Cattle Consumption Research Articles

Exogenous Cellulase Enzyme Supplementation in Complete Feed Based On Fermentation of Banana Stems for Nutritional Consumption of Beef Cattle

Exogenous Cellulase Enzyme Supplementation in Complete Feed Based On Fermentation of Banana Stems for Nutritional Consumption of Beef Cattle

343 The relationship between pulmonary arterial pressure phenotypes and oxygen consumption in beef cattle

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if a phenotypic relationship between pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and oxygen consumption exists in beef cattle. Pulmonary arterial pressure is used as an indicator of pulmonary hypertension in cattle which is indicative of the susceptibility to both high-altitude disease and feedlot heart failure of an individual. Cattle with greater PAP are typically hypoxic and have initiated expression of compensatory mechanisms their cardio-pulmonary systems employ to combat this alveolar hypoxia. In turn, this causes an increase in PAP and, ultimately, right-sided heart failure. If hypoxic individuals consume more oxygen as a compensation mechanism, oxygen consumption as a trait could be used as an indicator of the prediction of PAP and feedlot heart failure and would be especially useful for cattle in deep phenotyping systems. Data used in the study included cattle with PAP measures on a total of 132 individuals. The data consisted of both steers (n = 99) and heifers (n = 33) from a ranch located in southern Wyoming at an elevation of approximately 2,195 m. After weaning on the ranch, cattle were transported to Colorado State University’s Agriculture Research, Development and Education Center located in Fort Collins, CO (elevation: 1,558 m). Oxygen consumption was measured using a Greenfeed system (C-Lock, Rapid City, South Dakota). To determine if a relationship exists between oxygen consumption and PAP, a simple linear regression model was used to regress PAP on average daily oxygen consumption. Effects included in the model were sex and phenotypic PAP. Average daily oxygen consumption was measured in kilograms per day and averaged 6.6 ± 1.66 kg with a range of 2.3 to 10.45 kg. Pulmonary arterial pressure averaged 42.6 ± 7.96 mm Hg and ranged from 33 to 81 mm Hg. In this data, sex did not account for a significant amount of variability in phenotypic PAP (P > 0.05). Oxygen consumption did account for a significant amount of variability in PAP (P < 0.05), and it was found that with every 1 kg increase of oxygen consumption, PAP is estimated to increase 1.02 mm Hg. These results indicate that a statistical relationship between oxygen consumption and PAP exists. Although these findings suggest that greater oxygen consumption leads to greater PAP, further research is required to fully comprehend the relationship between beef cattle PAP and oxygen consumption.

When Cows Become Heroes: The Construction of Animal Subjectivity and Environmental Sustainability in the Swedish Organic food Sector

An escalating consumption of animal products characterizes contemporary Western society, resulting in severe environmental consequences and heightened exploitation of animals. Among these issues, livestock production stands out as particularly detrimental due to its significant climate impact and land usage. Paradoxically, the Swedish organic food sector positions cattle as central to achieving sustainable food production. This article delves into the strategies employed by organic organizations to legitimize the consumption of cattle’s meat and dairy. The aim is to examine how Swedish organic organizations produce knowledge of sustainability, and how these sustainability constructions are intertwined with anthroparchy, a system of power relations between humans and cattle. Furthermore, the study investigates how cattle’s agencies and bodies are portrayed. Interviews, documents and media material from organic organizations in Sweden are analyzed to explore how carnism, norms of eating cattle’s meat and dairy, is maintained. The analytical framework applied is rooted in critical animal studies and draws inspiration from Foucauldian discourse analysis, examining the interplay between power and knowledge. The findings reveal that certain environmental aspects are emphasized to reinforce the norm of keeping cattle for food production, while other dimensions are overlooked. Organic organizations represent cows as active subjects transforming their environment to legitimize their status as consumable commodities. The findings also show how carnistic norms limit the organic sector’s ability to achieve environmental objectives. This study underscores how anthroparchy, the dominant power structures between humans and cattle, is reproduced in the Swedish organic context through sustainability discourses that emphasize the subjectivities of cattle.

