less. Oil quality
does not suffer between 15-30% moisture content. A conventional cereal combine can be
used with little modification, but if sunflowers are grown regularly then harvesting trays can
be fitted to the cutter bar. The reel tines should also be covered to avoid impaling the
flower heads. Combine settings should be similar to those used for harvesting beans and
the crop should be harvested during the day and when dry. Care should be taken to avoid
overloading the returns auger.
To minimize the amount of admixture with the grain, only a small amount of the stem
should be cut. Some heads may fall forward, away from the combine table, when
harvesting. This can be reduced by a relatively fast forward speed. The stubble can be
chopped by the combine or by using a forager or heavy discs. The field can then be
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12. Making poultry feed more sustainable
ploughed and drilled if the following crop is a cereal. Volunteers may continue to appear
throughout the spring.
Sunflower seed dries quickly but the seed should never be stored wet. Sunflower seed will
heat up if allowed to stand while wet. Use of a drying floor is the safest method and the
seed should be at a maximum depth of 1 metre. The best method of drying is to use cold
air until the moisture content falls to 15 per cent. The seed can then be cleaned and
sufficient heat applied (using the same temperature as for oilseed rape) to reduce the
moisture to 9 per cent for long term storage. The seed should be left for seven days to
allow the seed moisture to equalize before drying again if necessary.
The seeds of sunflower can persist in the soil for up to five years and have the ability to
germinate at a considerable depth and over a long period. At ADAS Boxworth, on a clay
soil susceptible to cracking, sunflowers were found to germinate in the cracks and appear
in following crops. The growth of these volunteers was more vigorous where the crop was
less competitive, especially on headlands and in gateways. On an organic farm volunteers
in headlands and gateways could be looked on favourably as a valuable source of feed for
wild birds and insects.
4.2.2 Oil Seed Rape.
Demand for organic OSR seems to be high and OSR offers some advantages from a
rotational point of view. However, there are a number of issues that mean that organic
producers do not appear to be very interested in growing it.
The main reason fro this is that the risk of attack from insect pests is high and there are
few successful non-chemical control measures available. Weed control is also difficult and,
being a relatively hungry crop, is can be difficult to grow from a nutritional point of view.
The lack of a dedicated organic market and supply chain and the lack of examples of good
practice are additional structural reasons. There is also little organic OSR grown in other
countries, with the largest areas in Switzerland and Germany, but both only comprise a
few hundred hectares.
Agronomy
Depending on plant density and year, the impact of some major pests, such as the pollen
beetle, can pose high risks for organic OSR farmers because direct control options are not
economically viable and experience with indirect pest control (such as trap cropping) is
currently limited. On the plus side, several authors highlight the high competitiveness of
OSR plants against weedsxxiii. For example, Freeman & Lutmanxxiv report that “in the three
seasons studied, oilseed rape growth was particularly vigorous in the autumn and, as a
consequence, the competitive impact of the weeds was lower than anticipated.” A prerequisite for high competitiveness is good establishment and strong early development;
therefore OSR depends on a high plant density and sufficient plant nutrition to withstand
significant weed pressure.
In comparison with many other crop species, OSR requires relatively high levels of
nitrogen. When supply is limited, it tends to lead to thin plant stands and reduced
competitiveness of the crop against weeds. For optimal N supply, organic OSR should be
the first crop after legume or grass-clover mixtures as shortage of nitrogen supply for the
OSR plants can be expected if it is the last crop in an organic rotation. From the beginning
of OSR development, until about 6 weeks after sowing, the competitive strength of weeds
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13. Making poultry feed more sustainable
against the crop is potentially very high. Ground cover can increase rapidly in autumn to
shade out weeds. As a consequence, a decisive criterion for the choice of OSR varieties is
a fast autumn and spring development.xxv
Harvesting and Storage
Compared to cereals, rapeseed presents two to three times the resistance to airflow. Thus
dryer bed and store depths need to be reduced by a factor of two to three, unless facilities
are purpose-built.
Before harvest, stores should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfested. The small size of
rapeseed means it can easily leak from bins or into ducts. Therefore, thorough store
inspection pre-harvest and maintenance throughout the storage period is essential.
Rapeseed should be cooled rapidly to maintain oil quality and minimise the threat from
moulds and mites. Cooling can be achieved using ambient air. Cooling is best achieved in
stores specifically designed for rapeseed. In stores designed for cereals, adequate airflows
are maintained by reducing bed depth. Alternatively, , the aeration period can be increased
to two to three times that used for cereals (e.g. it would take some 900 hours to reduce
rapeseed temperature to 5˚C). Storage at low temperatures helps protect against
increased free fatty acid (rancidity) levels due to broken seed and the build-up of mites and
moulds.
