Conventional Feed Research Articles

The potential economic benefits of insect-based feed in Uganda.

Black soldier fly farming is gaining traction globally as a strategy for recycling organic waste into high-quality proteins and fat for feed and organic fertilizer for crop production. The support of governments in East Africa to integrate insect meal in livestock feed has opened opportunities for commercializing insect products. Understanding the potential value of Black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) is paramount to inform policies and practices to promote insect farming and insect-based feed for livestock production. This paper uses the economic surplus method to generate evidence on the potential socioeconomic impact of replacing conventional soybean and fish meal protein sources with insect-based feed (IBF), BSFLM, in Uganda. Results indicate that substitution of IBF for existing protein sources will generate net economic benefits of USD 0.73 billion in 20 years (0.037 billion per year). The benefit-cost ratio is estimated at 28:1, and the internal rate of return is 138%, indicating that the insect-based animal feed industry is a profitable investment. Even in the worst-case scenario, when the replacement rate of IBF and its economic benefits are reduced by half, the benefit-cost ratio remains high (8:1). The estimated economic benefit can lift about 4.53 million people above the poverty line in the country. It can also create about 1,252─563,302 new jobs per annum, depending on the substitution rate of conventional protein feeds with IBF (0.1%─45%). Uganda has the potential to produce from about 3,244 tons to 1.5 million tons of IBF. Similarly, using the same replacement rates, the country can produce about 695─312,678 tons of NPK fertilizer from biowaste recycling. About 0.09-41 million tons of biowaste could be recycled, depending on the replacement rate of conventional feed sources with IBF. Our results justify that investing in the insect feed value chain can contribute to Uganda's economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

A Simple Dual-Polarized Patch Antenna Array for Wi-Fi 6/6E Application

A simple, high gain, and dual-polarized patch antenna array for Wi-Fi 6/6E application is proposed in this communication. Different from the conventional feeding method, the patches are driven by coupling dipoles that are printed on the same board. The dipoles are specially designed to be T-shaped to adjust the impedance matching. Broadband covering both 5 and 6 GHz bands of Wi-Fi 6/6E is achieved. The feeding circuit is easily integrated on the board with only parallel dual line utilized. A prototype is fabricated and tested to validate the concept. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. The measured bandwidth with <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S_{11} &lt; -10$ </tex-math></inline-formula> dB for two ports are 5.12–7.50 and 5.15–7.50 GHz with the isolation higher than 30 dB. Moreover, the measured gains are higher than 9.76 and 9.61 dBi for two ports over the operating band with a peak value of 12.05 dBi. The proposed antenna array shows great potential in the application of Wi-Fi mesh.

Meta-Analysis of the Use of Eimeria Lesion Scores and Oocyst Counts in Floor-Pen Studies.

The success of treatments for, or prophylaxis of, coccidiosis with classical anticoccidial feed additives or alternative treatments can be measured with a variety of metrics. Three important metrics are body weight or body weight gain (BW or BWG), lesion scores (LS), and oocyst shedding (OS). A meta-analysis of floor-pen experiments was performed to determine if using LS and OS would lead to systematically different assessments compared to the use of BW at the end of the experiment, and to what degree changes in LS and OS are correlated with BW. We also investigated if there were days postinfection on which one could expect larger ratios between untreated control groups and treated groups for LS and OS as an aid to selecting sampling days. A total of 38 experiments from 37 articles in peer-reviewed journals were included. Data sets containing experiments that investigated LS or OS in addition to BW or BWG to assess anticoccidial feed additives or alternative treatment were tested for the effectiveness of the intervention either by univariate meta-analyses for each metric or by robust variance estimation multivariate meta-analysis combining BW with LS or BW with OS. The results did not show evidence that the inclusion of LS and OS in experimental designs to assess the effect of conventional and alternative feed additives with assumed anticoccidial activity systematically changed the conclusions drawn from an experiment, but there was no significant correlation between the LS and OS ratios of untreated and treated groups determined during the experiments with the ratios of the BW at the end of the experiment for each experiment. There was also no discernible relationship between LS or OS ratios and days postinfection.

