Commercial Pellets Research Articles

The causes of asymmetry in the chelae of the mud crab Scylla paramamosain Estampador, 1950 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae)

Abstract The asymmetry trait in brachyuran crabs is mostly expressed by the different sizes or particular details of the two chelae. The causes for this asymmetry have been rarely investigated in the economically important crab Scylla paramamosainEstampador, 1950. We found that the asymmetric chelae first appeared in the megalopa stage. The examination of four “right-handed” and two “left-handed” mothers and their 521 megalopa offspring indicated that this trait might not be influenced by dominant alleles, since 86.0% –99.0% of megalopae exhibited the right-handed phenotype in the four offspring of the right-handed mother, whereas about 93.1% and 100% megalopae exhibited the right-handed phenotype in the two left-handed-mothers’ offspring. The percentage of left-handed individuals at different stages also supports this hypothesis. We provide evidence that the amputation of the handed chela will result in a “handedness reversal,” and that the food type might influence the speed of the reversal. Crabs that were fed with fish blocks had a faster handedness reversal than those who were fed with commercial pellets feed, perhaps because of the increase in effort in individuals feeding on fish blocks.

Evaluating Black Soldier Fly and Bloodworm Larvae Meals as Sustainable Protein Sources for Growth and Survival of Red Hybrid Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) in the Nursery Phase

Aims: This study aimed to assess the effects of using insect larvae meals, such as BSF and BW larvae, as alternative feeds to commercial pellets on the growth performance and survival of Oreochromis spp. at the nursery stage. Study Design: This study followed the randomized control treatment with three different diet. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Fisheries Research Institute Glami Lemi (FRIGL) in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, within 35 days from July to August 2023. Methodology: A total of 360 red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) fingerlings weighing 0.62 ± 0.06 g were randomly distributed into 12 rectangular aquarium tanks (250mm) at a stocking density of 30 fish per tank. They were fed with commercial pellets (CP), Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, and Bloodworm (BW). The feed amount was calculated at 10% of the total body weight per tank, with feeding conducted three times daily. The experimental setup was performed in triplicate. For the analysis of growth performances and fish survival, sampling was conducted weekly. Results: BSF larvae meal had high lipid and protein content, measuring 35.35 ± 0.21% and 29.67 ± 0.98%, respectively. BW larvae meal also showed high lipid and protein content, with 28.23 ± 1.33% and 27.94 ± 0.52%, respectively. Fish fed with BSF and BW larvae exhibited significantly higher survival rates, 93.3 ± 3.3% and 86.7 ± 14.5%, respectively, compared to the control group. Meanwhile, the group fed with the commercial pellet showed the lowest survival rate, just 74.4 ± 12.6%. Fish fed with the BW larvae recorded the highest weight gain, 1.07 ± 0.16 g, followed by fish fed with BSF larvae, 0.66 ± 0.11 g, and then fish fed with commercial pellets, 0.41 ± 0.09 g. Conclusion: Both BSF and BW larvae exhibited significant growth response properties to tilapia fingerings compared to commercial pellets. The findings from this study are promising and should be further verified at the farm scale.

Utilization of Agricultural Waste as a Total Mixed Ratio Pellet Material for Rex Rabbit Feed

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of Total Mixed Ration (TMR) pellets derived from agricultural waste and assess their potential as feed for Rex rabbits. The research employed an experimental approach, utilizing agricultural and plantation waste to produce TMR pellets. The study was conducted in two stages: pellet production and rabbit feeding trials. Three formulations of TMR pellets were developed with varying concentrations of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB): P1 (5% EFB), P2 (10% EFB), and P3 (15% EFB). The optimal formulation was subsequently used for the feeding trials. Rabbit feed treatments included T0 (60% commercial pellet + 40% forage), T1 (40% commercial pellet + 20% TMR pellet + 40% forage), T2 (30% commercial pellet + 30% TMR pellet + 40% forage), and T3 (60% TMR pellet + 40% forage). Results from the pellet analysis indicated no significant differences in organoleptic properties among the formulations. The durability test yielded the highest value of 98.77%, while the proximate analysis of the P1 formulation showed a dry matter content of 85.67%, ash content of 10.35%, organic matter of 89.65%, crude protein of 18.65%, crude fat of 18.72%, and crude fiber of 19.18%. In the rabbit feeding trials, there were no significant differences in rabbit performance when compared to those fed with commercial pellets. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that agricultural waste can be effectively utilized as a raw material for rabbit feed pellets, offering comparable quality to commercial alternatives. This research highlights the potential of agricultural waste in reducing environmental pollution while providing an economically viable alternative for animal feed.

