Locally produced legumes and seaweed. Sustainable protein sources for a self-sufficient European animal production?

The animal feeding industry is looking for new local sources of high quality protein in order to reduce import and ensure sustainable and environmental friendly animal production systems. Local legumes and seaweeds may be alternative sources of protein. We present in this paper the background for the ongoing Norwegian Research Council project Legumes and seaweeds as alternative protein sources for sheep (AltPro), which aims to investigate the suitability and potential of legumes and seaweeds as new and underutilized protein sources in sheep diets. The project addresses several critical aspects for the future development of the agriculture industry in Norway applicable to other European countries from an integrated social and natural scientific approach: 1. use of protein sources alternative to soya, 2. environmental, climatic, societal and economical sustainability, 3. animal health and welfare.