Approximately Half of Total Protein Intake by Adults Must be Animal-Based to Meet Nonprotein, Nutrient-Based Recommendations, With Variations Due to Age and Sex.

BACKGROUND: Shifting towards a more plant-based diet, as promoted in Western countries, will reduce the animal protein contribution to total proteins. Such a reduction may not only impair protein adequacy, but also the adequacy in other nutrients. OBJECTIVES: We determined, for different adult subpopulations, the minimum total protein levels and the minimum animal protein contributions to total proteins that are compatible with the fulfillment of all nonprotein nutrient-based recommendations. METHODS: Mean nutritional contents and mean diet costs were estimated using a French, cross-sectional, representative survey for 5 French subpopulations: 1) women < 50 y; 2) women 50-64 y; 3) women ≥ 65 y; 4) men < 65 y; and 5) men ≥ 65 y. For each subpopulation, linear programming optimization was used to assess the minimum protein level (model set #1) and the minimum animal protein contribution to total proteins (model set #2) that are compatible with the fulfillment of all nutrient-based recommendations (except proteins, for which levels were analyzed as outputs). Total diet costs were not allowed to increase. Eating habits were considered in model set #2 only. RESULTS: The minimum amount of protein that was theoretically compatible with the fulfillment of nutrient-based recommendations (model set #1) was below the minimum recommended protein intake for all subpopulations except women < 50 y. In model set #2, for women and men ≥ 65 y, decreasing animal protein contributions to total proteins below 55% and 60%, respectively, led to protein levels below recommended levels. For the other subpopulations (women < 50 y, women 50-64 y, and men < 65 y), the lowest animal protein contributions to total proteins compatible with a nutritionally adequate diet (including protein adequacy) were 55%, 50%, and 45%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides factual information about the animal protein contributions to total proteins compatible with meeting all nutrient-based recommendations at no additional cost, and shows that they vary between 45% and 60% depending on the group of adults considered.

Effects of new n-3 fatty acid sources on milk fatty acid profile and milk fat properties in dairy cows.

Feeding livestock with n-3 fatty acid (FA) sources (linseed, for example) is a common strategy to improve lipid quality of meat and milk products. However, in monogastric animals, linseed tegument decreases digestibility and alphalinolenic acid (ALA) uptake, while the whole linseed is well used by ruminants. In a context of increasing sustainability of feeding systems, providing monogastric animals and ruminants with linseed products adapted to their digestive systems is an important issue. This research paper addresses the hypotheses: (i) sieved extruded linseed (SEL) specific for ruminants is as or more effective than standard extruded linseed (ii) microalgae DHA Gold® is an interesting source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in feedstuff and (iii) the effects of SEL and microalgae on milk characteristics are complementary and additive. Thirty-two cows were divided into 4 groups with different dietary n-3 fatty acid sources using a continuous design. All the diets were fed as mixed rations based on maize silage, energy concentrate and soybean meal. The first group received a control diet (CTRL) with no additional fat. The 3 other groups received SEL, microalgae DHA Gold® (ALG) and a mixture of microalgae DHA Gold® and SEL (SEL/ALG). Milk was collected from morning milkings after six weeks of dietary treatment. In SEL and SEL/ALG, ALA increased (+0·32 and +0·26% unit, respectively), and DHA increased in ALG and SEL/ALG (+0·43 and +0·15% unit, respectively) compared to CTRL, as a consequence of the initial composition of the n-3 FA sources. In SEL, milk yield, fat and protein contents, milk fat globule size and spontaneous lipolysis (measured to evaluate suitability for milk processing) were not different compared with CTRL. In ALG and SEL/ALG, milk yield decreased (-2·8 and -6·0 kg/d, respectively), fat content was halved, and fat globule size was reduced (-1·46 and -1·31 µm, respectively) compared to CTRL. Spontaneous lipolysis increased in ALG (+0·12 mEq/kg of milk) compared to CTRL. Protected microalgae and the doses of microalgae in the diet need further investigation to prevent FA modification in the rumen and the consequent deleterious effects on milk fat.

Pluri-energy analysis of livestock systems--a comparison of dairy systems in different territories.