Superhydrophobic Surface Modification of a Co-Ru/SiO2 Catalyst for Enhanced Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Commercial silica support pellets were impregnated and calcined to contain cobalt oxide and ruthenium oxide for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). The precatalyst pellets were split evenly into two groups, the control precatalyst (c-precat) and silylated precatalyst (s-precat), which were treated with 1H,1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOS) in toluene. The samples of powderized s-precat were superhydrophobic, as determined by the water droplet contact angle (>150°) and sliding angle (<1°). Thermal analysis revealed the PFOS groups to be thermally stable up to 400 °C and temperature programmed reduction (TPR) studies showed that H2 reduction of the cobalt oxide to cobalt was enhanced at lower temperatures relative to the untreated c-precat. The two active catalysts were examined for their FTS performance in a tubular fixed-bed reactor after in situ reduction at 400 °C for 16 h in flowing H2 to give the active catalysts c-cat and s-cat. The FTS runs were performed under identical conditions (255 °C, 2.1 MPa, H2/CO = 2.0, gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) 510 h–1) for 5 days. Each catalyst was examined in three runs (n = 3) and the mean values with error data are reported. S-cat showed a higher selectivity for C5+ products (64 vs. 54%) and lower selectivity for CH4 (11 vs. 17%), CO2 (2 % vs. 4 %), and olefins (8% vs. 15%) than c-cat. S-cat also showed higher CO conversion, at 37% compared to 26%, leading to a 64% increase in the C5+ productivity measured as g C5+ products per g catalyst per hour. An analysis of the temperature differential between the catalyst bed and external furnace temperature showed that s-cat was substantially more active (DTinitial = 29 °C) and stable over the 5-day run (DTfinal = 22 °C), whereas the attenuated activity of c-cat (DTinitial = 16 °C) decayed steadily over 3 days until it was barely active (DTfinal < 5 °C). A post-run surface analysis of s-cat revealed no change in the water contact angle or sliding angle, indicating that the FTS operation did not degrade the PFOS surface treatment.

Adsorption characteristics and separation behavior of binder and binderless zeolite LiX Pellets: O2, N2, and CO2

In adsorptive gas separation process design, optimal adsorbent selection acts as a critical factor in process efficiency. This study investigated the adsorption equilibria and kinetics of O2, N2, and CO2 (weak, medium and strong affinity, respectively) and the breakthrough performance of four commercial zeolite LiX pellets (one binderless and three binder zeolite LiX pellets) because the performance of pelletized zeolites becomes different by adding binders and pelletizing methods. The adsorption isotherms at 293–323 K and up to 100 kPa were correlated with the dual-site Langmuir and Sips models. For all adsorbents, the order of adsorption amount and isosteric heat of adsorption was CO2 ≫ N2 > O2. However, differences among the four zeolite pellets were also observed, showing the highest values of the binderless zeolite LiX pellet. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity was 20–25 % smaller for CO2 and 40–50 % smaller of N2 and O2 at 100 kPa compared to pure zeolite LiX powder. According to kinetic analysis using a non-isothermal diffusion model, the adsorption rate of N2 was faster than that of CO2 for all adsorbents, showing the order difference in the low-pressure range. The kinetic difference among the zeolite pellets resulted from the effects of heat of adsorption, heat dissipation, and thermal resistance. The breakthrough performance using N2 and O2 was mainly controlled by the adsorption capacity, showing almost constant breakthrough pattern regardless of the samples. This study suggests that detailed evaluation of pelletized adsorbent is essential before designing adsorptive processes because performance of adsorbent powder would lead to under-design of the process. (255 words)

