Feed-a-Gene · Project

Smart Feeding Systems That Cut Livestock Feed Costs and Waste for Pig and Poultry Farms

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Imagine you're running a pig farm and you're basically guessing how much feed each animal needs — some get too much, some too little, and a lot of money goes to waste. Feed-a-Gene built smart feeding systems that measure what each animal actually needs in real time and adjust portions automatically, like a fitness tracker but for farm animals. They also figured out how to replace expensive imported feed ingredients with locally available alternatives like food industry by-products and green biomass. The whole thing was tested on a real commercial pig farm to prove it actually works outside the lab.

By the numbers

EUR 8,999,544

EU funding for research and demonstration

consortium partners across the value chain

countries represented in the consortium

industrial partners including SMEs

project deliverables completed

35%

industry ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Feed costs represent the single largest expense in pig, poultry, and rabbit farming — often 60-70% of total production costs. Farmers currently apply one-size-fits-all feeding programs that overfeed some animals and underfeed others, wasting money and increasing environmental impact. At the same time, dependence on imported feed ingredients like soy exposes producers to volatile global commodity prices and supply chain risks.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a precision feeding system demonstrated at a commercial pig farm, real-time feed quality characterization tools, alternative feed formulations using local by-products from food and biofuel industries, genetic selection methods for more feed-efficient animals, biological models predicting nutrient utilization, and decision support tools for farm management — 38 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Large-scale pig farm operators looking to cut feed costsCompound feed manufacturers seeking alternative local ingredientsAgricultural equipment companies wanting to add precision feeding to their product linePoultry integrators aiming to reduce feed waste across their operationsLivestock breeding companies developing more feed-efficient genetic lines

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Livestock Feed Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Feed mill operators and compound feed producers

If you are a feed manufacturer struggling with volatile raw material prices and increasing demand for sustainable ingredients — this project developed methods to use local by-products from the food and biofuel industry as alternative feed resources. With 26 partners across 9 countries validating these formulations, the results cover pigs, poultry, and rabbits, giving you tested recipes to diversify your ingredient sourcing.

Pig and Poultry Farming

any

Target: Large-scale pig or poultry farm operators

If you are a farm operator where feed accounts for the biggest share of your production costs — this project built and demonstrated a precision feeding system for growing pigs at a commercial farm. The system monitors individual animals in real time and adjusts feed delivery to match each animal's actual nutritional requirements, reducing overfeeding and waste while maintaining growth performance.

Agricultural Technology & Equipment

SME

Target: Manufacturers of livestock feeding equipment and farm management software

If you are an ag-tech company looking to add smart feeding capabilities to your product line — this project developed innovative monitoring systems, automated feeders, and decision support tools for precision livestock farming. With 9 industrial partners already involved in development, the technology has been validated in commercial conditions and is ready for integration into existing farm management platforms.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would implementing a precision feeding system cost my farm?

The project does not publish specific per-unit pricing for the precision feeding system. However, the technology was demonstrated at a commercial farm operation, meaning it was designed with practical cost constraints in mind. Contact the consortium partners for pricing — 9 industrial partners were involved in development, suggesting commercial viability was a design priority.

Can this work at industrial scale, not just in a research barn?

Yes. The project specifically includes a deliverable titled 'Demonstration of a precision feeding system for growing pigs at a commercial farm operation to demonstrate practical feasibility.' This is not a lab prototype — it was tested under real commercial conditions. The consortium included 9 industry partners and 9 SMEs to ensure scalability.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license the technology?

IP from this EUR 8,999,544 EU-funded project is typically shared among the 26 consortium partners according to their grant agreement. The coordinator is INRAE (France). Licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the relevant IP holders — the 9 industrial partners in the consortium are the most likely route to access commercialized versions.

Does this comply with EU animal welfare and feed safety regulations?

The project explicitly aimed to maintain product quality and animal welfare while increasing efficiency. Sustainability evaluation was a dedicated work stream. As an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action, all activities were conducted under EU regulatory standards for animal research and feed safety.

How long would it take to integrate this into my existing farm setup?

The project ran for 5 years (2015-2020) from research through commercial demonstration. Based on available project data, the precision feeding system was proven feasible at a commercial farm, suggesting integration timelines typical for new feeding equipment adoption. The decision support tools were designed to combine data from existing feed, animal, and environmental monitoring systems.

Does this work for poultry and rabbits too, or just pigs?

The project covered all three monogastric species: pigs, poultry, and rabbits. Feed efficiency traits, alternative feed resources, and biological models were developed across all three species. The commercial farm demonstration specifically focused on growing pigs, but the underlying science and tools apply across monogastric livestock.

Can I use local feed ingredients instead of imported soy and corn?

That was a core objective. The project developed methods to make better use of local feed resources, green biomass, and by-products from the food and biofuel industry. They also created real-time characterization methods for assessing the nutritional value of these alternative feeds, so you can verify quality before mixing into diets.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a serious, well-funded consortium with EUR 8,999,544 in EU backing and 26 partners spanning 9 countries — France, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Hungary, UK, Switzerland, and China. The 35% industry ratio (9 industrial partners, 9 of which are SMEs) signals that this was not a purely academic exercise: feed companies, breeding companies, equipment manufacturers, and farmers' organizations were at the table from day one. The coordinator is INRAE, France's top agricultural research institute, which brings institutional weight and long-term commitment. The inclusion of Chinese partners suggests the results were designed for global applicability, not just EU markets. With 7 research organizations and 5 universities providing the science, and industry partners driving the practical applications, this consortium was structured to move technology from lab to farm.

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENTCoordinator · FR
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
CENTRE DE RECERCA EN ECONOMIA I DESENVOLUPAMENT AGROALIMENTARI-UPC-IRTAthirdparty · ES
TOPIGS NORSVIN RESEARCH CENTER BVparticipant · NL
INSTITUT TECHNIQUE DE L'AVICULTURE,DE LA CUNICULTURE ET DE LA PISCICULTURE-ITAVIparticipant · FR
INRAE TRANSFERT SASparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNEparticipant · UK
TERRES INOVIAparticipant · FR
CENTRE DE RECERCA EN AGRIGENOMICA CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UBthirdparty · ES
UNIVERSIDAD DE LLEIDAparticipant · ES
ACTA ASSOCIATION DE COORDINATION TECHNIQUE AGRICOLE - LES INSTITUTS TECHNIQUES AGRICOLESparticipant · FR
INSTITUT DE RECERCA I TECNOLOGIA AGROALIMENTARIESparticipant · ES
EXAFAN SAparticipant · ES
DUPONT NUTRITION BIOSCIENCES APSparticipant · DK
CHINA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITYparticipant · CN
IFIP-INSTITUT DU PORC ASSOCIATIONparticipant · FR
STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCHparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement), France — contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the project coordinator and relevant industrial partners.

Order a report on this consortium See INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the precision feeding technology or connecting with Feed-a-Gene's industrial partners? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right people in the consortium. Contact us for a one-page technology brief tailored to your operation.

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