Kontext

There is an increasing need for high-protein raw materials for feed every year, and insufficient production levels in the European Union means that it is the world's leading importer of soybean meal, at 20.1 million tons per year. One way to minimise the risk involved in the high cost and availability of soy, and with a view to increasing self-sufficiency, is to use alternative sources of protein, such as local pulses adapted to the Mediterranean climate, which have low water requirements and environmental nitrogen fixation capacity. In this regard, the pilot project will consist of the assessment of the use of winter peas instead of soy in diets for fattening pigs with a primitive genotype, intended primarily for the production of cured meats (sausages and hams). The effect of anti-nutritional factors in peas (mainly protease inhibitors such as trypsin) on the production and quality parameters of fresh and cured meat will be studied by gradually increasing the peas during fattening (20%, 30%, and 40% at the start, during growth, and at the end, respectively).