Novel packed-bed CFD model for pellet combustion: Validation and application to a stove

An advanced CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model has been developed to describe the combustion of wood pellets. It is based on a packed-bed approach and provides a realistic description of the combustion of pellets, resolved in 3D over the whole fuel bed. It considers the properties of the packed bed rather than the properties of the single fuel particles. Compared to a particle-based description, simulation times are shorter due to the reduced complexity. In the model, the local conditions in different parts of the fuel bed (temperatures, flow conditions, oxygen concentrations …) influence the various stages of the combustion process (drying, pyrolysis, charcoal gasification and combustion). The compaction of the fuel bed due to shrinkage of the fuel particles during conversion and the loss of the particle structure shortly before the conversion is complete are also included in the description. The formulation of the bed compaction, the radiation absorption model and the charcoal conversion reactions have been specifically tuned to the combustion of wood pellets. The detailed pyrolysis model includes not only the main components, but also higher hydrocarbon species and tars in a manner specific to the fuel considered. It has been combined with a chemical gas phase mechanism which is a reduction of a detailed mechanism developed for thermo-chemical biomass conversion. The model has been validated against measurement data from a lab-scale batch reactor, and then applied to simulate the fuel bed of a commercial pellet stove. The simulation results are in good agreement with the corresponding measurements.

Comparative Effect of Fish Feeds on the Initial Growth and Survival Rate of Juvenile Redbreast Tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) under Early Hatchery Conditions

This study compared the effects of three supplementary diets—egg yolk, Artemia, and commercial pellets with 48% crude protein—on the growth performance and survival rate of redbreast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) under intensive culture conditions at the Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute in the Kavango East region of Namibia. The study was conducted from December 2023 to January 2024 using a complete randomized design replicated thrice. Results showed that fish fed with commercial pellets exhibited the highest specific growth rate (1.39 ± 0.80%) compared to egg yolk (0.94 ± 0.54%) and Artemia (0.33 ± 0.19%). Commercial pellets also had the best survival rate (76.19 ± 43.099), compared to egg yolk and Artemia (70.47 ± 40.69; 33 ± 19.05), respectively. However, egg yolk had the best feed conversion ratio (0.20 ± 0.05) compared to the commercial pellets (0.22 ± 0.04) and Artemia (0.26 ± 0.07). Critical water quality parameters were maintained within acceptable survival ranges for C. rendalli across all treatments. These findings highlight the importance of dietary protein content in optimizing the growth and survival of C. rendalli under intensive culture conditions and provide insights for effective feeding strategies. However, commercial pellets are expensive and inaccessible to small-scale fish farmers. As an alternative, egg yolk emerged as a viable and affordable feed option, promoting fish growth and supporting the establishment of small-scale farming practices in the region.

Streptomyces kunmingensis XK9 and galactooligosaccharide synergistically enhance growth performance, nonspecific immunity and disease resistance in striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