Learning, health and productivity of group-housed sows conditioned to signal-feeding under realistic husbandry conditions

Signal-feeding is a discrimination task for pigs where individual acoustic signals indicate the availability of feed at an electronic feeding station. It has been shown that this feeding technique has the potential to reduce agonistic interactions between pigs and improve animal welfare. As a side effect, signal-feeding was found to facilitate the accessibility of the feeding stations. Therefore, this feeding system may have the potential to improve the pigs’ overall feed supply and productivity. Signal-feeding has been successfully adapted for use with adult sows at conventional electronic feeding stations and was tested under near-practical conditions. The present field study was conducted to test the applicability of signal-feeding under the realistic conditions of a conventional piglet rearing facility. The aim was to verify that sows can cope with the signal discrimination task under the limitations of intensive livestock farming which comprises large groups with high feed concurrence and only one training opportunity per day. Furthermore, the study should confirm any positive effects on the animals’ health and welfare and, for the first time, substantiate the economic viability of signal-feeding by demonstrating a reduced workload and increased productivity compared to conventional electronic feeding stations.As a main result of the study, we observed that a single training opportunity per day and training in groups of more than 30 sows resulted in a training duration that ranged from 12 to 38 days for the majority of sows. The liquid feeding system utilised was found to be inadequate for reward delivery. It left feed remains on the station floor and could not provide the feed reward in sufficiently close temporal relation to the animal behaviour. The feed remains in combination with the somewhat random reward delivery created sufficient motivation for some sows to continue visiting the feeding station. As a result, no improvements in the accessibility of the feeder were observed. Under these conditions, we did not find any effects on the productivity of the sows in terms of the number of piglets born alive or the number of weak or crushed piglets. However, the training itself led to an increased number of shallow skin lesions and higher medical costs at the beginning of the study when the majority of sows received their conditioning. This effect disappeared later, when only replacement sows were trained.This study demonstrates that in sows an automated operant conditioning of a complex signal discrimination task is possible even under the considerable limitations of intensive livestock farming. However, future studies should utilise a more direct and better accessible reward system to reduce the training duration and improve the conditioning of the sows. Only then, will it be possible to accurately assess the animal welfare aspects and economic potential of signal-feeding.

Managing Ducks for Better Production in Ahmed Ecofarm, Keshurbari, under the District of Dinajpur, Bangladesh

Duck farming is not going equal to chicken farming in Bangladesh. Due to some superstitions, many people do not consume ducks’ meat and egg. In this regard, this article will provide those positive pieces of information about successful duck farming to consume its meat and eggs. Being a riverine country, Bangladesh is suitable for rearing ducks, and natural feed is available. Khaki Campbell (laying breed) and Beijing (table breed) were kept as two study birds for qualitative analyses through the questionnaire method. The result suggested that 2-months aged per duck consumed 70 g feed and 6-months adult duck 140 g daily with the cost of 3.22 and 6.44 taka. The semi-intensive farm provided 336 kg of regular feed for 4000 ducks (3200 Khaki Campbell, 800 Beijing duck). 1000 square feet brooding room maintained 30-32oC temperature and 100 watts (60 pieces) bulbs and 200 watts (30 pieces). For egg-laying, only sand was used (100%). After sexing the day-old ducklings, 30% found male ducks during the rearing period. The owner provided snails and hyacinth occasionally with the conventional feed. Ahmed Eco- farm was established only for egg purposes, so out of 3200 Khaki Campbell, 400 ducks laid eggs daily (50-60%) when they reached 150 days with a bodyweight of 1.5 kg. Viral paralysis, kidney disease, and flu were the diseases, and vaccines, antibiotics, and overall hygiene helped control that situation. Ahmed Ecofarm in Dinajpur district is in profit by supplying eggs in the local markets. This study period was from January 2020 to April 2022.

