Alternative Feed in Livestock Nutrition: Potential Benefits and Risks
A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 155
Special Issue Editors
Interests: alternative feed ingredients; valorization of agri-food waste and byproducts in animal nutrition; feed quality and safety; feed processing
Interests: feed technology; novel feed ingredients; feed quality and safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As global demand for animal-derived food continues to increase, the livestock sector faces growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint while ensuring long-term feed security. Currently, around 30% of global cereal crops and 80% of soybean production are used for animal feed, raising major concerns about the competition between livestock nutrition and human food needs for land, water, and other essential resources. This heavy reliance on conventional feed ingredients not only threatens global food security but also contributes significantly to environmental degradation, posing a serious challenge to the overall sustainability of agricultural systems.
In response to these pressing issues, the use of alternative feed ingredients has gained increasing attention as a promising strategy to reduce environmental impact, promote resource efficiency, support circular farming models, and drive innovation in animal nutrition. Novel feed sources, such as agro-industrial by-products and waste, insects, algae, and fermented and enzymatically treated ingredients, among others, offer opportunities to replace or supplement traditional feedstuffs. These ingredients can enhance the sustainability of livestock production, improve feed availability, and, in many cases, positively influence animal performance, health, and the quality of animal-derived products.
This Special Issue invites multidisciplinary contributions that explore the nutritional value and safety of alternative ingredients for livestock, their effects on animal growth, health, and welfare, their impact on product quality, and the potential risks associated with their use. By bringing together current research and innovative practices, this Special Issue aims to advance knowledge and support the development of more sustainable and resilient livestock production systems.
Dr. Slađana Rakita
Dr. Olivera Đuragić
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- livestock nutrition
- new feeds
- feed quality
- feed processing
- animal performance
- animal health
- product quality
- sustainability
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