Feed Supply

The feed supply component includes:

- feed production
- transport of feed to the processing plant
- feed mixing and processing

The demand for feed in the industrial system is for high quality feed, feed with a generally high energy and high protein value. The main sources of feed are: (1) grain and rootcrops for feed; and (2) by-products from the (food) processing industry (e.g. bran, oil cakes etc); The high nutritive value makes transport of feed feasible, thus allowing the expansion of production according to market incentives. Feed comes from outside the industrial farming system and frequently feed is imported through the international market.

The importation of nutrients into the industrial system normally occurs via markets, including international markets. While the return of nutrients through manure frequently causes problems given the high water content and thus high cost of transporting those nutrients to land-based systems capable of using them.

The potential environmental impacts of the supply of concentrate feeds include impacts of crop production, trade/transport and processing.

Potential impacts of crop production and the expansion of production include effects on land-use and biodiversity (loss of forests, grasslands, wildlife habitats, non-target species), effects on soils (soil erosion and fertility), on water (use of water resources and contamination of drainage waters), and air (air quality and greenhouse gas production). Indirect effects of increased crop production are the result of an increased supply of inputs for agriculture (mechanisation, fossil fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.)

Potential impacts of trade/transport and processing of commodities include direct effects (mainly on air and water) due to transport (use of fossil fuel), storage and processing (e.g. wastes and effluents).

Proceed to the Matrix of Underlying Problem and potential Impacts

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