The feed values in the Finnish Feed Tables , such as mineral content and digestibility of minerals, are used both in feeding and feed planning and as a basis for calculations for environmental and production management decision-making. The values in the Feed Tables have a wide impact, as the reported mineral content of many compound feed products on the market is also based on values calculated from Feed Tables.

Incorrect or outdated feed mineral content and digestibility values used in feed design cause deviations of nutritional needs, affecting animal welfare and causing excretion of excess nutrients into feces and urine, and further with manure into the environment. The mineral content and digestibility values in Feed Tables form the basis for excretion calculation of livestock. Results of excretion calculation are used in numerous calculations assessing emissions and amount of livestock production, and further in the legislation and voluntary schemes.

In broilers, the small intestinal digestibility of phosphorus in wheat, oats, hulled oats, faba beans and peas was better than the values presented in the feed table. The newly determined mineral contents and phosphorus digestibility values will be updated in the Finnish Feed Tables . New determined mineral contents and phosphorus digestibility are updated in Finnish Feed Tables . In addition, once the updated concentration and digestibility values are included in the feed formulation, the environmental impact assessment shall be calculated again.

Ileal digestibility of P in feed ingredients chosen, are 9-18 %-units higher than previously used and therefore amounts of added phosphorus formulated to the diets can be decreased, simultaneously lowering the feed cost (depending feed ingredients and mineral components used) and decreasing phosphorus excretion to the nature.

In the future, updating feed values and feeding recommendations in the Feed Tables for poultry (concentrations and digestibility, requirement) requires several research studies.