Abstract The present study evaluated the effectiveness of the synergy of Streptomyces kunmingensis XK9 and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) in improving growth performance, nonspecific immunity, and protection of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). Seven feed regimens were tested in striped catfish fingerlings, including commercial pellets supplemented with preparations S7, S8, and S9 containing XK9 at 107 CFU/mL, 108 CFU/mL, and 109 CFU/mL, respectively; G5 containing 5% GOS; S7G5, S8G5, and S9G5 including 5% GOS and XK9 at different doses of 107 CFU/mL, 108 CFU/mL, and 109 CFU/mL, respectively. After 3 months of treatment with different dietary regimens, weight gain, specific growth rate, weight gain rate, and feed conversion ratio were greatly improved in fish-fed diets containing S9, S8G5, and S9G5 (p<0.05). Nonspecific immune parameters, including total white blood cell, phagocytic activity, and phagocytic index, increased consistently in fish that were fed diets containing synbiotics S8G5 and S9G5 (p<0.05). Lysozyme and complement activity increased substantially in fish that were fed diets supplemented with S9G5 (p<0.05). The protective effect of XK9 and GOS on striped catfish was evaluated after 15 days of challenge with Edwardsiella ictaluri. The results achieved show that the cumulative mortality rate sharply decreased in fish fed a diet containing the synbiotic S9G5, down 2.17 times compared to the control group; pathogen density was lowest in tanks of fish that were fed regimens containing S8G5, S9G5, and S9 (p<0.05). The results suggest that synbiotics, including S. kunmingensis XK9 and GOS, have the potential to be applied in sustainable farming for the striped catfish industry.

Enhanced Growth Potential of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Through Maggot-Based Feeding in Multi-Trophic Systems

Highly nutritious insects, such as black soldier fly (BSF) larvae, also referred toas maggot, have been evaluated as feed in monoculture systems, but their use in multi-trophic systems has not been previously investigated. This study used maggot-based feed in a multi-trophic system on a laboratory scale to evaluate the survival and growth performance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Tilapia were cocultured with freshwater lobster, freshwater clams, and paddy. Four experimental diets were used including a commercial pellet as a control (CP), live maggots (LM), dried maggots (DM), and supplemented maggots (SM). Tilapia (initial weight, 4.1 ± 0.2 g) and other organisms were reared in plastic tanks (water volume 50 L) and randomly distributed into 12 tanks, each containing 20 individual tilapia. The experimental diets were given four times a day at a feeding rate of 10% tilapia biomass. After 28 days of feeding, the survival and growth of tilapia on the CP diet were 90.0% and 2.8% day-1, LM 93.3% and 2.7% day-1, DM 93.3% and 3.3% day-1, and SM 90.0% and 3.1% day-1, respectively. There was no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the survival performance among the experimental diets. However, the growth confirmed by Specific Growth Rate (SGR) showed a significant effect (P < 0.05). SGR values were found to be significantly higher in the DM and SM diets than in the CP diet. An important finding of this research is the potential of maggot-based feed to increase the growth of tilapia in multi-trophic systems without impairing their survival.

Growth of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Juvenile strain Nirwana with Different Natural Feeding

The high cost of commercial feed in Nirwana tilapia aquaculture leads to elevated production costs and reduced profits. As a solution, the provision of natural feed is proposed as an alternative to reduce production expenses. This study aims to compare the growth of Nirwana tilapia fed with three different natural feeds: Tubifex sp., Chironomus sp. larvae, and maggots. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replicates for each treatment. The feeding rate was 3% of the fish’s body weight, administered three times a day. The parameters measured included absolute biomass, absolute length gain, daily growth rate (Specific Growth Rate, SGR), survival rate (SR), and water quality during the 30-day rearing period. The results showed that feeding Nirwana tilapia with Tubifex significantly increased growth compared to the control group (commercial pellets), Chironomus larvae, and maggots. The absolute biomass from Tubifex feeding was 5.23 ± 0.89 g, absolute length was 4.2 ± 7.8 cm, SGR was 1.52 ± 0.33%, and SR was 90%. The next highest growth was seen in Chironomus larvae, followed by maggots, with the control yielding the lowest results.

The effect of Lemna perpusilla Torr. (Araceae) as fodder in the growth of Osphronemus goramy Lacépède, 1801

Production of gourami as consumption fish is rather lengthy, as it attains commercial size in 1—2 years, longer than other commercial fish. Therefore, fish production is hampered by higher fodder costs. It is a normal practice in gourami rearing, that farmers supplement commercial fodder with naturally available fodder, especially from material such as taro leaves. However, some materials may contain less nutrients, compared to others. It is why we propose the use of Lemna perpusilla, a widely distributed water aroid as gourami fodder supplement. We measured the growth of gourami fries, which are length (cm) and weight (g) and found that fishes with L. perpussila pellet attain higher length and weight compared to those using commercial pellet. This research may be beneficial for freshwater weed management as well as fish production with low capital, i.e. village production.