Transformation or more of the same? The EU’s deforestation-free products regulation through a radical transformation lens

The European Union (EU) is a major consumer of forest-risks commodities and therefore a key contributor to imported deforestation. In 2023, the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) entered into force, which aims to counter the imported deforestation resulting from EU consumption of cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, wood and derived products. With this regulation, the EU is seemingly recognising its position as one of the world's largest consumers of natural resources and land-consuming agricultural products and adjusting its economy in the face of the global biodiversity, climate and planetary justice crises. In this article, we develop a radical transformation framework to put the EUDR to the test, asking to what extent the EUDR provides a truly transformative response to today’s planetary socio-ecological and justice crises. We develop a four-pronged radical transformation framework bridging insights from transformation, degrowth, Indigenous and decolonial environmental justice, restorative justice and science and technology studies. Concretely, we distil four tenets of radical transformation: onto-epistemic transformation, political transformation, economic transformation and judicial transformation. We apply our framework tentatively to the EUDR to illustrate its practical use, raise questions and highlight possible points of tension. Our preliminary findings point to the simultaneous existence in the EUDR’s design of elements potentially paving the way for counter-hegemonic (re)interpretations and uses on the ground and elements reflecting and reinscribing existing hegemonies.

First molecular detection of Borrelia sp. in tapirs (Tapirus terrestris).

Borrelia theileri is a tick-borne spirochete causative agent of fever, apathy and reduced food consumption in cattle. Molecular diagnosis has expanded the understanding of Borrelia theileri with new hosts and geographical locations being described. The present study aimed to describe the first molecular detection of B. theileri in wild tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) from South America. Blood DNA samples obtained from 99 tapirs sampled in Pantanal (n = 61) and Cerrado (n = 38) biomes were screened using a qPCR assay based on the 16S rRNA gene of Borrelia sp. Positive samples in the qPCR assay were subjected to PCR assays to allow characterization of fragments from 16S rRNA and flaB genes. Two (2/99; 2.0%) animals from Pantanal biome were positive in the qPCR and one sample presented bands of expected size for the flaB protocol. Amplicons from this sample were successfully cloned and sequenced. In the phylogenetic analysis, Borrelia sp. from T. terrestris grouped together with B. theileri sequences previously detected in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and cattle from Minas Gerais State in Brazil, Rhipicephalus geigyi from Mali, and R. microplus and Haemaphysalis sulcata from Pakistan. This finding contributes to our knowledge regarding susceptible hosts species for B. theileri. More studies are necessary to understand the potential effects of B. theileri on tapir's health.

ANALIZA CZĘSTOTLIWOŚCI ZMIAN I OBJAWÓW CHOROBOWYCH U BYDŁA I ŚWIŃ W POLSCE NA PODSTAWIE WYNIKÓW BADANIA SANITARNO-WETERYNARYJNEGO W 2019 ROKU

Lesions or signs of disease found before and after slaughter provide information about the health and well-being of the animals. The testing of slaughter animals and meat is a tool to reduce the risks to the safety and health of consumers and should be carried out systematically. The aim of the study was to analyze the results of post-mortem inspection of pigs and cattle in Poland in 2019. The data from the sanitary and veterinary examination taken from the annual reports prepared by the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate in 2019 were analysed. In the assessment of the causes of lesions and unfitness for consumption, the following diseases were taken into account: tuberculosis, actinomycosis, as well as qualitative deviations: emaciation and watery muscles, icterus, organoleptic changes, incomplete loss of blood, natural death, slaughter in agony, pus foci, contamination and congestion, as well as other changes and parasitic invasions: cysticercosis, echinococcosis, fasciolosis and trichinellosis. The collected material was compiled according to the frequency of pathological changes found in the sanitary-veterinary examination of pigs and cattle in individual provinces in Poland, and then their percentage structure was determined. In 2019, veterinary supervision covered over 1.9 million cattle and over 21.5 million pigs. During the ante-mortem and post-slaughter inspection, diseases or lesions were found in over 7.3 million animals, i.e. 31.4% of the examined slaughter animals. The percentage of carcasses unfit for consumption in cattle was 0.22%, and in pigs it was 0.14%. Among the lesions registered in pigs and cattle, the most numerous group consisted of foci of pus, contamination and congestion – 22.4 and 8.51%, respectively. The presence of foci of pus, contamination and congestion in pig and cattle carcasses was found in all voivodeships. The highest percentage of these changes in cattle carcasses was recorded in the following voivodeships: Kujawsko-Pomorskie (50.71%), Podlaskie (19.29%) and Zachodniopomorskie (11.74%). In all voivodeships, foci of pus, congestion and contamination in pig carcasses were also found. In the Lubuskie voivodeship, such changes were registered in over 90% of the examined pig carcasses, and in the Podlaskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships in over 49% of the examined pig carcasses. In 2019, the number of animals for slaughter showing abnormal health status or symptoms and lesions remained high in Poland. A large number of congestion and contamination proves insufficient care for the conditions of slaughter animals, as well as for hygiene and conditions for slaughtering and carcass cutting and processing.

