Producing and Consuming Protein Concentrates Locally

Technical articles - Protein autonomy, Diversification

Crop-livestock Crop-livestock Arable crops Arable crops Livestock Livestock Protein autonomy Farm autonomy Mixed cropping Legumes Oilseed meals

Concentrates based on rapeseed meal

Concentrates help to complete the forage ration to meet the animals' needs. Several concentrates can be included in the ration. Within the framework of protein autonomy, it is necessary to focus on the on-farm production of these concentrates, to become independent from commercial purchases while meeting the protein needs of ruminants.

Production of protein concentrates

Legumes/protein crops with seeds

Legumes

We speak of protein crops with seeds when referring to lupin, pea, and faba bean. These are legumes and are therefore capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Thus, they are very good preceding cereals because they leave their successor a surplus of nitrogen of 20 to 30 kg N/ha. Depending on the system and rotation, they can contribute to improving soil structure, break cycles of certain pests of cereals, and be a source of nitrogen for the cropping system.

Lupin is the most protein-rich crop (32-38% of seed DM) but the rates of pea (20-25%) and faba bean (25-30%) are also very interesting.

Nitrogen values of different protein crops with seeds according to the INRA tables

Indicator	PDIN (g/kg)	PDIE (g/kg)
Lupin	240	120
Pea	150	97
Faba bean	198	112

Concentrates are obviously to be integrated into a ration with forages to meet the animals' needs.

Pure legume crops are particularly sensitive to weeds, especially at the beginning of the crop when they have little ground cover. The major challenge is therefore to control weed growth. It is also necessary to consider a return period of at least five years and to favor planting on well-structured soil to promote the formation of nodules.

Mixed grain crop

Mixed grain crop

The mixed crop grain is a mixture of cereals and protein crops grown together on the same plot. It consumes very few inputs (little N thanks to legumes, no fungicides or herbicides). The mixed crop is a solution to control weed growth in protein crops. Like all mixtures, the mixed crop is more resistant to climatic hazards, weeds, diseases and pests. The mixture also secures protein crop yields, which are very variable in pure culture. Operational costs are lower when produced locally than when purchased commercially.

Technical itinerary

The goal when producing mixed crops is to harvest at least 30% protein crops to obtain a mixed crop with 16% protein.

Seeding density

Amount of cereal grains per m² :

• 240 to 300 grains in CF (Conventional Farming).
• 280 to 350 grains in OF (Organic farming).

Protein crop density :

• Forage pea and/or vetch, do not exceed 12 to 15 grains/m².
• Faba bean = 10 to 20 grains/m².

This density can be increased on cold plots or at altitude to compensate for climatic losses.

It is necessary to use varieties with close maturities. It is possible to associate two varieties per species to secure the yield.

However, what is harvested is different from what is sown. It is therefore necessary to check the feed value to ensure it meets the animals' needs. For this, either perform a count and estimate the feed value using the INRA tables, or carry out analyses by a laboratory.

It may be necessary to add a protein source : forage rich in legumes (alfalfa hay for example), oilseed meal.

Proposed mixtures

Proposed mixture for conventional seeding

	Average TGW	Seeding density (kg/ha)
Triticale	45	55
Oat	30-35	15
Wheat	45	55
Forage pea	150	20
Vetch	60	3
Faba bean	500	50

Proposed mixture for organic seeding

	Average TGW	Seeding density (kg/ha)
Triticale	45	50
Rye	35	35
Spelt	45	60
Forage pea	150	15
Vetch	60	3

Crop management

• Do not sow on wet plots: loss of protein crops.
• Sow at the same time as cereals, one pass only, at about 3 cm depth.
• Calcium supply necessary for good development of nodules on roots.
• Check during sowing that seeds do not separate.
• Apply manure (12 t/ha) to provide the necessary fertilization.
• Rolling the plot after sowing to level and improve germination capacity.
• For harvest, align with the maturity of protein crops as the goal is to produce protein.

Opinion of Michel Bromet, dairy cattle farmer

"These mixed crops meet our objectives because :

• They ensure nitrogen autonomy for animal feed
• They have a structuring effect on the soil thanks to protein crops
• They leave a nitrogen residue in the soil
• They are dense enough to prevent weed infestation and reduce the number of weed control operations compared to the previous system."

[[|link=Introduction of mixed forage crop to reduce weed pressure and secure food production - feedback (Michel Bromet - Aglae)|220px|class=card-img]]

Introduction of mixed forage crop to reduce weed pressure and secure food production - feedback (Michel Bromet - Aglae)

Rapeseed meal

During the production of rapeseed oil, oil which can be used as biofuel and meal which is a good protein source are obtained. Production on the farm is therefore doubly beneficial, and a lever to move towards protein autonomy.

This requires either an investment in a small-scale press or membership in a Cuma equipped with one. This second option can be much more economical.

Two press choices :

• Screw press : low throughput but affordable price. It is more suitable for occasional or individual use.
• Piston press : higher throughput but higher costs.

Additional work is obviously necessary, but income can increase up to 1200 euros depending on the price of meal and fuel for 3800L of oil and 7.5t of meal. This increase is largely enabled by the use of oil as biofuel. The meals themselves help to move towards and achieve protein autonomy.

Warning :

• After production, meals must be allowed to cool and dry to avoid mold.
• They should not be fed to animals after more than four months due to the risk of fat rancidity.

Other meals

Other meals can also be produced locally : soybean meal, flaxseed meal, or sunflower meal.

In all cases, an economic gain is observed.

Nitrogen values of different meals according to the INRA tables

Indicator	PDIN (g/kg)	PDIE (g/kg)
Rapeseed meal	247	155
Soybean meal	201	377
Flaxseed meal	256	202
Unshelled sunflower meal	201	105

Concentrates are obviously to be integrated into a ration with forages to meet the animals' needs.

Valorizing local by-products

If it is impossible or difficult to produce by-products yourself, it is possible to buy them. Within the framework of protein autonomy, different scales are possible : that of the farm, the district, the region or even national. Buying by-products locally can help the farmer achieve this autonomy objective if they do not want autonomy at the farm scale.

Several by-products exist on the market; some examples and their costs are described below.

Examples of concentrates that can be purchased locally

Feed	PDIN (g/kg DM)	PDIE (g/kg DM)	DM %	Average cost per ton
Rapeseed meal	247	155	89	405 €
Distillery wheat dried grains	114	115	91	222 €
Flaxseed meal	244	190	90	156 €
Dehydrated beet pulp	66	109	89	330 €
Pressed pulp	60	84	27	30 €

Dried grains

Prices vary from one region to another, and some by-products are not available in all regions. It is thus necessary to adapt the choice according to the farm location. The costs of by-products vary depending on their availability and nutritional interest. It is necessary to compare these costs with those of different alternatives - in relative value related to the unit of protein supply - to verify that these purchases will be a gain and not a financial loss.

Our series of guides on protein autonomy

• Autonomie en protéines
• Appréhender les besoins protéiques des ruminants
• Valoriser les prairies pour accroitre l'autonomie protéique
• Produire des cultures fourragères riches en protéines
• Produire et consommer localement des concentrés protéiques
• Transformer et stocker les ressources alimentaires protéiques

This page was written in partnership with Pleinchamp