Traditionally ionizing radiation is used to treat animal feed that may be contaminated with insect pests, parasites, pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Clostridia) and mycotoxins. However, feeds and forages are not enough to meet today’s demands of the livestock industry.

To bridge the gap between dwindling resources and growing demand, the use of local feed resources must be optimized. All types of raw materials should be involved in this process, from food waste, grain by-products and crop residues to cut grasses, plants and plant products that are less well known and not traditionally used as animal feed.

Based on new approaches, farmers can partially or completely replace traditional animal feed with more innovative feeding methods using local resources, which will have a direct impact on livestock productivity while protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.