Assessment of Bush Buck (Gongronema latifolia) as a Dietary Supplement on Haematological and Serum Biochemical Indices of Broiler Chickens

The high cost of conventional feed ingredients for livestock and competition between man and his animals, necessitate the need for alternative and under-utilized plant materials in poultry nutrition. However, in doing so, it is important to ensure that such plant materials are not deleterious to the animals. This research therefore examines the effect of bush buck (Gongronema latifolia) leaf extracts as dietary supplements on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. Fresh leaves (6kg) of bush buck (Gongronema latifolia) were after rinsing with de-ionized water air-dried for ten (10) days under room temperature and were ground in a hammer mill to pass through 0.5mm sieve. It was thereafter dissolved in de-ionized warm water (40oC) at 1kg per 5 litres of water and was left to settle for 1 hour before decanting the supernatant. One hundred and ninety-two (192) broiler chicks, after brooding for two weeks were divided into six (6) dietary treatment groups of thirty two (32) birds each. Birds on dietary treatment 1, had no vitamin/mineral supplement in water, while dietary treatment 2 birds had supplemental commercial vitamin/mineral premix (vitalyte extra). Dietary treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6 had Gongronema latifolia leaf warm water extract in the following ratios; 25, 50, 75, and 100ml/litre of water respectively. The vitalyte extra was administered (5g/l) once a week while the birds had access to feed and water/GLLE ad libitum. On the last day of the experiment, blood samples were collected from the birds for haematological analysis. All the assayed parameters such as packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), heterophil (H), lymphocyte (L), monocyte (M), eosinophil (E), basophil (B), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were significantly (P&lt;0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. The analyzed serum biochemical indices such as total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, sodium and potassium were generally better in the 25ml/l GLLE. Glucose was significantly reduced in the vitalyte treatment while total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein were least in the 50ml/l GLLE treatment. In conclusion, the results above revealed that the Gongronema latifolia leaf warm (40oC) water extract of 50ml/l was safer and supported better health and wellbeing of the broiler chickens. This shows that Gongronema latifolia leaf warm (40oC) water extract could be used to wholly replace the conventional vitamins and minerals (vitalyte extra) in broiler diets without any adverse effect on growth and health performance of the birds.

PSIII-7 Late-Breaking: Improving Heifer Development Programs Using Precision Supplementation

Abstract Improving individual animal efficiency is important for livestock producers to run financially sustainable operations. Developing heifers to replace a cow in the herd is expensive and reducing costs during the growing and reproductive phases is critical to increase profitability. Precision livestock management technologies can help reduce feed waste and optimize individual animal intake on extensive rangeland systems. Precision supplementation for heifer development programs aims to provide proper nutrition management and develop heifers to meet target body weight without over or under conditioning. With conventional feeding methods, animals are able to over consume feed and may be overdeveloped. Therefore, the objective of our study was to compare differences in yearling heifer performance between conventional and precision supplementation on winter rangeland pastures. The study was conducted at the South Dakota State University Cottonwood Field Station, located near Philip, SD. Angus heifer calves (Bos taurus, n = 60) born in the spring of 2021were utilized for the project. Following fall weaning, initial weight was used to randomly assign heifers to one of two treatments: control (n = 30) or precision (n = 30). Treatment groups were separated into different pastures to graze dormant native range from November to June and were rotated monthly to reduce pasture influence. Both groups were offered 2.27 kg/hd/d dried distillers grain pellets; the control group was bunk fed, allowing for normal variation in consumption and the precision group was fed individually using the Super SmartFeed Producer. Individual daily BW was measured using SmartScale technology and used to calculate daily rate of gain. Heifers were supplemented to reach 60% of their mature body weight (MBW; 635 kg) at time of breeding. Heifers were bred in June using estrus synchronization with fixed time artificial insemination. Statistical analysis was conducted in Program R, which included an ANOVA to evaluate the differences in ADG between the control and precision treatments. Our results indicated a significant difference in average daily gain between the control (P &amp;lt; 0.05), mean ADG of 1.94 and 1.76 lb/d, respectively. Further, the control group utilized 5,600 lb more feed compared to the precision group. The number of heifers that achieved estrous was similar for both control (27) and precision groups (25) based on visual qualitative assessment of heat detection patches. At completion of the winter grazing season, the control group was developed to 64.9% MBW with an average weight of 909.37 lb and the precision group reached 62.2% MBW with an average weight of 870.37 lb. Successful implementation of precision supplementation has the potential to develop more uniform heifers at breeding, reduce intake variation, and reduce supplement overconsumption.