This paper introduces a generic assessment method called pluri-energy analysis. It aims to assess the types of energy used in agricultural systems and their conversion efficiencies. Four types of energy are considered: fossil energy, gross energy contained in the biomass, energy from human and animal labor and solar energy. The method was applied to compare smallholder low-input dairy-production systems, which are common in developing countries, to the high-input systems encountered in OECD countries. The pluri-energy method is useful for analyzing the functioning of agricultural systems by highlighting their modes of energy management. Since most dairy systems in South Mali (SM) are low-input systems, they are primarily based on solar and labor energy types and do not require substantial fossil-energy inputs to produce milk. Farms in Poitou-Charentes (PC) and Bretagne (BR) show intermediate values of fossil-energy use for milk production, similar to that found in the literature for typical European systems. However, fossil-energy use for milk production is higher on PC than BR farms because of a higher proportion of maize silage in the forage area; grazing pastures are more common on BR farms. Farms on Reunion Island (RI) require a relatively large amount of fossil energy to produce milk, mainly because the island context limits the amount of arable land. Consequently, milk production is based on large imports of concentrated feed with a high fossil-energy cost. The method also enables assessment of fossil-energy-use efficiency in order to increase the performance of biological processes in agricultural systems. Comparing the low-input systems represented by SM to the high-input systems represented by RI, PC and BR, an increase in solar-energy conversion, and thus land productivity, was observed due to intensification via increased fossil-energy use. Conversely, though fossil-energy use at the herd level increased milk productivity, its effect on gross-energy conversion by the herd was less evident. Partitioning the total on-farm gross energy produced among animal co-products (milk, meat and manure) highlights the major functions of SM herds, which are managed to produce organic crop fertilizers.

Emergy evaluation of contrasting dairy systems at multiple levels.

Emergy accounting (EmA) was applied to a range of dairy systems, from low-input smallholder systems in South Mali (SM), to intermediate-input systems in two regions of France, Poitou-Charentes (PC) and Bretagne (BR), to high-input systems on Reunion Island (RI). These systems were studied at three different levels: whole-farm (dairy system and cropping system), dairy-system (dairy herd and forage land), and herd (animals only). Dairy farms in SM used the lowest total emergy at all levels and was the highest user of renewable resources. Despite the low quality of resources consumed (crop residues and natural pasture), efficiency of their use was similar to that of industrialised inputs by intensive systems in RI, PC and BR. In addition, among the systems studied, SM dairy farms lay closest to environmental sustainability, contradicting the usual image of high environmental impact of cattle production in developing countries. EmA also revealed characteristics of the three intensive systems. Systems from RI and PC had lower resource transformation efficiency and higher environmental impacts than those from BR, due mainly to feeding strategies that differed due to differing socio-climatic constraints. Application of EmA at multiple levels revealed the importance of a multi-level analysis. While the whole-farm level assesses the overall contribution of the system to its environment, the dairy-system level is suitable for comparison of multi-product systems. In contrast, the herd level focuses on herd management and bypasses debates about definition of system boundaries by excluding land management. Combining all levels highlights the contribution of livestock to the global agricultural system and identifies inefficiencies and influences of system components on the environment.

Datasets on the nutritional and environmental (including biodiversity) characteristics of food products consumed in France.

Analysing the nutritional and environmental impacts of our current diets and promoting sustainable dietary shifts require quantified data on the characteristics of foods. We have jointly studied environmental and nutritional performances of more than 200 generic foods consumed in France, by combining and completing different databases. Several environmental issues calculated by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) were selected, including impacts on biodiversity. This required to (1) model diets for given subpopulations; (2) adapt the LCA database of food products, Agribalyse 3.0, to link selected food and environmental inventories (3) compile characterization factors to assess impacts on biodiversity. Additionally, modifying Agribalyse 3.0 required to also modify the characterization method on Land Competition. This data paper compiles all the data used to obtain the results presented in the companion article entitled: Environmental trade-offs of fulfilling nutritionally adequacy with reduced animal protein share for French adult populations[1]; i.e. (i) the characterization methods used, (ii) the modifications made to Agribalyse 3.0 and (iii) the nutrient content and quantities consumed of generic foods (iv) the optimized quantities of simulated diets reaching nutrient recommendations with low share of animal-based proteins. It also comprises (iv) Life Cycle Impact Assessment for all Agribalyse 3.0 processes of food having a CIQUAL code (2,497 processes).

How the Green Architecture of the 2023-2027 Common Agricultural Policy could have been greener.

A new 5-year Common Agricultural Policy has been in place since January 2023. Like its predecessors, this new policy will fail to deliver significant climatic and environmental benefits. We show how the Green Architecture of the policy relying on the three instruments of conditionality, eco-schemes, and agri-environment and climate measures could have been used more consistently and effectively. Our proposals are based on core principles of public economics and fiscal federalism as well as on research results in agronomy and ecology. Conditionality criteria are the minimal requirements that every agricultural producer must meet. Farmers should be rewarded for efforts that go beyond these basic requirements through eco-schemes for global public goods complemented by agri-environment and climate measures centred on local public goods. Eco-schemes should cover the whole agricultural area by targeting permanent grasslands, crop diversification, and green cover and non-productive agro-ecological infrastructures. We discuss trade-offs that our proposals could generate.

