According to a study by Research and Markets, the global animal feed market is expected to exceed $960bn (£762bn) by 2030, with demand driven by increased commercialization of the livestock sector, increasing demand for animal-based products and greater emphasis on research and development in the animal feed sector.
Meanwhile, Consumer needs are evolving due to considerations such as the sustainability and humaneness of pets, causing manufacturers to adjust their methods and adopt new technologies.
With all these factors in mind, Ohly business development manager for animal health, Henning Gerstenkorn, shares his insights into the key trends set to shape the animal nutrition landscape this year.
‘Embracing sustainable practices’
In the past year, there has been an increase in demand for sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients which are “severely affected” the market for pet food and animal feed.
According to Gerstenkorn, this trend is expected to continue in 2024 as well.
“Conscious consumers are urging producers to operate more sustainably with a particular focus on the sources and effects of ingredients“he says.
“The drive for sustainability is encouraging ingredient and feed manufacturers to embrace circular economy principles, explore alternative ingredients and drive down the carbon footprint associated with feed production. An added benefit of regional sourcing is the increasing the resilience of the supply chain, which mitigates the risk of disruptions.”
‘A strong focus on plant-based ingredients in pet foods’
The second trend highlighted by Gerstenkorn is another that has gained influence in the human food market, which is the rise of plant-based ingredients.
In particular, there has been a growing interest in algae, legumes, duckweed, seaweed, insect and myco proteins and by-products from food processing.
“Yeast extracts also serve as a sustainable source of bioavailable nutrients, including nucleotides that provide growth support and can act as a substitute for antibiotic growth promoters to improve feed conversion ratios.,” explained Gerstenkorn.
“The yeast cell wall contains components such as beta-glucans and mannan-oligosaccharides that offer immune-supporting properties by increasing macrophage activity and limiting the growth of gut pathogens.The
‘Precise nutrition using new technologies and ingredients’
Artificial intelligence and data analytics have become a hot topic throughout food and beverage production and Gerstenkorn expects these technologies to become more prevalent in pet food and animal feed production as well.
He believes that these new methods can open up new opportunities for manufacturers and allow them to act with great precision, while also improving the nutritional value and sustainable credentials of their products.
Gerstenkorn continued: “With the United Nations citing the need for a 60% growth in demand by 2050 feed technology is likely to evolve, using a range of biological, biochemical, physical, chemical and engineering methods to make it more available the nutrients in animal feed. Other digital tools such as precise spectroscopic techniques such as NIR are also changing how we approach feed formulations.”
‘Animal welfare’
Ethical concerns related to animal welfare have continued to gain traction in recent years and will also play an important role in 2024.
Consumer demands around this trend are causing the animal feed industry to prioritize higher standards and sourcing transparency, influencing production methods and where ingredients come from.
“Adapting to these trends throughout 2024 will allow the industry to uphold the highest quality standards, meet consumer needs and contribute to a more sustainable future for the animal feed industry.,” commented Gerstenkorn.
‘Supporting immune health through animal feed applications’
Finally, livestock producers are increasingly concerned about growing levels of antibiotic resistance, with a 2019 report by the WHO finding that antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections cause more than 700,000 human deaths. in a year around the world.
As a result, Gerstenkorn sees an increase in demand for non-antibiotic immune support solutions that “improve both feed conversion ratios and liveability rates in livestock“.
“Ohly’s feed products, made from primary cultivated yeast, provide a sustainable solution for feed formulators to help reduce antibiotic use and improve performance through better animal health and conversion of feed,” he concluded.
In other news, food scientist, chef and author Anthony Warner published a new report that emphasizes the need to reduce the costs of plant-based meat alternatives.
