Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Microalgae as a
protein feed for
dairy cows
Marjukka Lamminen
PhD student
Animal nutrition,
Department of Agricultural Sciences,
University of Helsinki, Finland
LightNutrients
CO2
Microalgae
• Microscopically small, single-celled organisms
• Estimated: 200 000 – 800 000 different species• Chemical composition studied: a few thousand species
• Production in industrial scale: a few species
• Feed use of microalgae studied already on 50’s• Mostly on monogastrics (pigs, poultry, fish)
• Only few studies on ruminants
• Fatty acid research with low doses of algae (~100 g/d)
• Optimal growth + 20-25 °C
• Modest growing condition demands
Why algae? Driving forces:
• Future challenge: to double food production while halving theecological footprint
• Ecological intensification of agriculture!
• EU ~ 30 %• Finland ~ 15 %
Domestic animal production highly vulnerable to external risks
• Fluctuation of prices• Availability of feeds• Feed- and food-borne diseases• Etc.
HOW TO FEED 9 BILLION PEOPLE IN 2050?
PROTEIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Algae is superior to conventionalprotein feeds
PROTEIN CONTENT
Microalgae
10 - 70 %
protein
Rapeseed meal
38 % protein
Soyabean meal
52 % protein
Faba bean
30 % protein
Pea
23 % protein
Large variation
between different
microalgal species!
Spirulina
platensis
70 %
Chlorella
vulgaris
58 %
Scenedesmus
obliquus
56 %
Nannochloropsis
gaditana
39 %
Dunaliella
bardawil
10 %
PROTEIN YIELD
Land area needed for producing
Rapeseed
32,8 hectaresPea
18,8
hectaers
Faba
bean
15,7
hectares
Microalgae
0,7-2,5
hectares
10 000 kg of protein:
1 hectare = 10 000 m2
ALSO THE QUALITY OF PROTEIN MATTERS!
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
g/100 g protein
Essential amino acids
Rapeseed meal Spirulina platensis
Histidine is the first limiting amino acid in grass silage and cereal –based nutrition of dairy cows
PHYSIOLOGICAL
NUTRITION
TRIALS
1. Pilot
2. Mixture of Spirulina platensis & Chlorella vulgaris vs. rapeseed meal
3. Spirulina platensis vs. rapeseed meal
4. Different microalgae species vs. soyabean meal
5. Spirulina platensis vs. rapeseed meal vs. faba bean
Feed intake?
Milk production?
Nutrient utilisation? – Especially nitrogen & phosphorus
WHAT HAVE WE
DONE?
Feed- Intake- Content
Milk- Production- Content
Urine- Volume- Content
Feces- Volume- Content
Blood- Content
Rumen- Content
MEASUREMENTS & SAMPLES
21
23
25
27
29
No protein feed Rapeseed Rapeseed+Spirulina
Spirulina
MILK PRODUCTION, KG/D
TR
IAL 2
TR
IAL 3
19
21
23
25
27
Rapeseed Rapeseed+Algae* Algae*
A sneak peek of the results..
* 1:1 mixture of Spirulina and
Chlorella
25
27
29
31
33
Soyabean meal Spirulina Chlorella Chlorella+Nannochloropsis
TR
IAL 4
Some preliminary conclusions:
Compared to rapeseed meal:
The milk production potential of Spirulina is a bitweaker.
Compared to soyabean meal:
The milk production potential of microalgae is equalor even better (Spirulina).
There are differences in milk production potentialbetween microalgae species -Of the algae studied, Spirulina is clearly the best.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Marjukka Lamminen
PhD Student (Animal Nutrition)
University of Helsinki, Finland
Twitter | Blog | LinkedIn | Tuhat-research database
Co-authors: Anni Halmemies-Beauchet-Filleau, Tuomo Kokkonen, Aila Vanhatalo & Seija Jaakkola