Physiological Response of Male Bali Cattle to supplementation of complete pellet feed based on Fermented Corn Cob Waste as a source of fiber and NuPro Yeast Extract Supplement

This study aims to determine the aim of this research, namely to determine the physiological response of male Bali cattle supplemented with complete pelleted feed based on fermented corn cob waste as a source of fiber and Nupro yeast extract supplement. In this study, 4 male Bali cattle were used in the age range of 1 – 1.5 years, with an initial body weight ranging from 101-124 kg with an average of 116.75 kg and a coefficient of variation of 9.16%. This research used an experimental method with a Latin square design consisting of 4 treatments and 4 periods as replications. The treatments in this study were P0: Pellet complete feed (20% fermented corn cob + 80% concentrate + 1% extra Nupro yeast), P1: Pellet complete feed (30% corncob + 70% concentrate + 1% extra Nupro yeast), P2: Pellet complete feed (40% corncob + 60% concentrate + 1% extra Nupro yeast), P3: Pellet complete feed (50% corncob + 50% concentrate + 1% extra Nupro yeast). Data obtained in Analysis Of Variance. The results of this study obtained the average value of body temperature (0C) P0 38.15 ± 0.55, P1 37.94 ± 0.81, P2 38.42 ± 0.39, P3 38.14 ± 0.88, pulse (times/minute) P0 72.08±9.28, P1 71.83±4.21, P2 67.25±13.10, P3 69.33±8.21, Respiratory frequency (times/minute) P0 21,75±1.49, P1 22.08±1.03, P2 24±1.24, P3 22.83±1.68 and water consumption (Liter/head/day) P0 5.68±0.62. P1 5.93 ± 0.82, P2 5.75 ± 0.61, P3 5.75 ± 0.20. The results of statistical analysis showed that the treatment had no significant effect (P>0.05) on body temperature, respiratory frequency, pulse rate and water consumption of male Bali cattle. The conclusion of the research is that complete feed supplementation with pellets containing fermented corn cobs as a fiber source provides and Nupro extra yeast supplement the same physiological response between treatments, so it can be used as a complete feed constituent at a level of 20-50% combined with concentrate feed.

Influence of Climatic Factors on the Water Footprint of Dairy Cattle Production in Hungary—A Case Study

Our study aims to provide a look at how the production of dairy cattle is affecting water resources in Hungary. Utilizing the AquaCrop model and field data from a selected field in Hungary, we focused on the evapotranspiration (ET) and water footprint (WF) of maize (the dominant component of silage mixes), while for other feed crops, we obtained data from scientific literature sources. We also considered drinking and servicing water consumption of dairy cattle, utilizing observations from a specific farm, as well as estimating potential heat stress at the country level. Our findings indicated increasing trends of crop ET as well as biomass production for maize, without significant correlations between the two parameters. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed a significant rise in the number of days with potential heat stress based on temperature-humidity indices, manifesting in practically the entire area of Hungary. Thus, while crop ET rates and corresponding crop water use values (4989–5342 m3/ha) did not show substantial changes, maize WF in silage cultivation rose from 261.9 m3/t dry biomass in 2002 to 378.0 m3/t dry biomass in 2020. Feed and water intake was subsequently recorded on a cattle farm and assessed as green and blue water use. Drinking (blue) water uptake, ranging between 74.7 and 101.9 L/dairy cow/day, moderately correlated with temperature-humidity indices as heat stress indicators (r2 = 0.700–0.767, p < 0.05). Servicing water was not recorded daily, but was calculated as a daily average (18 L/dairy cow/day), and was also considered in blue water usage. In contrast, feed consumption at the cattle farm corresponded to 13,352 ± 4724 L green water/dairy cow/day. Our results indicate that while the WF of animal feed remains a dominant factor in the total water use of dairy cattle farms, drinking water consumption and related costs of adaptive measures (such as adaptive breeding, modified housing, and technological measures) are expected to increase due to potential heat stress, particularly in selected regions where farmers should focus more on housing and technological solutions, as well as selecting for thermotolerance.