Comparison of Lipid Properties and Cadmium and Lead Content in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Meat from Three Feeding Grounds.

Simple SummaryAs a product originating from the most natural living conditions with free foraging, red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. A greater supply of this type of meat can be ensured by dynamically developing red deer farming on permanent grasslands. The study presents a comparison of the properties of lipids and the content of cadmium and lead in the LL and SM muscles of red deer kept in forest, organic farm, and conventional farm feeding grounds. The greater species and phytoncide diversity in the organic feeding ground enriched the quantitative profile and significantly increased the content of beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) (CLA—conjugated linoleic acid, ALA—alpha-linolenic acid, AA—arachidonic acid, and EPA—eicosapentaenoic acid) and the sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n-6 PUFA, and n-3 PUFA, in comparison with conventional farm and forest feeding grounds. It also contributed to a significantly lower n-6/n-3 ratio in both muscles. The study provides valuable data on the nutritional value and ecological safety of venison, which should be regarded as a health-enhancing food product. Furthermore, the present results can help breeders to make decisions about the locations of farms and the choice of red deer nutrition strategies.The aim of the study was to compare the properties of lipids and the content of cadmium and lead in the meat of red deer (Cervus elaphus) kept in a forest feeding ground (FFG) and on organic and conventional farms in Poland. Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Musculus semimembranosus (SM) muscles were collected for the study from 36 red deer carcasses in an equal sex and age ratio (3 and 4 years old). From April to October, the animals consumed only the vegetation growing in the feeding grounds. The floristic and phytoncide composition, as well as the fodder value, of the feeding grounds were assessed. Additionally, the intramuscular fat and cholesterol content, the profile, sum, and ratios of fatty acids (FAs), lipid nutraceutical parameters, and cadmium and lead content were determined in LL and SM. The plant composition comprised 116 species in the organic feeding ground (OFG) and 78 species in the conventional feeding ground (CFG). The LL and SM muscles of the red deer from the organic and forest feeding grounds exhibited significantly lower amounts of fat and cholesterol than those from the conventional system. The differences in the fatty acid composition between the three groups were quite small. Differences in intramuscular fat content contributed to a higher percentage of PUFAs in the FFG and OFG, in comparison to the CFG. In all types of feeding ground, the cadmium (0.002 to 0.008 mg/kg) and lead (0.009 to 0.019 mg/kg) content determined in the meat did not pose a threat to consumers.

Design of an E-sectoral horn based on PRGW technology for 5G applications

AbstractE-plane sectoral horn antenna based on printed ridge gap waveguide (PRGW) technology is designed for 5G applications. It is implemented on the top plate of the PRGW structure to avoid the losses and dispersion associated with conventional feeding mechanisms. The quasi-transverse electromagneticPRGW-based antenna is excited through a planar microstrip transition. First, the single horn antenna element is introduced with the microstrip feeding section. It shows an impedance bandwidth of fractional bandwidth 26% from 45.7 to 55.4 GHz with the realized gain of 12.7 dBi and radiation efficiency of 90%. In order to maximize the realized gain, a four-element linear horn array is introduced. The same impedance bandwidth is maintained with the array having a gain of 18.6 dBi from 45.7 to 55.4 GHz. The overall antenna array performance in the entire operating frequency range is stable with a radiation efficiency around 85%. Three matching sections are implemented to achieve better impedance matching. One is used to match the horn with the feeding aperture via the PRGW line. Another section is designed to match microstrip transition with PRGW ridge. Finally, two-stage quarter wavelength transformers are required to match the power divider with the array feeding network. A prototype of single-element horn antenna was fabricated to verify the concept of the design. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna can operate in the frequency band of 45–55 GHz with good agreement of radiation performance. Moreover, the proposed designs are implemented and simulated using two microwave simulation tools (CST and HFSS) to verify the radiation performance, which exhibits good agreement. The design of an E-sectoral horn antenna and its array with high gain based on PRGW is demonstrated for the first time which is considered a novel issue. It can be integrated with other passive and active elements in communication systems. Thus, it can be a valuable component in 5G communication due to its high gain, compact size and ultra-wide band.

