Abstract
Since phosphorus (P) is an essential element for life, its usage and application across agricultural production systems requires great attention. Monogastric species such as pigs and poultry can significantly contribute to global food security but these animals remain highly dependent on the supply of mineral inorganic P in their feeds. Pig and poultry, which represent 70% of the global meat production, are also major P excretors and thus represent important sources of environmental P inputs. Balancing the P cycle within farming systems is crucial to achieve P sustainable and resilient livestock production. Therefore, the interconnection of animal feed, livestock farming, manure, and soil/aquatic ecosystems requires multidisciplinary approaches to improve P management. With regard to a sustainable agricultural P cycle, this study addresses aspects of feeding strategies and animal physiology (e.g., phase feeding, P conditioning, liquid feeding, phytase supplementation, genetics), soil agroecosystems (e.g., P cycling, P losses, P gains), reuse and recycling (e.g., manure, slaughter waste), measures of farmers’ economic performance (e.g., bio-economic models), and P governance/policy instruments (e.g., P quota, P tax). To reconcile the economic and ecological sustainability of animal husbandry, the strategic objective of future research will be to provide solutions for a sufficient supply of high-quality animal products from resource-efficient and economically competitive agro-systems which are valued by society and preserve soil and aquatic ecosystems.
Highlights
Phosphorus (P) availability is very important for the functioning of natural and human-managed agricultural ecosystems where P is cycled among plants, animals and soils [1,2]
Since phosphorus (P) is an essential element for life, its usage and application across agricultural production systems requires great attention. Monogastric species such as pigs and poultry can significantly contribute to global food security but these animals remain highly dependent on the supply of mineral inorganic P in their feeds
With regard to a sustainable agricultural P cycle, this study addresses aspects of feeding strategies and animal physiology, soil agroecosystems (e.g., P cycling, P losses, P gains), reuse and recycling, measures of farmers’ economic performance, and P governance/policy instruments (e.g., P quota, P tax)
Summary
Phosphorus (P) availability is very important for the functioning of natural and human-managed agricultural ecosystems where P is cycled among plants, animals and soils [1,2]. In intensive agricultural production systems increased P availability can, lead to serious environmental problems, and improvements in P efficiency use are urgently required through the implementation of new sustainable management strategies [3,4,5]. There are major losses to soil and erosion through inefficient agro-practice and very little of the three megatons are recycled from our waste systems [13]. These inefficiencies can be partly attributed to the fact that age-related P requirements are in some cases considerably exceeded. The aim of this study is to summarize the main factors and characteristics that contribute to improving the sustainable use of P in agriculture in an interdisciplinary manner
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