Point of contact at UniTrento
prof.ssa Sihem Dabbou (coordinator)
prof. Simone Cerroni
prof. Gianfranco Anfora
prof.ssa Flavia Gasperi
prof.ssa Maria Stella Grando
Collaboration with Fondazione Edmund Mach
dr. Filippo Faccenda
dr. Silvia Carlin
The research unit addresses the growing global challenge of ensuring the safety, sustainability and animal welfare of livestock and aquaculture production, while reducing the environmental impact of feed production systems. The increase in the world population and in demand for animal-derived products will require a substantial rise in livestock output. Meeting this demand by relying exclusively on conventional and protein resources would place unsustainable pressure on land, water, and ecosystems, making a transition towards more sustainable and resource-efficient feed production models essential.
The objective of the cluster is to identify, develop, and evaluate new protein sources and alternative feed ingredients capable of supporting circular economy principles, improving resource efficiency, and reducing the environmental impact of livestock and aquaculture value chains, while ensuring animal health and welfare as well as the quality of animal-derived products.
The group adopts an interdisciplinary approach integrating animal nutrition, animal welfare, environmental assessment, and economic analysis. Experimental trials assess the effects of alternative feed sources on productive performance, animal welfare, and the quality of animal-derived products, while environmental and economic analyses examine sustainability, feasibility, and potential risks along feed and livestock supply chains.
Research lines:
- Circular economy: valorization of organic by-products and residual biomass into sustainable feed ingredients, with a focus on insect farming.
- Use of the new alternative sources in the diet of monogastrics (fish and chickens): performance, product quality, and animal welfare.
- Assessment of the acceptability of these innovative technological solutions by economic operators within the relevant supply chains, considering associated business risks.
- Assessment of consumer acceptance of products derived from these innovative solutions using quantitative marketing techniques.