Step-feeding in aerobic/anoxic cycles enhanced the performance of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems treating effluents with low C:N ratios

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems treating effluents with a C:N:P ratio similar to real old landfill leachate were evaluated on simultaneous C, N and P removals, and to reduce the main problems encountered, such as nitrite accumulation, biomass loss, and granule disintegration. Therefore, six sequential batch reactors (SBR) were operated with different anaerobic (A), anoxic (An), and aerobic (O) configurations: A/O (R1 and R2), O/An with conventional feeding and well-defined anoxic phase (R3), O/An with step-feeding and well-defined anoxic phase (R4), and O/An (R5 and R6). The O/An with step-feeding reactor (R4) had the highest biomass retention/settleability (SVI30 < 50 mL/g), the best nitrification rates (99%), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (97%), total nitrogen (91%) and total phosphorous (55%) removals. Furthermore, there was no nitrite accumulation, and granules’ disintegration was insignificant. The most abundant phylum in the reactors O/An was Planctomycetota, composed mainly of organisms from the Pirellulaceae and Legionellaceae families. In these reactors, the abundance of phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and denitrifying bacteria were similar, while the abundance of glycogen-accumulating organisms was much higher than PAOs. Therefore, the type of cycle directly influences performance, granule characteristics, and system stability, being important for future investigations applying the AGS technology to leachate treatment.

Study of digestibility and effect of Spirulina on weight growth in Wistar rats

In order to evaluate the digestibility of spirulina, a nutritional supplement, a study was carried out in wistar rats which received spirulina as a supplement in addition to industrial pellets. A reference group receiving only the therapeutic food, the plumpy nut, was formed. Five homogeneous batches of six rats each, three males and three females, were formed and placed in metabolism cages. Batch 1(CPn) received the therapeutic feed and distilled water, batch 2 (CG) the conventional feed (pellets) and distilled water. In addition to the pellets, batches 2, 3 and 4 received spirulina at rate of 10 mL/kg (batch 2), 50 (batch 3) and 100 mg/kg (batch 4) of body weight. The ingesta and excreta were determined over a period of 5 days from daily measurements of the feed distributed and from the collection of faeces and wasted feed. The analysis of the results obtained indicated a harmonious weight growth in all animals with a preponderance for the batch receiving 100 mg/kg of spirulina for a Mean Daily Gain (MDG) of 1.94 g/d. The results also revealed that the digestibility of the proteins contained in spirulina is important with a protein efficiency coefficient of 2.03 ± 0.04. With regard to lipid and fiber digestibility, no significant difference was recorded between the Spirulina supplemented batches and the controls. This study has thus demonstrated that Spirulina supplementation has very remarkable nutritional advantages with regard to its impact on nutritional parameters and the degree of digestibility of the organic matter it contains.

Valorization of agro-industrial wastes into polyhydroxyalkanoates-rich single-cell proteins to enable a circular waste-to-feed economy