Effects of supplementing a feedlot diet with microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) on the performance, carcass traits and meat quality of lambs

This study evaluated the effect of different levels of fresh microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) in a feedlot diet on the performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of lambs. Forty-five, four-month-old wether lambs were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments: 1) CONTROL, without algae; 2) MEDIUM, with 0.5 % dry matter (DM) algae; or 3) HIGH, with 1 % DM algae added to a basal diet consisting of barley hay and commercial feedlot pellets in a 41:59 ratio. The lambs were fed for 98 days and then slaughtered. Microalgae supplementation did not affect (P ≥ 0.09) growth performance, wool quality, rumen fermentation parameters, carcass weight, dressing percentage, or subcutaneous fat thickness of the lambs. However, microalgae supplementation at 0.5 % DM increased (P ≤ 0.05) the concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3n-3), arachidic acid (C20:0), and total omega-3 long-chain (n-3 LC) fatty acids in the longissimus lumborum et thoracis (LTL) muscle of lambs, compared to the CONTROL. Intramuscular fat (%) was similar between the CONTROL and the MEDIUM group (av. 3.65 %), but was lower (P = 0.044) in the HIGH group (3.1 %). Therefore, our results indicate that adding 0.5 % DM microalgae to lamb diets can increase the levels of alpha-linolenic acid and total n-3 LC PUFA in fresh lamb meat without affecting lamb performance or carcass characteristics.

Evaluating deterrents to reduce depredation of wood duck eggs in nest boxes

AbstractWood ducks (Aix sponsa) are secondary natural cavity‐nesting species that also nest in artificial nest boxes. Since the early 20th century, nest boxes have been widely deployed in North America to increase nesting sites for wood ducks and bolster production. Equipping nest boxes with a predator guard beneath the box is a common practice to deter climbing predators from accessing boxes; however, there is no device to repel avian predators. We found that eastern rat snakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) and woodpeckers (Picidae) were primary predators of wood duck eggs in boxes in North Carolina and South Carolina. Accordingly, we designed experiments to deter snakes and woodpeckers using a commercial brand of snake repellent pellets and a plastic raptor decoy, respectively. Male and female snakes that accessed boxes averaged 1.4 m (SE = 2.0 cm) in length. Digital camera data indicated that snakes climbed nest box posts and thrust their anterior body atop predator guards to continue their ascent into the box. We recorded 671 nest failures of which rat snakes accounted for 39.9% (n = 268) and woodpeckers 22.4% (n = 150). Snakes consumed ≥649 eggs, observed as protuberances in their stomachs. Our experiment showed that commercial snake repellent pellets did not deter snakes (P = 0.957). Placing a plastic hawk decoy atop nest boxes when females were incubating ≥12 days increased nest survival during the incubation stage (P = 0.001). Wood duck nest boxes at our study sites may be experiencing increased nest predation by rat snakes due to poor maintenance and installation of predator guards. Rat snakes and woodpeckers may be depredating wood duck eggs in the southeastern United States at unknown rates, potentially decreasing production and recruitment from these structures.