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14. Making poultry feed more sustainable
5 Conclusions
From the point of view of poultry nutrition, both OSR and sunflower have the potential to
help replace soya in UK poultry diets. However, from an agronomic and economic
perspective the potential for UK grown OSR to contribute to poultry rations is low.
Advances need to be made agronomically for OSR to reach its full potential for inclusion
as almost none is grown in the EU.
Sunflower, on the other hand, is more promising prospect. From the point of bird nutrition,
is a useful ingredient in feed. It grows readily in Europe and has the potential to do well
organically in the UK including SE Wales and part of Pembrokeshire, Anglesey and NE
Wales.
i
ii
Blair, R. (2008) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry. Oxford: CABI
Baines, R., Jones, J., (2010) The potential for replacing imported soy with alternative home grown protein feeds for UK
livestock. Part 1: Technical feasibility and possible policy interventions. RAC Report for Friends of the Earth
iii
Nutritional information from Humphrey’s Feeds Ltd
Sundrum, A., Schneider, K., and Richter ,U. (2005) Research to support revision of the EU Regulation on
organic agriculture ; Possibilities and limitations of protein supply in organic poultry and pig production. EEC
2092/91
v
Sundrum, A., Schneider, K., and Richter ,U. (2005) Research to support revision of the EU Regulation on
organic agriculture ; Possibilities and limitations of protein supply in organic poultry and pig production. EEC
2092/91
vi
Butler,E.J., Pearson, A.W., and Fenwick, G.R. (1982) Problems which limit the use of rapeseed meal as a
protein source in poultry. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 33, 866 - 875
iv
vii
Baines, R., Jones, J., (2010) The potential for replacing imported soy with alternative home grown protein feeds for UK
livestock. Part 1: Technical feasibility and possible policy interventions. RAC Report for Friends of the Earth
Blair, R. (2008) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry. Oxford: CABI
Elwinger 2003
viii
ix
x
Baines, R., Jones, J., (2010) The potential for replacing imported soy with alternative home grown protein feeds for UK
livestock. Part 1: Technical feasibility and possible policy interventions. RAC Report for Friends of the Earth
xi
Jacob, J.P., Mitru, B.N., Mbugua, P.N. and Blair, R. (1996) The feeding value of Kenyan sorghum,
sunflower seed cake and sesame seed cake for broilers and layers. Animal Feed Science and Technology
61, 41-56
xii
Serman, V,. Mas, N., Melenjuk, V., Dumanovski, F. and Mikulec, Z. (1997) Use of sunflower meal in feed
mixtures for laying hens. Acta Veterinaria Brno 66, 219-227
xiii
Ewing W., N. (1998) Feeds Directory: Commodity Products Guide. Context.
xiv
Blair, R. (2008) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry. Oxford: CABI
xv
Smithard, R. (1993) Full fat rapeseed for pig and poultry diets. Feed Compounder 13, 35-38
xvi
Huthail, N. and Al-Khateeb, S.A. (2004) The effect of incorporating different levels of locally produced
canola seeds in the diets of laying hens. International Journal of Poultry Science 3, 490-496
xvii
Talebali, H. And Farzinpor, A. (2005) Effect of different levels of full fat canola seed as a replacement for
soyabean meal on the performance of broiler chickens. International Journal of Poultry Science 12, 982-985
xviii
Farm Business Survey. www.farmbusinesssurvey.co.uk/index.html Accessed 30/03/12
xix
Cook, S K (2009) Sunflowers and climate change In. Defra project AC0302 A Research and Innovation
Network Supporting Adaptation in Agriculture to Climate Change
xx
Cook, S K (2009) Sunflowers and climate change In. Defra project AC0302 A Research and Innovation
Network Supporting Adaptation in Agriculture to Climate Change
http://www.hgca.com/publications/documents/cropresearch/SF6_new_sunflower_growers_guide.pdf
xxii
de Ponti, T., Rijk, B., van Ittersum, M.K., 2012. The crop yield gap between organic and conventional
agriculture. Agricultural Systems 108, 1-9.
xxiii
Arnold B (2011) Raps Mechanische Unkrautregulierung. http://wwwagrigatech/de/pflanzenbau/
ackerbau/oel/sorten/ Accessed 15/11/2011
xxiv
Freeman SE, Lutman PJW (2004) The effects of timing of control of weeds on the yield of winter oilseed
rape (Brassica napus), in the context of the potential commercialization of herbicide-tolerant winter rape.
Journal of Agricultural Science 142:263-27
xxv
Döring, T.D., Pearce, H. and Howlett, S. Mechanical weed control in oil seed rape: A summary of research
and recommendations for HGCA
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