Recovering and converting carbon and nutrients from waste streams into healthy single-cell proteins (SCPs) can be an effective strategy to address costly waste management and support the increasing animal feed demand for the global food supply. Recently, SCPs rich in polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) have been identified as an effective biocontrol healthy feed to replace conventional antibiotics-supplemented aquaculture feed. PHB, an intercellular polymer of short-chain-length (SCL) hydroxy-fatty acids, is a common type of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) that can be microbially produced from various organics, including agro-industrial wastes. The complex chemical properties of agro-industrial wastes might produce SCPs containing PHA with SCL and/or medium chain-length (MCL) hydroxy-fatty acids. However, the effects of MCL-PHA-containing SCPs on aqua species' health and disease-fighting ability remains poorly understood. This study investigated the feasibility of producing various PHA-containing SCPs from renewable agro-industrial wastes/wastewaters, the effectiveness of SCL- and MCL-PHA as biocontrol agents, and the effects of these PHA-rich SCPs on the growth and disease resistance of an aquaculture animal model, brine shrimp Artemia. Zobellella denitrificans ZD1 and Pseudomonas oleovorans were able to grow on different pure substrates and agro-industrial wastes/wastewaters to produce various SCL- and/or MCL-PHA-rich SCPs. Low doses of MCL-fatty acids (i.e., PHA intermediates) efficiently suppressed the growth of aquaculture pathogens. Moreover, MCL-PHA-rich SCPs served as great food/energy sources for Artemia and improved Artemia's ability to fight pathogens. This study offers a win-win approach to address the challenges of wastes/wastewater management and feed supply faced by the aquaculture industry.

Comparative Digestibility of Nutrients, Energy and Dietary Fiber in Feed Ingredients Fed to Philippine Black Tiaong Native (Sus scrofa domesticus) and Hybrid Pigs

The study was carried out to compare the digestibility of nutrients, energy and dietary fiber in conventional feed ingredients fed to Philippine black Tiaong native pigs and hybrid pigs. A total of 18 Philippine black Tiaong native and 18 hybrid pigs (PIC L337 × C24) were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 experimental treatments arranged in a 3 × 6 (black Tiaong native pigs) and 2 × 9 (hybrid pigs) Latin square design. A corn basal diet consisting of 95% corn (as-fed basis) and vitamins and minerals was formulated. The next two diets were formulated by mixing 70% of the basal diet with 30% (as-fed basis) soybean meal and rice bran. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, NDF, ADF and ash and the DE and ME concentration of each ingredient was calculated using the difference procedure. Results showed that ATTD of GE and ME of the diet were greater (P&lt;0.001) for native pigs compared with hybrid pigs. Likewise, the DE and ME of corn, soybean meal and rice bran measured in Philippine black Tiaong native pigs were greater (P&lt;0.001) compared with those measured in hybrid pigs. Philippine black Tiaong native pigs also had greater (P&lt;0.03) ATTD of CP, crude fiber, NDF, ADF, and ash and tended (P=0.08) to have greater ATTD of fat compared with hybrid pigs. The results of this study suggest that Philippine black Tiaong native pigs are more efficient in digesting nutrients as well as their ability to ferment dietary fiber.

Impact of palm kernel cake with or without multi-blend enzyme on the growth performance and carcass traits of Sasso broilers

ABSTRACT Non-conventional feeds help alleviate competition faced by the poultry industry as the prices of conventional poultry feed ingredients, are continually increasing. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of palm kernel cake (PKC) on the performance of Sasso X44 broiler chicks. Four hundred and fifty (450) unsexed 21-day-old broiler chicks of homogenous weight were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with six replicates having 15 birds per replicate. Diets comprised the control, PKC0 (basal broiler diet), PKC10 (10% PKC diet), PKC10 + E (10% PKC diet+ 0.05% enzyme), PKC20 (20% PKC diet) and PKC20 + E (20% PKC diet + 0.05% enzyme). Data were collected on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and carcase parameters. Results revealed that birds in the PKC10 + E group obtained improved (p < 0.05) FCR compared to the control group at the grower phase. At the finisher phase, the PKC20 + E group consumed more feed (p < 0.05), which was significantly different from the other groups except for the PKC10 + E group. Average daily body weight gain was highest for birds fed PKC10 + E diet, which, was significantly different (p < 0.05) from birds fed PKC20 diet. The percent dressed weight was significantly superior [p < 0.05) for birds fed PKC10 + E and PKC10 relative to PKC20. Sasso broilers could therefore benefit from a diet partially replaced with 10% palm kernel cake incorporated with multi-blend enzyme.

