Climate-Resilient Feeding Strategies: Monogastric Livestock Nutrition

The increasing environmental footprint of conventional livestock production necessitates a shift toward climate-resilient feeding strategies, particularly for monogastric animals such as pigs and poultry. A circular food system approach prioritizes the efficient use of cropland for human food production while integrating low-opportunity cost feed materials (LCF) such as crop residues, food industry by-products, grass from marginal lands, and food waste into animal diets. These alternative feed sources differ significantly from conventional diets, exhibiting lower starch content but higher fiber, protein, fat, and phytate levels, which affect digestibility, nutrient absorption, and metabolic efficiency. Optimizing these novel diets requires innovative feeding strategies to maintain animal health and productivity while minimizing competition between human and animal food sources. One key challenge associated with LCF utilization is its impact on gut health and nutrient bioavailability, necessitating further research into microbial fermentation, fiber breakdown, and enzymatic treatments to improve feed digestibility. The role of exogenous enzymes, particularly phytase, has gained attention due to its ability to enhance phosphorus availability by hydrolyzing phytate in plant-based feed ingredients. While phytase supplementation improves phosphorus digestibility, its effects extend beyond phosphorus liberation, potentially influencing calcium metabolism, gut microbiota composition, and overall animal performance. The asynchronous release of calcium and phosphorus during phytate degradation presents a critical consideration for dietary formulation, highlighting the need for precise nutrient balancing strategies. Furthermore, traditional feed efficiency metrics, such as feed conversion ratio, may not fully capture the sustainability benefits of circular feeding systems. Future research should focus on developing holistic assessment frameworks that account for livestock’s role in upcycling human-inedible resources, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing overall food system resilience. By adopting climate-resilient feeding strategies, the monogastric livestock sector can contribute to a more sustainable, resource-efficient, and environmentally responsible food production system.