So decreasing the amount of methane they produce should improve
feed conversion efficiency and so could be an improvement that pays for itself even without considering climate benefits.
The unfavorable
feed conversion efficiency for animal products is largely responsible for the relatively large water footprint of animal products compared to the crop products.
CO2 production and average daily gain (ADG) were quantified to provide an estimation of
feed conversion efficiency.
«
Feed conversion efficiency in aquaculture: Do we measure it correctly?»
The study contributes new insights into what is known as
feed conversion efficiency — that is, the efficiency of the process by which feed is turned into meat — across species, and uses a new analysis to assess this efficiency.
Not exact matches
The most widely used measure of
feed efficiency is the weight - based
feed conversion ratio, calculated as the ratio of
feed intake (by weight) to weight gain.
«We need a complete understanding of
feed efficiency, though, because aquatic species differ from livestock in important ways that are not considered in
feed conversion ratios.»
To produce these
efficiency estimates, the research team collected data on variables including
feed composition,
feed conversion ratios, edible portions and nutritional content of major farmed terrestrial and aquatic animal species.
On the right, parenthetical percentages are the food - out /
feed - in caloric
conversion efficiencies of individual livestock categories.
Source: Energy and protein
feed - to - food
conversion efficiencies in the US and potential food security gains from dietary changes, A Shepon
Overall, 1187 Pcal of
feed are converted into 83 Pcal edible animal products, reflecting a weighted mean
conversion efficiency of approximately 7 %.
«To a large extent that's because of the additional
feed that is required to keep an animal alive and sort of their
conversion efficiency of the
feed that they consume.»
The researchers looked at the
efficiency of
feed to protein
conversion and the production of greenhouse gases, then analyzed these impacts according to animal and farm type.