Bioeconomic analysis of total replacement of corn grain with by-product from biscuit manufacture for purebred and crossbred Morada Nova lambs in feedlot system in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

The economic feasibility of replacing corn grain with by-product from biscuit manufacture (BBM) as an energy source in the diet for purebred and crossbred native lambs raised in feedlot was evaluated. Four production systems were developed based on nutritional management and genetic groups: (PS1) purebred native lambs fed a conventional diet based on corn and soybean meal; (PS2) purebred native lambs fed a diet with BBM replacing 100% of the corn; (PS3) crossbred native lambs fed a conventional diet based on corn and soybean meal; and (PS4) crossbred native lambs fed a diet with BBM replacing 100% of the corn in the diet. The extrapolation was performed for a module of 24 Morada Nova (MN) breed lambs (12 MN red (MNR) and 12 ½MNR × ½MN white lambs)) with an initial body weight of 18.8 ± 0.875 and 15.0 ± 0.838kg for MNR and crossbred, respectively. Feed, animal acquisition, and labor present the total production costs. The greatest profits were obtained in the production systems that fed the crossbred lambs with BBM. The lesser cost of BBM contributed to greater total factor productivity regardless of genetic group (1.095 vs. 1.015 for BBM and conventional feed, respectively). Systems using BBM (SP2 and SP4) showed an estimated payback of 5.44 and 3.24years, respectively, while the use of conventional feed contributed to negative economic data (PS1 and PS3) with payback period greater than 10years. The use of BBM as an energy source in the diet of crossbred sheep was economically feasible and showed better economic indices when compared to the systems using a conventional diet.

242 The Impact of Feed Formulation and Feeding Methods on Pig and Poultry Production on the Environment

Abstract Dietary energy and nutrient losses associated with its conversion into animal products increase production costs and contribute to the environmental footprint of farms with the excessive application of nitrogen, phosphorus, or trace minerals from manure or carbon and methane losses. Formulating diets with the appropriate levels of minerals and amino acids can help improve dietary protein and energy efficiency and reduce nutrient losses. For example, an 8% reduction in dietary crude protein in pig feeds is estimated to increase nitrogen efficiency by more than 50%, while costing 11% less than a control diet without industrial amino acids. This reduction in protein intake also increases energy availability due to reduced energy losses associated with protein deamination. Urinary and intestinal fermentation energy losses can be 24% lower for pigs fed low-protein diets compared to control diets. Nonetheless, determining the optimal level of dietary amino acid remains a difficult challenge in conventional phase feeding systems. Therefore, group or individual precision feeding is another powerful tool to increase nutrient efficiency. By feeding individual growing-finishing pigs with diets tailored to their requirements, precision feeding can decrease nitrogen excretion by 30% and greenhouse gas emissions by 22% compared to conventional 3-phase feeding. The benefits of feeding pigs with low-protein diets and precision feeding techniques are additive and might result in a 61% protein efficiency of utilization. The formulation of very-low-protein diets and the implementation of precision feeding techniques rely on sound nutritional concepts and comprehensive biological models developed to precisely estimate individual real-time nutrient requirements and animal responses. Understanding the metabolic processes responsible for the observed variation between individual animals in their ability to utilize dietary nutrients is challenging, but there is a need to further improve nutrient efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of livestock production systems.

