In 2022, pig and poultry farmers in the European Union will be able to feed their livestock purpose-bred insects, following the European Commission’s decision in 2021 to amend a ban on farm feed made of animal remains (and insects) following the BSE crisis in 1994. The change in feed regulations means that farmers will be allowed to use processed animal proteins (PAPs) and insects to feed non-ruminant animals including swine, poultry and horses. (The ban on feeding PAPs to ruminants, such as cows and sheep, will continue.)
Pigs and poultry are the world’s biggest consumers of animal feed. In 2020, they consumed 260.9 million and 307.3 million tonnes respectively, compared with 115.4 million and 41 million for beef and fish. Most of this feed is made from soya, cultivation of which is one of the leading causes of deforestation around the world, notably in Brazil and the Amazon rainforest. Piglets are also fed on fish meal, which encourages overfishing.
To reduce this unsustainable supply, the EU has encouraged local soya production and the use of alternative, European plant-based proteins, such as the lupin bean, field bean and alfalfa. The licensing of insect proteins in pig and poultry feed represents a further step in the development of sustainable European feed.
Insects use a fraction of the land and resources needed by soya, thanks to their minuscule size and the use of vertical-farming methods. Licensing their use in pig and poultry feed in 2022 will help to reduce unsustainable imports and their impact on forests and biodiversity. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, by 2050, insect protein could replace a significant proportion of soya used for animal feed. In the United Kingdom, for example, this would mean a reduction of 20 per cent in the amount of soya being imported.
This will not only be good for our planet, but for pigs and chickens too. Insects are part of the natural diet of both wild pigs and poultry. They constitute up to ten per cent of a bird’s natural nutrition, rising to 50 per cent for some birds, such as turkeys. This, as well as many insects’ strong nutrient profiles, means that poultry health in particular is improved by the incorporation of insects into their diets. Molitor and buffalo mealworms contain all the amino acids a chicken needs for optimal development, as well as having a protein content of 72 per cent. According to research we have done here at Ÿnsect, the consumption of insects can lead to a two per cent increase in poultry carcass and fillet mass.
Incorporating insects into pig and poultry feed will therefore not only increase animal wellbeing and industry efficiency, but also the nutritional value of the pork and chicken products we consume, thanks to the animals’ improved diet and boosted overall health.
Insect proteins will first be used in the premium pig- and poultry-feed market, where benefits currently outweigh the increased cost. After a few years, once economies of scale are in place, the full market potential can be reached.
In 2022, it will be important for the public perception of insects to shift, so that people feel ready to consume insect-fed pork and poultry. While insects undeniably suffer from a certain “yuck factor” in western culture (especially among people who have never consumed insect protein), this is less the case when the insect is being indirectly consumed via pork or chicken meat and products. Research by PROteINSECT, a multi-disciplinary group investigating the use of insects as food, suggests that 72.6 per cent of people globally are willing to eat fish, chicken or pork from animals fed on a diet containing insect protein.
Insect-based animal feed is simply a manifestation of insects’ natural place at the base of the food chain. In 2022, we will be feeding them to pigs and poultry, but the possibilities are vast. In a few years, we may well be welcoming them to our plate.
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