The effects of Bacillus subtilis spores and yeast cell wall supplementation on growth and health in Holstein dairy calves

The study aimed to assess the impact of Bacillus subtilis spores and yeast cell wall (YCW) on the performance and health of dairy calves during the milk-feeding period. Thirty female Holstein calves (birth body weight [BW] of 36.7 ± 4.81 kg) were randomly assigned to three treatments: Control (CTL, no additives), T1 (Bacillus subtilis spores), and T2 (Bacillus subtilis + YCW). Animals were individually housed with free access to water and commercial pellet starter. Calves received 8 L/d of pasteurized waste milk and were weaned at 63 d of age. The treatments (T1 and T2) were mixed into milk and administered daily from 3 to 63 d of age. Dry matter (DM) intake (from liquid and starter feed), fecal score, and rectal temperature were recorded daily. Additionally, heart girth was measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 d of age, and BW was measured at 0 and 60 d of age. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein at 0, 20, and 60 d of age for analysis of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG). There was treatment × time interaction (P = 0.04) for fecal consistency scores. Calves supplemented with Bacillus subtilis tended (χ2 test, P = 0.07) to have lower cases of diarrhea than other groups. T1 or T2 supplementations did not affect milk DM intake, starter DM intake, or total DM intake. Growth performance (BW at weaning and average daily gain) was similar between treatments. Dairy calves fed Bacillus subtilis plus YCW tended to have (P = 0.09) higher rectal temperature and had higher frequency (χ2 test, P < 0.01) of rectal temperature >39.1°C compared to the CTL and Bacillus subtilis groups. However, treatments had similar levels of serum IgG (CTL = 18.3, T1 = 16.7, and T2 = 18.6 mg/mL; P = 0.58). Our results suggest that Bacillus subtills and YCW may interact in the digestive tract of young calves as evidenced by the increased rectal temperature in T2. While the cause of this interaction remains uncertain, there was no negative effect on the animal health or growth performance. The use of Bacillus subtilis spores shows promise in improving fecal consistency scoring in dairy calves fed pasteurized waste milk during the pre-weaning phase.

Utilizing Agricultural By-Products for Sustainable Agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) Diets: Evaluating Low-Cost Feed Alternatives in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

The agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) is a promising protein source in the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America. This study assessed the impact of three by-product diet formulations on intensively reared agoutis, including a cost analysis and nutritional evaluation as well as the nutritional composition, digestibility, and economic viability of three experimental diets. Sixteen adult male agoutis were individually housed at the University of the West Indies’ Field Station. After a two-week acclimatization, a four-week data collection phase followed. The four treatments included a control diet of commercial rabbit pellets and three experimental diets with varying by-product ratios. Key findings revealed that Treatment 2 had elevated Dry Matter, Crude Fat, and fiber but potentially compromised digestibility due to higher fiber and lignin. Treatment 1 resulted in the highest morbidity and was discontinued after two weeks due to significant weight loss but demonstrated the most cost-effective results, with the lowest variable cost per 45 kg, the lowest feeding cost to reach 3 kg, and the highest gross margin. Treatment 2 effectively maintained animal weight. Treatment 3 showed promising growth due to low levels of Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL). Alternative dietary feedstuffs from agricultural by-products show potential for sustaining body weight in adult male agoutis, but further research is needed to refine nutritional requirements for growing agoutis.

Effects of constant and variable salinity regimes on the occurrence, feeding, and growth of two juvenile flatfishes (Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae and Platichthys bicoloratus)

Extreme environmental conditions, such as high and low salinity, are stressors for marine fish growth. Juveniles of marbled flounder Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae and stone flounder Platichthys bicoloratus use estuaries as nursery grounds. Our field surveys showed that the occurrence of juvenile stone flounder seemed to be unrelated to salinity, whereas that of juvenile marbled flounder was positively correlated with salinity. To examine the effects of salinity on feeding and growth of these species, we conducted a laboratory experiment in which juveniles were reared individually under constant and variable salinity regimes for seven days. Cultured marbled flounder of two sizes (23–29 and 48–58 mm standard length) were reared under constant salinities of 5, 15, and 30 and fluctuating salinities of 5–30 and 15–30 or 5–15. Wild stone flounder (23–37 mm standard length) were reared under constant salinities of 1, 5, and 30 and fluctuating salinities of 5–30 and 1–30. Commercial pellets were fed to fish twice daily until satiation. The feeding and growth of marbled and stone flounders were considerably low at constant salinities of 5 and 1, respectively. Meanwhile, suppression of feeding and growth was not observed in fish with salinities varying from 5 to 30 or 1 to 30, respectively. The results indicated that extremely low salinity inhibits feeding and growth of juveniles only with continuous exposure. Estuaries with fluctuating salinities are potential nursery grounds for both marbled flounder and stone flounder, although marbled flounder tend to avoid low-salinity environments in the field. This study showed that extremely low-salinity environments, which reduce juvenile growth when consistently exposed, would not affect distribution or growth if they were temporary around low tide.