Low risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission from blood transfusions in Aotearoa New Zealand suggests donor exclusion policies can be relaxed.

Aotearoa New Zealand currently excludes potential blood donors who lived in the United Kingdom (UK) for 6 months or more between 1980 and 1996. This action is due to the potential for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) following blood transfusions from preclinical vCJD cases, who themselves mostly developed disease from the consumption of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) during this period, or from those incubating the misfolded prion proteins that cause disease. This donor exclusion policy led to 10% of New Zealand's active blood donors in 2000 being excluded, and it remains today despite periodic shortages of some blood products. Globally there have been 232 vCJD cases recorded-178 in the UK-with no new cases since 2019 and the peak numbers 23 years ago in 2000. Only three confirmed cases have been linked to blood transfusion. Here, we aimed to estimate the annual risk of vCJD from blood transfusion in New Zealand after restriction removal. We used UK case numbers, population estimates, and donor and recipient transfusion numbers to calculate the risk to the New Zealand public. We calculated the risk, based on approximately 131,000 transfusions a year and accounting for multiple transfusions, might lead to 0.005 cases annually, or approximately one in one billion nationally, and comparable to recent one in 1.45 billion estimates for Australia. Our analyses suggests that relaxing current blood donation restrictions, like Ireland and Australia's recent policy changes, would lead to an extremely low risk of vCJD transfusion-transmission in New Zealand. This policy change would help increase the supply of blood products for multiple medical needs.

Lactational treatment of bovine mastitis—Development over time and factors influencing cytological cure

Lactational treatment of bovine mastitis is a major contributor to antibiotic consumption in dairy cattle and is, therefore, important to address in light of the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance. In this large-scale database-based retrospective observational study, we combined electronic health records and routinely measured somatic cell counts from individual cows to create an overview of lactational mastitis treatment in Danish dairy herds from 2010 to 2019. Furthermore, posttreatment somatic cell count was used to approximate treatment success in terms of cytological cure. A generalized logistic regression with mixed effects was performed to combine knowledge on cow-level factors (treatment-, pathogen-, and cow-related) with the new infection risk at the herd level, and to explore the relative effect on cytological cure. The investigation revealed that the total number of lactational treatments appears to have decreased steadily over the study period, whereas treatment duration increased slightly. The proportion of cases treated with penicillin-based protocols and the proportion of milk samples sent for pathogen analysis also decreased. Meanwhile, results from the statistical analysis confirm the importance of cow-related factors, such as parity and lactation stage, for the probability of cytological cure following lactational treatment of mastitis. However, they also disclose that factors that are easier to adjust, such as optimizing treatment duration, including knowledge on causative pathogens and improving the herd-level new infection risk that can be used to positively influence the outcome. Application of this knowledge could potentially assist in promoting a more prudent use of antibiotics for dairy cattle in the future.

Complete Feed Based on Fermented Sago Waste Against the Consumption and Digestion of Goat

A common method used to improve the nutritional quality of feed is by fermentation method. The working principle is that fermentation activates the growth and metabolism of microorganism so that it can increase the digestibility of feed and produce the preferred aroma of livestock. This study aims to find out the effect of giving fermented sago waste on the consumption and digestibility of goat and cattle. Two feed treatments were tested on 12 goats. The results showed that the consumption and digestibility value of Dry Matter (DM) and Crude Protein (CP) showed no noticeable difference in goat cattle. The study concluded that complete feed-based fermented sago waste did not affect the consumption and digestibility of CP and DM of goat. Keywords: Sago waste, completed feed, consumption, digestion, dry matter, crude protein

Botanical Composition, Feed Consumption and Feed Conversion of Male Bali Cattle in The Tunas Karya Group, Teruwai Village, Central Lombok Regency

Feed is a very important factor in cattle farming business. The adequacy of feed requirements is not only measured by the amount of feed given, but it is also necessary to pay attention to the diversity of types of feed and the ability of livestock to change the feed ingredients given to increase body weight. The research entitled Botanical Composition, Consumption and Feed Conversion for Male Bali Cattle in the Tunas Karya Group of Teruwai Village, Central Lombok Regency was carried out for 3 months from August to October 2021. This research was carried out using 3 Bali bulls which were placed in separate individual pens. equipped with feed and drinking water. Variables observed in this study included botanical composition, feed consumption, and conversion as well as body weight gain during the study. The data obtained in this study were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the feed given to male Bali cattle reared in the Tunas Karya Group of Teruwai Village, Central Lombok Regency consisted of 100% king grass forage and 5 kg of commercial concentrate feed. Dry matter consumption (KBK) was 6.78 kg or 2.36% of body weight/head/day, while organic matter consumption (KBO) was 5.90 kg/head/day. Daily body weight gain (PBBH) was recorded at 0.526 kg/head/day, with a feed conversion of (12.1).
 Keywords: Botanical Composition, Consumption, Conversion, Feed, Bali Cattle

Herd management and subsistence practices as inferred from isotopic analysis of animals and plants at Bronze Age Politiko-Troullia, Cyprus.

