Trouw Nutrition drives innovation to help Ireland’s poultry sector meet net zero ambitions

As the local agri-food industry works towards ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050, Trouw Nutrition is helping the poultry sector turn sustainability from a compliance challenge into a commercial opportunity through science-led innovation, nutritional expertise and digital technology. And with retailers, processors and consumers placing increasing emphasis on environmental performance, Trouw Nutrition believes the future success of the sector will depend on improving efficiency across the entire production chain, enabling businesses to reduce emissions while strengthening profitability. According to Jim Uprichard, Trouw Nutrition’s Technical Sales Manager – Sustainability, Ireland, sustainability should not be viewed solely as an environmental obligation but as an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient businesses. “Too often sustainability is seen as a cost or a challenge, when in reality it’s about improving efficiency,” he said. “The most efficient poultry businesses are often those with the lowest environmental footprint because they’re making better use of feed, improving flock performance and producing more from the resources they already have. That’s the narrative we need to change. “No individual producer is expected to achieve the industry’s carbon reduction targets alone. Success will come from every part of the supply chain making incremental improvements and working collaboratively towards a common goal.” Trouw Nutrition’s sustainability strategy is driven through continued R&D investment, combining nutritional science, precision feeding <a href="https://healthylife7.com/forget-the-gym-this-p-e-i-program-wants-adults-to-play-like-kids-again/” title=”Forget the gym. This P.E.I. program wants adults to play like kids again”>programmes and digital innovation to help producers make informed, data-driven decisions. Central to this is the company’s Carbon Reduction Programme for Layers (CRPL), a science-based framework designed to help egg producers measure, monitor and reduce the carbon footprint of egg production without compromising bird health, productivity or financial performance. The programme draws on extensive international research and commercial farm data to identify where emissions occur across the production cycle before developing tailored strategies to improve feed efficiency, flock longevity, nutrition and overall performance. According to Jim, feed remains the single biggest opportunity for reducing emissions. “Feed typically accounts for around 80% of the carbon footprint associated with egg production, so relatively small improvements in feed efficiency can have a significant impact on both emissions and profitability,” he said. “That’s why precision nutrition and better flock management are so important. When producers can improve feed conversion and optimise performance, they’re delivering benefits for both the environment and their bottom line.” Trouw Nutrition has also invested in digital tools including MyFeedPrint and MyEggPrint, enabling producers to not only establish a carbon footprint baseline, but also to identify emission hotspots and assess which changes to nutrition, feed sourcing, energy use and management practices can have the biggest influence on environmental performance over time. “Producers already collect huge amounts of information, but data only becomes valuable when it helps inform better decisions,” Jim explained. “Digital tools such as MyFeedPrint and MyEggPrint provide the insight needed to identify where the biggest opportunities exist and measure progress over time. They give producers confidence that the actions they’re taking are delivering genuine environmental and commercial benefits.” Jim believes collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing will be critical if the poultry industry is to meet its long-term sustainability ambitions. “Reducing emissions isn’t about finding one silver bullet,” he said. “It’s about continuous improvement through better nutrition, smarter management, stronger data and ongoing innovation. Research and development are central to that journey, and we’re committed to providing practical, science-based solutions that will help poultry producers across Ireland and GB, remain competitive while meeting the environmental expectations of the future.”