Feeding the future: Novel approaches to porcine nutrition
The increasing intensification of agricultural systems has enhanced yields and resource-use efficiency while reducing production costs and environmental impacts. Nevertheless, agriculture remains responsible for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and for most ammonia emissions, indicating that further mitigation efforts are still required. A significant share of efficiency gains has resulted from the specialization of agricultural activities into single livestock or crop systems. Consequently, nutrient cycles have become increasingly disconnected in many agricultural systems worldwide, including swine production systems. Manure plays a central role in agroecosystems by linking livestock production, crop growth, soil health, and nutrient cycling. However, inefficient management of animal manure leads to substantial nitrogen and phosphorus losses, contributing to eutrophication and acidification in many regions. There is therefore an urgent need to reconnect nutrient cycles and optimize the utilization of N and P from animal manure. Achieving this objective requires the development of robust, system-level approaches, including improvements in feeding strategies through precise, real-time determination of feed ingredient composition and animal nutrient requirements, combined with innovative, integrated animal–crop management practices.