The Bronze Age village of Politiko-Troullia, located in the foothills of the copper-bearing Troodos mountains of central Cyprus, was occupied ~2050–1850 cal BCE. Excavated evidence shows that community activities included copper metallurgy (ore processing, smelting and casting), crop cultivation, and rearing of livestock. Faunal analysis reveals day-to-day subsistence practices that included consumption of sheep, goat, cattle, and pig, as well as community-scale ritual feasting focused on fallow deer, Dama dama mesopotamica. In this paper, we present bone collagen stable isotope data from these taxa to infer how these animals were managed. We incorporate stable isotope baselines calculated from modern cereal grains and compare these to archaeological seeds from Politiko-Troullia. Mean values of δ13C and δ15N cluster for livestock consistent with a diet of C3 plants, with a wider range in goats that suggests free-browsing herds. Higher δ15N values in cattle may reflect supplemental feeding or grazing in manured fields. Plant isotope values suggest livestock diets were predominantly composed of cultivated taxa. In contrast, deer and pig bones produce more negative mean δ13C and δ15N values suggesting that the villagers of Politiko-Troullia complemented their management of domesticated animals with hunting of wild deer and feral pigs in the woodlands surrounding their village.

Cottonseed characteristics related to beef cattle consumption: Protein degradability, digestibility, and gossypol content

Our objectives were to (1) evaluate effects of whole cottonseed (WCS) storage conditions on protein and digestibility characteristics and (2) characterize protein degradability, gossypol content, and seed characteristics of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) in the southern United States. Seed with 0% heat damage (NN), 50% heat damage (N/B), or 100% heat damage (BB) was analyzed for in situ digestibility and protein degradability in Exp. 1. In Exp. 2, seed from 88 cotton breeding lines was obtained from a public cotton breeding program and analyzed for CP, undegradable intake protein (UIP), degradable intake protein (DIP), gossypol concentrations, and seed size. In situ DM disappearance was greatest ( P < 0.001) for NN after 48 h, and N/B was greater ( P < 0.05) than BB. Cottonseed that was not burned had a greater ( P = 0.01) amount of N degradable at a definable rate (B fraction) than BB, and the undegradable fraction (C fraction) tended to be less ( P = 0.06) for NN than BB and N/B. Cotton breeding lines had a mean CP value similar to those reported by the NASEM (2016), whereas DIP, UIP, and gossypol values had greater variability than CP in the present study. Correlations between seed size and protein were low, but there was a positive correlation with free gossypol. Heat-damaged WCS has decreased DM disappearance and N disappearance. Characterization of DIP, UIP, and gossypol in cottonseed may provide baseline selection criteria for cotton breeding programs, as well as aid in ration formulation strategies. Measuring WCS quality can help cotton breeders, animal scientists, and livestock producers develop seed value and feed recommendations for use.

Effect Of Additional Probiotic In Cattle Feed On Cattle's Consumption And Growth Rate

This study aimed to determine the level of feed consumption, weight gain of cattle, and to calculate the population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella in cattle feces in order to determine the effect of giving probiotics on the digestive system of cattle. The research object used was 10 bali cattle with a weight of about 90-120 kg. The data in this study were analyzed by experimental design using analysis of variance to determine the effect of giving probiotics to cattle feed on cattle weight gain. The treatment in question includes G0 with treatment in the form of feeding with a composition of 60% forage, 15% palm cake, 25% cassava, and 100 ml molasses. Meanwhile, G1 was treated with the same feed as G0, but added with 100 ml of probiotic Probio_FM. Based on the results of the study, it is known that probiotics given to cattle feed showed no significant effect on the level of feed consumption and body weight of cattle where cattle with non-probiotic feed had a higher average consumption level than cattle on probiotic feed. Furthermore, this causeed the average weight gain of non-probiotic cattle to be higher than that of probiotic cattle. In addition, it was known that the population of Lactic Acid Bacteria in the feces of probiotic cattle showed a higher number of LAB colonies compared to non-probiotic cattle with numeric values of 3.6x108, 3.3x109, and 2.7x1010. This proved that giving probiotics to bali cattle with a concentration of 100 ml / 100 kg of feed was able to increase the concentration of lactic acid bacteria in the digestive system.

An economic assessment of the impact of climate change on the Gambia’s agriculture sector: a CGE approach

PurposeClimate change and its imminent threat to human survival adversely impact the agriculture sector. In an impoverished country like The Gambia, economic costs of climate change are colossal. This study aims to establish a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for The Gambia’s agriculture sector to examine the effects of climate change on crops, livestock and sea-level rise.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a CGE model with other climate change impact models to compute the impacts of climate change on The Gambia’s agriculture sector. The social accounting matrix calibrates the results from the various models, thereby generating the baseline results which exemplify a “steady-state” and policy shock results illustrating the medium- and long-term effects of climate change on the country’s agriculture sector.FindingsThe baseline results indicate the status quo showing the neglect of the agriculture sector due to limited investment in the sector. Hence, the sector is the “hardest hit” sector as a result of climate change. When the model factored in climate change in the medium term (2055) and long term (2085), the macroeconomic indicators of gross domestic product, national savings, wages, disposable income and consumer price index deteriorated, elucidating the vulnerability of the economy to climate change. The consumption of groundnuts, cattle and fish will decline by 5%, 5% and 4%, respectively, in the long term. However, the production of all agricultural commodities will decline by an average of 35% for the same period. The results for international trade show that exportation would decline while importation will increase over time. The general price level for agricultural commodities would increase by 3% in 2055 and 5% in 2085. Generally, the results manifest the severity of climate change in the agriculture sector which will have a multiplier effect on the economy. The impact of climate change would result in agriculture and economic decline causing hunger, poverty and human misery.Originality/valueThe caveat of this study revealed the nuances not captured by previous Gambian climate change studies, thus the novelty of the study.

Süt Sığırcılığı İşletmelerinde Yem Tüketimi ve Yem Dönüşüm Oranının Belirlenmesi: Hatay İli Örneği

This research was carried out to determine the feed consumption and feed conversion ratio in dairy cattle farms. The data used in the research were gathered from 141 dairy cattle farms in the Hatay province. According to the research results, the average forage crops production area size in the enterprises was 18.13 da, and the share of forage crops cultivation areas in the crop production pattern was determined as 31.07%. The average cattle stock was 11.02 heads, the number of dairy cattle was 4.87 heads, the milk yield per dairy cattle was 5.619 lt/head, and the milk income was calculated as 2.811 US$/head. The roughage consumption of a dairy cattle in the lactation period was 3,139.67 kg, the monetary value of the consumed roughage feed was 371.61 US$, the consumption of concentrated feed and crushed feed was 2958.90 kg, and the monetary value of the consumed concentrated feed was determined as 1118.57 US$. In the research area, the total expense amount was approximately 1.9 million US$. The proportional share of variable costs in the total cost was calculated as 64.26%, and the share of fixed costs was calculated as 35.74%. The proportional share of feed costs in variable costs was 80.56%. The research revealed that 1.90 liters of milk was obtained by the 1 kg of concentrate and crushed feed that was given to a dairy cow in the lactation period. Considering the average of the enterprises; for 100 US$ of feed consumption, the gross production value of dairy cattle was calculated as 236.02 US$, and the milk income was calculated as 195.72 US$. In the study it, was determined that there were statistical differences between the farm size groups in terms of milk yield and the amount of roughage and grain feed consumption. Within the research it was revealed that the feed needs of the enterprises should be provided by their own enterprise in order to achieve higher milk yield and income per animal.

Towards a biorefinery processing waste from plantain agro-industry: Assessment of the production of dairy cattle feed through process simulation

The aim of this work was to design and analyse techno–economically and nutritionally the production of nutrient blocks and silage from waste of Dominico–Hartón plantain through process simulation in the framework of the design of a future biorefinery based on residues from plantain agro-industry. All systems were scaled to flows that would be realistically encountered in full–scale production systems, and several scenarios covering the production of supplementary feed blocks, fermented blocks, and silage for cattle feeding were considered. Plantain waste composition was determined experimentally. SuperPro Designer was used to simulate the process flowsheets. Process net present values were estimated using a project life of 15 years and an interest rate of 5.36%. Results suggested that fresh residues from plantain agro-industry are not recommended for dairy cattle consumption due to their high contents of moisture and neutral and acid detergent fibres, which provide few nutrients. Amending the residues with 19% maize forage resulted in a far better feed, with an estimated nutritional content of (on a dry basis): 28.34% neutral detergent fibre, 17.08% acid detergent fibre, 30.40% non–fibrous carbohydrates, and 34.52% moisture. The process flowsheets were modified by including a new step for moisture extraction as well. The feasible process for utilising plantain waste with the highest net present value (15.0 M$) was the production of supplementary feed blocks using screw press moisture extraction technology. This process can be incorporated as an alternative processing pathway into the design of a biorefinery using plantain waste as feedstock. • Plantain waste mixture is not suited for feeding dairy cattle due to high moisture. • This mixture may be adjusted by adding maize forage for feeding dairy cattle. • Nutrient blocks are an attractive alternative to valorise plantain residues. • Feasible process to produce supplementary feed blocks from waste was designed. • Process designed could be integrated into a biorefinery processing plantain waste.

Analysis of energy efficiency of production of compost from manure of cattle

Organic fertilizer is a source of necessary for agricultural plants macro-, microelements and carbon dioxide. Due to their gradual mineralization nutrients enter the plants during the whole period of vegetation. In the production, in particular organic fertilizers, the main factor determining profitability is the effective use of energy. The aim of the work was carry out analysis of energy efficiency of production of compost and vermicompost from manure of cattle. Research materials was data of technical information, scientific literature for technologies of composting and vermicomposting manure of cattle, Internet information and the results of own research. Energy efficiency of producing organic fertilizer from animal waste was determined by the method of direct cost of energy. It was determined that at the production of compost and vermicompost from manure of cattle, to a great degree, using energy of diesel fuel (98.3%). A small percentage is occupied by energy of workers (1.7%). It is established, that at the production of compost from manure of cattle consumption of energy, in particular diesel fuel and human accounts for 0.39±0.08 MJ/kg. The most energy-intensive production processes are mixing of compost and watering his water, which is spent 0.17±0.05 MJ/kg. Less energy-intensive: transporting of manure and formation of stacks (0.06±0.01 MJ/kg); filling a container with water and its transporting (0.07±0.01 MJ/kg); covering of stacks, drying and packing of compost (0.11±0.02 MJ/kg). When preparing of 1 kg of substrate from manure of cattle for later vermicultivation consumption of energy (diesel fuel and human) amounted to 0.16±0.04 MJ. During the process of vermicultivation, consumption of energy amounted to 0.41±0.08 MJ/kg. During vermicomposting, more energy is spent on mixing of stacks and watering their water 0.23±0.07 MJ/kg. Less energy-intensive such production processes as: formation of vermi bed and colonization of their vermiculture (0.07±0.01 MJ/kg); separating of worms from vermicompost and drying of biohumus (0.07±0.01MJ/kg); covering of stacks and packing of biohumus (0.05±0.1 MJ/kg). At the production of 1 kg of vermicompost, consumption of energy amounted to 0.57±0.12 MJ, worth 0.87±0.12 UAH. At the production of organic fertilizers through composting, consumption of energy is reduced of an average of 31.6% and its cost by 26.4%.

Diet of dingoes in the West Kimberley, and the impact of linear clearing

Generalist predators, such as the dingo (Canis familiaris), frequently use linear clearings as movement corridors, increasing their mobility, landscape access, and sometimes modifying predator–prey relationships. We quantified the diet of the dingo in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia and tested the hypothesis that clearing of seismic lines would result in a change to the diet of dingoes. A total of 199 scats were collected from inside and outside the footprint of a seismic survey at three collection time points (before and twice after the disturbance). Overall, the diet of dingoes varied over seasons (P = 0.003), and between control and treatment sites (P = 0.013); however, there was no evidence of a shift in diet caused by seismic clearing (time × treatment interaction term, P = 0.848). Cattle were the most frequently occurring item (frequency of occurrence = 65% of 199 samples; the greatest value recorded in Australia), with greater consumption of cattle in control and treatment sites at the end of the dry season compared to the early dry season, likely driven by an increase in cattle mortality and susceptibility to predation. Despite dingoes using seismic lines as movement corridors, there is little evidence that this results in a change in their diet.