Transforming olive-processed waste and almond shells into high-quality Biofuels: a comprehensive development and evaluation approach

ABSTRACT Amidst the energy crisis, biomass energy has emerged as a pivotal solution, given its abundant distribution, impressive storage capabilities, and carbon-neutral nature. The study aims to develop biofuels of good quality using various agroalimentary waste products, Examining the pelletization process of including wet olive pomace (wet olive pomace (2 phases)(OP)), de-oiled olive pomace (DOP), olive stones (OS), and almond shells (AS), this research assesses its effectiveness in enhancing both bulk and energy densities, highlighting it as the optimal method for such enhancement. The preparation of these biofuels without binder has yielded promising results in terms of bulk density, hardness, calorific value, and ash content. Tests comparing biofuels to commercial olive pomace pellets (COP) showed the following: Using biomass with moisture content below 15%, granulometry of 1 mm or smaller, and no binder produces high-quality pellets. These pellets had high density (889, 675, 643, and 621 kg/m3), high hardness (99.18%, 99.80%, 98.92%, and 99.14%), and high heating values (18.93, 20.29, 22.51, and 20.38 MJ/kg) at average temperatures and pressures. These results are comparable to those of commercial products. In general, biomass and solid biofuels offer credible alternatives to produce energy in the form of electricity, heat, or both, using various processes, such as combustion, pyrolysis, and gasification. The knowledge gained from this research is very helpful in developing and improving bioenergy systems and promoting sustainable methods of producing energy from agricultural wastes.

Evaluating the growth performance of all male sex reversal and mixed ser tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in earthen ponds in Binh Phuo province, Vietnam

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, survival rate and yield of all male sex reversed and mixed sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in earthen ponds for 180 days. The reversed sex and mixed sex fingerlings (mean weight 7.43 ± 0.35 g) was randomly stocked in six earthen ponds (1,000 m2/pond). The stocking density maintained was 5 fish/m2. The stocked fish were fed a commercial pellet feed containing 35% crude protein. The feeding rate was adjusted according the size of fish, 5% at the beginning to 3% at harvest. Water environment parameters including dissolved oxygen (DO) (4.3 ± 0.8 mg/L), temperature (30 ± 0.7°C), NH3 (0.18 ± 0.2 mg/L), and pH (6.9 ± 0.5) were always within the appropriate range for the normal growth and development of tilapia. The growth rate of sex reversed tilapia was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) than that of mixed tilapia throughout the experiment. The harvest weight and length of reversed sex tilapia were 410.5 ± 5.15 g and 25.48 ± 0.48 cm, respectively, and were significantly higher than that of mixed sex tilapia (P &lt; 0.05). The survival rates and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of mono and mixed sex were 90.1% and 89.9%, respectively, but no significant differences were observed (P &gt; 0.05). The relationship of fish lengths and weights expressed by power function revealed that the slope of the length weight regression lines was normal for reversed sex (2.72) and mixed sex Tilapia (2.93) with the high correlation coefficient (&gt; 0.9). The findings of this study demonstrate that reversed sex tilapia has better growth performance compared to mixed sex tilapia. Therefore, reversed sex fingerlings should be used in commercial farming to increase tilapia production.

