BEEF_OPTI_NITROGEN - Precision formulation for nitrogen optimisation in fattening steers from dairy dams

This project will enable us to further optimise the crude protein levels in the diet in order to reduce nitrogen and methane emissions without affecting the animals’ growth, thereby reducing the environmental impact of veal calf production in Catalonia. It is estimated that nitrogen emissions can be reduced by 22% without increasing methane emissions.

The sector is fully committed; the beef calf innovation panel, comprising various representatives from the beef cattle sector, has voted on and prioritised projects to reduce the environmental impact.

There are four activities:

• Activity 1. Session as part of the ‘Let’s make a drink with science’ lecture series.
• Activities 2 and 3, involving pilot trials with different formulations, during which enteric methane emissions will be recorded, and open days will be held within the framework of the PATT.
• Activity 4: a talk as part of the “Pint of Science” lecture series to communicate scientific knowledge to the public.

Building on previous experience in modelling excretion based on nitrogen intake, the project aims to utilise the IRTA database (spanning 15 years and containing over 25,000 records) in conjunction with artificial intelligence techniques to improve the accuracy of determining animal nutritional requirements. The aim is to move towards phased feeding strategies and Precision Nutrition Techniques (PNT), with the objective of more carefully adjusting the animals’ nutritional needs and reducing the potential environmental impact resulting from their emissions. At the same time, the project seeks to experimentally demonstrate the validity of this theoretical modelling and ensure that its application does not lead to an increase in methane emissions.

Given that previous projects did not address the growth phase, this project sets as a specific objective the application of the models developed to optimise nutritional requirements during this stage. The aim is to verify experimentally that more precise feed adjustment has no negative effects on the animals’ production indices, thereby guaranteeing the technical and productive viability of precision nutrition strategies across all phases of the production cycle.

Action of the Strategic Plan of the PAC 2023-2027 co-funded by: