Scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) have begun a five-year research project looking into developing sustainable feed for the UK. The £2.15 million project will attempt to address the UK’s protein deficit.

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Across the EU, farmers are reliant on imports of protein from third countries. 90 per cent of EU protein imports are of soy from South America. In addition to the problems associated with transporting grain, there are concerns that the lucrative trade is leading to deforestation and land grabs in some countries.   

A recent report by EU rapporteur José Bové for the European Parliament stressed the need for more research funding to go towards finding sustainable, local alternatives to imported feeds. As well as sustainability concerns, the feed also carries a high price tag; rising feed costs over the past few years have eaten away at farmers’ margins despite growing profitability across a number of sectors.

Furthermore, although in the EU consumption of animal products is predicted to fall over the next two years, with the exception of poultry, elsewhere in the world growing economies are expected to result in dietary change towards higher meat and dairy consumption. Despite the protestations of environmental groups including Friends of the Earth, who claim more should be done do educate people about the environmental impact of animal products and encourage eating high quality meat less often, the demand for animal protein is predicted to rise 85 per cent by 2050 due to population growth and increasing affluence.

Because of this projected increase in demand for meat, demand for vegetable proteins as animal feedstock has risen, and the UK is currently over reliant on imported protein from grains and vegetables. The IBERS team claimed this shortfall poses economic risks in the face of climate change and rising global demand.

IBERS team investigates home-grown protein

The IBERS scientists claim “Increasing domestic vegetable protein production is key to mitigating supply and economic risks and providing a robust foundation for the future supply of sustainable protein in the UK.”

The group is looking to develop hardier red clover, a high protein forage, which currently lacks resistance to sclerotinia and stem nematode. Researchers are also aiming to improve the efficiency with which farm animals convert plant protein into animal protein by increasing the availability of high sugar grasses (HSGs), which improve protein utilisation by ruminants.

Currently, some HSGs are associated with a lower than acceptable seed yield which makes seed crops of HSG varieties a less valuable crop for seed producers to grow and which could limit the uptake of this valuable attribute by farmers in the field.

The research project is being conducted in partnership with seed company Germinal Holdings Ltd and agronomy and technology institute NIAB-TAG.

Professor Wayne Powell Director of IBERS commented on the project, “This is a good example of how IBERS’ research expertise can offer benefits on many different levels – to the environment, to farmers, the food sector, to human health and the public in general.”

Although the IBERS researchers believe their project will contribute towards food security, some experts have said the projected demand for meat is environmentally untenable and will stretch the Earth’s resources too far. Speaking in January, Professor Tim Lang called on the UK government to develop a more sustainable food policy, stating that, if the government is serious about food security, it should encourage “Less farming, more horticulture. More plants, less animals.”   

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