Volume 26 , Issue 2 , December 2024 , Pages 19-28
1 ARD Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
The agriculture industry holds great importance in Iraq, particularly when it comes to
pomegranate cultivation in the Sulaymaniyah governorate. The Halabja district is widely
recognized for its expertise in producing and growing pomegranates, making it a prime
subject for research. This presents an opportunity to improve the management of waste
and by-products. As the industrial sector continues to grow around the world, there has
been a significant increase in the amount of corn and soy used to feed livestock. To meet
the rising demand for livestock production, it's essential to research alternative feed
ingredients. The pomegranate juice processing industry creates a massive quantity of
waste in the form of discrafed peels. This waste can cause disposal problems and
environmental contamination. However, these discrafed peels could be utilized as a partial
replacement for corn and soy in ruminant feed. By using agro-industrial by-products as
feed, we can overcome conventional feed shortages and high prices for ruminants and find
a sustainable alternative. conventional feed shortages and high prices for ruminants and
finds a sustainable alternative. Additionally, this approach helps to mitigate the need for
expensive waste management initiatives, when competition for nutrition between humans
and animals is reduced, utilizing by-products such as pomegranate for animal nutrition can
address related environmental issues.
The current study focuses on 10 years' worth of data of pomegranate production,
consumption, and waste (2012–2022).Furthermore, there exist opportunities to improve
livestock productivity in the Sulaymaniyah governorate located in Kurdistan, Iraq.