Evaluating the ability of current energy use assessment methods to study contrasting livestock production systems.

Environmental impact assessment of agriculture has received increased attention over recent decades, leading to development of numerous methods. Among them, three deal with energy use: Energy Analysis (EA), Ecological Footprint (EF) and Emergy synthesis (Em). Based on a review of 197 references applying them to a variety of agricultural systems, this paper evaluates their ability to assess energy use. While EF assesses energy use as land use via a global accounting approach in which energy is only one component of the assessment, EA and Em are energy-focused and appear more appropriate to highlight ways to increase energy-use efficiency. EA presents a clear methodology via fossil energy use and its associated impacts but does not consider all energy sources. With inclusion of natural and renewable resources, Em focuses on other energy resources, such as solar radiation and energy from labour, but does not present impact indicators nor establish a clear link between activities and their environmental impacts. Improvements of the EA and Em methods could increase their ability to perform realistic and unbiased energy analysis or the diversity of livestock systems encountered in the world. First, to consider all energy sources, as Em does, EA could include solar radiation received by farm surfaces and energy expenditure by humans and animals to accomplish farm operations. Second, boundaries of the studied system in EA and Em must include draft animals, humans and communal grazing lands. Third, special attention should be given to update and locally adapt energy coefficients and transformities.

[Economic dimension and environmental impact of beef production in France]. / Dimension économique et impact environnemental de la production de viande bovine en France.

Following recent publication of data on its environmental impact, beef production is being strongly challenged. However, these data concern global ruminant production, which is highly diverse and does not necessarily correspond to the European and French situations. While it is undeniable that ruminant production contributes to global warming, there are several ways of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and permanent pastures serve as carbon sinks. Beef production is also a vital economic sector for many regions, where it would not be possible to produce cereals or to develop intensive animal production systems. Beef production also contributes to many collective services, justifying its continued financial support.

Objectives and applications of phenotyping network set-up for livestock.

Providing phenotypic information, which is accurate, reliable, repeatable and comparable across countries or laboratories, is critical to gain a better understanding of the relationship between genes and phenotypes. So far, it is indeed extremely difficult to combine different sources of phenotypic data from multiple origins, partly because of the variability in the methods of phenotyping. The phenotyping program of livestock involves the definition of complex phenotypes obtained from data integration at different levels (from molecules to herds), the implementation of the latest technologies to accurately characterize at high speed and low cost, the greatest number of animals in a better characterized environment, and the development and sharing of large databases for data analysis and modeling. Such a program also involves the construction of a coordinated network of research and professional facilities and a common language with shared definition of unambiguous animal traits and of methods to assess them. To this end, it will build on the 'Animal Trait Ontology of Livestock' (ATOL) project with the objective of defining precisely the phenotypes of interest for farm animals. Then, it will be necessary to combine an environmental information system related to animal husbandry and associated methods to capture the phenotypic differences between animals.

Dairy and industrial sources of trans fat do not impair peripheral insulin sensitivity in overweight women.

BACKGROUND: The 2 major dietary sources of trans fatty acids (TFAs) are partially hydrogenated oils and ruminant-derived products. Epidemiologic data suggest that chronic consumption of industrial sources of TFAs could be damaging to insulin sensitivity, but intervention studies on this issue have remained inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: The trial was designed to compare the effects of dairy compared with industrial sources of TFAs on insulin sensitivity in overweight women. DESIGN: Sixty-three healthy women with abdominal obesity [waist circumference >88 cm and a body mass index (in kg/m(2)) >28] were recruited. After a run-in period, the volunteers were randomly assigned to consume 1 of 3 four-week diets: 60 g low-TFA lipids/d (0.54 g/d; n = 21), ruminant TFA-rich lipids (4.86 g/d; n = 21), or industrial TFA-rich lipids (5.58 g/d; n = 21). Changes in peripheral insulin sensitivity were assessed by using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps. RESULTS: After the intervention period, fasting glycemia and insulinemia and insulin sensitivity were not significantly modified in either group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that consumption of dairy- and industrial-source TFAs for 4 wk at nutritional levels do not impair peripheral insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant women. Our study may not preassess the effects of TFAs in normal insulin-sensitive individuals. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00617435.