Switching poultry rations from 95 % to 100 % organic feed can lead to a reduction in the use of home-grown and regional feed. Currently, conventional maize gluten and conventional potato protein are replaced by organic oilcake (soya, sunflower, rapeseed, sesame). Oilcake has a comparatively low content of important amino acids such as methionine and so higher proportions of oilcake must be used. This can lead to further reductions in the use of regionally produced and home-grown feed components such as cereals.

Energy feedstuff components contain different amounts of amino acids such as methionine. Some grain species have a high methionine content and can grow well in most regions by the farmers themselves. The best examples are proso millet (Panicum milleceum) and naked oats (Avena nuda) followed by spelt, naked barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) and buckwheat with all containing higher levels of methionine than wheat or maize. Figures 1 and 2 show the harvest and a field visit as part of the project “Proso millet in poultry feed”.