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A dataset of human-inedible byproduct feeds consumed by dairy cows in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Dairy cows convert human-indigestible forages and byproducts nutrients into edible food for humans [1]. Because of microbiota located in their rumen, dairy cows can digest fibrous forages and feeds which are not exploited by humans and monogastric animals like pigs. Dairy cows in the U.S. have been fed byproduct feeds as part of their diet for decades [2], [3]. Dairy nutritionists use complex nutrition models to develop economical and nutritious diets composed of grains, byproduct feeds, and forages. Accurate, complete, up-to-date information on byproduct feed consumption by dairy cows would be useful for both public and private researchers seeking to understand the type and extent of byproduct usage on US dairies. In collaboration with the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), a survey was sent to US feed company representatives inquiring about the types and amounts of byproducts sold as dairy cow feed during the last year, the number of lactating cows serviced, the amount of milk produced by these lactating cows, and the states where these cows were located. A similar survey was sent to practicing US dairy nutritionists inquiring about their typical daily feeding rates of byproduct feeds by type, the number of cows consuming these byproducts, the amount of milk produced by the lactating cows, and the states where these cows were located. Survey data are representative of 33.5% of US lactating cows and 35.7% of US milk production in 2019 [4]. Amounts of each type of byproduct feed consumed per US milking cow (including replacement heifers and dry cows) and per kg of milk produced were calculated for the US and its four regions [5]. Total 2019 regional and US byproduct consumption by type was calculated. Nutrient compositions of each byproduct feed were reported.

SUBMITTER: de Ondarza MB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8446783 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundConsumer food waste in the United States represents substantial amounts of wasted nutrients, as well as needless environmental impact from wasted agricultural inputs, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to reduce food waste at the consumer level are urgently needed to address the most prominent nutrition and environmental sustainability issues we now face. Importantly, individuals report that saving money is a salient motivator for reducing food waste, yet contemporary evidence on the consumer cost of wasted food is lacking. The objectives of this study are to 1) estimate the daily per capita cost of food wasted, inedible, and consumed 2) at home and away from home, and 3) by food group.MethodsThis study utilizes cross-sectional, nationally-representative data on food intake from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2016), linked with nationally representative data on food waste from published literature, as well as data on food prices and food price inflation from multiple publicly-available sources. Survey-weighted procedures estimated daily per capita expenditure on food waste for 39,758 adults aged ≥20 y.ResultsTotal daily per capita food expenditure was $13.27, representing 27% wasted, 14% inedible, and 59% consumed. The greatest daily food waste expenditures were observed for meat and seafood purchased for consumption outside of the home ($0.94, 95% CI: $0.90-0.99), and fruits and vegetables purchased for consumption in the home ($0.68, $0.63-0.73).ConclusionsThe most cost-effective ways to reduce food waste at the consumer level are to focus waste reduction efforts on meat and seafood purchased for consumption outside of the home and fruits and vegetables purchased for consumption in the home. A number of strategies are available to help consumers reduce their food waste, which can increase their financial flexibility to purchase more healthy foods while simultaneously reducing environmental impact.

Project description:This Scientific Opinion addresses a European Commission's mandate on the welfare of dairy cows as part of the Farm to Fork strategy. It includes three assessments carried out based on literature reviews and complemented by expert opinion. Assessment 1 describes the most prevalent housing systems for dairy cows in Europe: tie-stalls, cubicle housing, open-bedded systems and systems with access to an outdoor area. Per each system, the scientific opinion describes the distribution in the EU and assesses the main strengths, weaknesses and hazards potentially reducing the welfare of dairy cows. Assessment 2 addresses five welfare consequences as requested in the mandate: locomotory disorders (including lameness), mastitis, restriction of movement and resting problems, inability to perform comfort behaviour and metabolic disorders. Per each welfare consequence, a set of animal-based measures is suggested, a detailed analysis of the prevalence in different housing systems is provided, and subsequently, a comparison of the housing systems is given. Common and specific system-related hazards as well as management-related hazards and respective preventive measures are investigated. Assessment 3 includes an analysis of farm characteristics (e.g. milk yield, herd size) that could be used to classify the level of on-farm welfare. From the available scientific literature, it was not possible to derive relevant associations between available farm data and cow welfare. Therefore, an approach based on expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) was developed. The EKE resulted in the identification of five farm characteristics (more than one cow per cubicle at maximum stocking density, limited space for cows, inappropriate cubicle size, high on-farm mortality and farms with less than 2 months access to pasture). If one or more of these farm characteristics are present, it is recommended to conduct an assessment of cow welfare on the farm in question using animal-based measures for specified welfare consequences.

Dataset Information

A dataset of human-inedible byproduct feeds consumed by dairy cows in the United States.

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