A major cost component in livestock production is feed, which suggests improved feed efficiency as a promising strategy to improve both competitiveness and environmental sustainability. This study has investigated the technical and economic efficiency of using two alternatives to the standard feeds in livestock production in Norway. Data was generated from two controlled feeding experiments involving dairy cows and finishing pigs. In the dairy cow experiment, grass silage optimal in protein content was compared to silage lower in protein content in rations to moderately yielding cows. In the pig experiment, imported soybean meal was compared to rapeseed meal in diets to finishing pigs. From Data Envelopment Analysis, we did not find significant within group as well as between group differences in technical efficiency of animals under different feeding strategies. Under the assumptions of the study, however, a feeding regime based on low protein silage was found to be cheaper (–9% to –10%) for moderately yielding dairy cows, suggesting that Norwegian milk production could be based on the low protein silage fed ad libitum. On the other hand, despite reducing feed costs, a feeding regime based on rapeseed meal was less profitable, although statistically insignificant, than soybean meal for finishing pig production. Therefore, the nutritional value must improve and/or the price of rapeseed meal drop before it becomes an economically acceptable replacement to soybean meal.

畜牧业的主要成本构成是饲料，这表明提高饲料效率是提高竞争力和环境可持续性的有前途的战略。这项研究调查了挪威牲畜生产中使用两种替代标准饲料的替代品的技术和经济效率。数据来自涉及奶牛和育肥猪的两个受控喂养实验。在奶牛实验中，将蛋白质含量最佳的青贮青贮饲料与日粮中蛋白含量较低的青贮青贮饲料进行了比较，以适度提高产量。在猪的实验中，将进口大豆粉与菜籽粉和育肥猪的菜籽粉进行了比较。根据数据包络分析，我们没有发现在不同的喂养策略下，各组之间以及各组之间动物技术效率的差异也很明显。然而，在该研究的假设下，发现对于中等产量的奶牛而言，基于低蛋白青贮的饲喂方式更便宜（–9％至–10％），这表明挪威奶产量可能基于低蛋白青贮自由进食。另一方面，尽管降低了饲料成本，但以菜籽粕为基础的饲喂方案比用豆粕完成猪生产的利润较低，尽管在统计上不重要。因此，在成为菜豆粕的经济可接受替代之前，必须提高营养价值和/或降低菜籽粕的价格。对于中等产量的奶牛而言，发现基于低蛋白青贮的饲喂方案便宜（–9％至–10％），这表明挪威牛奶的生产可以基于任意饲喂低蛋白青贮的饲料。另一方面，尽管降低了饲料成本，但以菜籽粕为基础的饲喂方案比用豆粕完成猪生产的利润较低，尽管在统计上不重要。因此，在成为菜豆粕的经济可接受替代之前，必须提高营养价值和/或降低菜籽粕的价格。对于中等产量的奶牛，基于低蛋白青贮饲料的饲喂方案被发现便宜（–9％至–10％），这表明挪威牛奶的生产可以基于任意饲喂的低蛋白青贮饲料。另一方面，尽管降低了饲料成本，但以菜籽粕为基础的饲喂方案比用豆粕完成猪生产的利润较低，尽管在统计上并不重要。因此，在成为菜豆粕的经济可接受替代之前，必须提高营养价值和/或降低菜籽粕的价格。尽管从统计学上讲微不足道，但以菜籽粕为基础的饲喂方案比用豆粕来完成猪的生产利润要低。因此，在成为菜豆粕的经济可接受替代之前，必须提高营养价值和/或降低菜籽粕的价格。尽管从统计学上讲微不足道，但以菜籽粕为基础的饲喂方案比用豆粕来完成猪的生产利润要低。因此，在成为菜豆粕的经济可接受替代之前，必须提高营养价值和/或降低菜籽粕的价格。