In the Department of Meat Animal and Poultry Research, studies are conducted with a primary focus on "improving feed utilization" for three major livestock species—beef cattle, pigs, and chickens—which collectively generate a production value exceeding 2.5 trillion yen in Japan. The proportion of feed costs in overall management expenses is remarkably high: approximately 40% for beef cattle, 70% for fattening pigs, and 60% for poultry. Given the recent surge and persistent elevation in feed prices, the efficient utilization of feed, namely the reduction of feed costs, constitutes a critical challenge for livestock management. Furthermore, it is anticipated that ongoing global warming will decelerate livestock growth and diminish feed utilization efficiency, necessitating the implementation of countermeasures. Historically, breeding improvements and management practices for meat-producing livestock have prioritized growth, meat production, and meat quality. However, to achieve cost reductions in management, it is crucial to further enhance feed utilization efficiency while maintaining or improving current growth rates and meat quality. Additionally, improvements in feed utilization not only yield economic benefits but also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—such as carbon dioxide from imported concentrated feed, methane emitted by livestock, and nitrous oxide from livestock manure. Against this backdrop, the Department of Meat Animal and Poultry Research is actively engaged in studies from both breeding and management perspectives to enhance feed utilization, as well as in evaluating the impact of improved feed utilization on the quality of meat and related products.
Moreover, in the case of indigenous poultry species such as native Japanese chickens, it is not possible to preserve fertilized eggs by freezing, as is the practice with cattle and pigs. Accordingly, to ensure the effective utilization of poultry genetic resources into the future, research is being conducted on the efficient cryopreservation and restoration of individuals through primordial germ cells, which serve as progenitors of sperm and eggs.
Furthermore, within the Department of Meat Animal and Poultry Research, the compilation and revision of livestock-specific "Japanese Feeding Standard," which specify appropriate nutrient requirements according to the growth stage of livestock and poultry, as well as the "Standard Tables of Feed Composition in Japan," which outline the nutritional values of feeds, are undertaken in collaboration with relevant departments within the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, public institutes, universities, and private entities.