Hyperspectral imaging for identification of irregular-shaped microplastics in water

In this article, we demonstrate detection and identification of ten microplastic types directly in a water sample using an identification table derived from microplastic hyperspectral images. We selected a total of fourteen wavelengths which can be used to distinguish these ten microplastic types. We enhanced the visibility of these wavelengths by computationally removing water and baseline correcting with reflectance at 1550 nm. This method avoids, prevents, and eases most of the laborious sample preparation mandatory prior to analysis with robust techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The ten different plastics were studied in water, first separately and then in a mixture. The microplastic concentrations varied depending on microplastic type and were kept <12 mg/ml per type. Finally, detection and identification were confirmed pixel-wise in a hyperspectral image of a realistic water matrix simulant including mixtures of only a few microplastic particles. All measurements have been performed with microplastics of different sizes and irregular shapes made in-house by milling commercial pellets and sheets. It enabled the establishment of a procedure for the identification of these vicious particles in real water samples. The present measurement setup of hyperspectral imaging and method of data analysis of a mixture of microplastics directly from a water-based sample may open a path towards fast, reliable, and on-site detection.

156 Growth performance, energy, and nutrient digestibility of nursery pigs fed high-shear dry extruded corn and soymeal

Abstract Altering the processing method via high-shear dry extrusion of both soybean meal and corn has been shown to improve diet energy and digestibility. The objective was to evaluate the effect using high-shear dry extruded corn and mechanically processed soymeal on growth performance, energy, and nutrient digestibility of nursery pigs. A total of 240 newly weaned pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 5.7 ± 1.3 kg] were assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments (n = 16 pens per treatment with 3 pigs per pen) in a complete randomized design for three dietary phases over a 6 wk study duration. Pigs were allowed a 7-d acclimation period where they were fed a common commercial medicated starter pellet diet (d 0-7, Phase 1). In phase 2 and 3, experimental diets included: 1) solvent-extracted soybean meal and conventional ground corn (Con), 2) solvent-extracted soybean meal and high-shear dry extruded corn (ECorn), 3) mechanically processed soymeal and conventional corn (ExSoy), 4) mechanically processed soymeal and high-shear dry extruded corn (same ME and Lysine as treatment 1 to 3; Comb), and 5) mechanically processed soymeal and conventional corn (energy floated with same Lys:ME; Comb+). The phase 2 mash test diets contained 0.40% titanium dioxide as a digestibility marker (d 8-21) and phase 3 test diets were fed from d 22-42. Pigs were individually weighed on d 0, 7, 21 and 42 and feed disappearance was recorded to calculate average daily feed intake (ADFI) and Gain:Feed within phase 1, 2 and 3, and overall (phase 2 and 3 combined). Data were analyzed using pen as the experimental unit. Compared with Cont, end BW did not differ in the ECorn and ExSoy treatment, while Comb and Comb+ pigs were 13 to 17% lighter (26.1, 24.2, 24.0, 22.6 and 21.5 kg, respectively, P = 0.004). Overall, the Con fed pigs had 30% greater average daily gain (ADG) and 12 to 21% increase in feed efficiency compared with either Comb or Comb+ treatments (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Overall ADFI did not differ. During phase 3, Con and ECorn fed pigs observed increased ADG and feed efficiency compared with pigs fed either Comb treatment (Both P = 0.002, respectively). Compared with Cont, ECorn and Comb+ had greater GE ATTD coefficients, while ExSoy and Comb were less (82.1, 84.6, 86.9, 78.7 and 79.1%, respectively, P &amp;lt; 0.001). Nitrogen ATTD coefficients were greatest in Comb+, followed by ECorn, Cont, ExSoy and Comb (84.4, 78.8, 77.9, 73.0 and 72.3%, respectively, P &amp;lt; 0.001). In conclusion, substituting conventional corn or solvent-extracted soybean meal with extruded corn or mechanically processed soymeal resulted in equal pig growth performance. Further research is needed to determine the effects on the performance of nursery pigs fed diets including more than one high-shear dry extruded ingredients.