Gut health of horses: effects of high fibre vs high starch diet on histological and morphometrical parameters

BackgroundThe conventional feeding management of horses is still characterized by high starch and low fibre diets, which can negatively affect horse’s gastrointestinal health. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a high-starch (HS) vs. a high-fibre (HF) diet on gut health in horses. A total of 19 Bardigiano horses destined for slaughter and aged 14.3 ± 0.7 months were randomly allotted to two dietary groups: HS (5 fillies and 4 colts,) and HF group (7 fillies and 3 colts). They received the same first-cut meadow hay but different complementary feeds for 72 days: HS group was fed 8 kg/animal/day of a starch-rich complementary feed while HF group was fed 3.5 kg/animal/day of a fibre‐rich complementary feed. At slaughter, stomachs were separated and washed for the evaluation of the glandular and squamous regions. Also, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, apex of the caecum, sternal flexure, pelvic flexure, right dorsal colon, rectum and liver were excised and submitted to histomorphometrical evaluation.ResultsThe glandular region of HS group presented more severe gastric mucosa lesions compared to the HF group (P = 0.006). Moreover, a statistical tendency (P = 0.060) was found for the squamous region, presenting a higher score in HS than HF diet. Regarding morphometry, in jejunum villus height to crypt depth (Cd) ratio was influenced by sex, being greater in males than in females (P = 0.037) while in ileum Cd depended on interaction between sex and diet, being greater in males of HS group (P = 0.029). Moreover, in the duodenum and right dorsal colon the severity of the inflammation depended on sex (P = 0.024 and 0.050), being greater in females than in males. On the contrary, in the jejunum and in the pelvic flexure, inflammation was influenced by diet, being more severe in HS than in HF group (P = 0.024 and 0.052).ConclusionsThese results suggested that HS diet provoked more severe mucosa lesions in the glandular region of the stomach and a higher inflammation both in the jejunum and pelvic flexure. The present study can represent a starting point for further investigations on gut health in horses.

Health effects of organic farming, review of literature since 2005-Revision

In 2005, a study was carried out with chicks fed either organic feed or conventional feed. The aim of the trial was to see whether there was a difference in health between organic and non-organic fed chickens, as a stepping stone to a study in pigs and ultimately in humans. Thus, the final goal was to see whether organic food has positive health effects on humans. In the study, it appeared that animals fed organic feed showed a stronger immune response after a challenge than animals not fed organic feed. However, the researchers found that no firm conclusions could be drawn about the health status of organically fed animals. Based on these results, it was decided not to commission a follow-up study because the differences would be too small. The current knowledge and insights may give new reasons for follow-up research. For this purpose, a report was published with a summary of the original research and subsequent publications, as well as results from literature since 2005 on the health effects of organic feed for animals and organic products for humans. After the 2005 study, no comparable animal studies were carried out with organic and conventional feed. It is precisely in the case of animals that only the feed can differ, which can provide valuable insight into the effects of using only organic nutrition. Research has been done on the differences in composition between conventional and organic products. Human cohort studies have also been conducted on the effects of organic food on health parameters and the occurrence of various types of cancer. Although most researchers are very cautious about concluding the health effects of organic food, there are several relevant findings on differences in the composition of products, most of which are related to the organic production method. These include no synthetic chemical crop protection agents and fewer biocides as compared to conventional production, more antioxidants, and phenols and fewer antibiotic-resistant germs than conventional food. Moreover, milk has a more beneficial fatty acid pattern. There are some indications that eating organic food lowers the risk of developing certain conditions, such as allergies, metabolic syndrome and obesity, and certain cancers.

Conceptual Design of Animal Feed Chopper with Medium Capacity

Agriculture is the backbone of Ethiopia economy directly or indirectly and most of its population is residing in rural areas. The majority of rural community is engaged in agricultural crop production, cattle farming and poultry production. To prepare feed for animals, the conventional feed cutting machines are intensively used which do not have friendly operation. Chopping of animal feed is considered as a labour intensive processing operation in animal production system. Traditionally, animal feed, especially crop residue are chopped manually by a sickle in the farms of Ethiopia. It is a labor intensive, less efficient and time consuming operation. Keeping in view, the drawbacks of the traditional chopping, this study has been carried out for the design animal feed chopper machine in order to reduce the above mentioned. Engine operated animal feed chopper has been designed for chopping of crop residue and hay. The machine was designed with the following main components: feeding hopper, feed roller, rotating blade, casing with fixed knives welded on it, a screen and stands. The machine was seated treatment based on the design concepts and designed up to capacity 300 kg /hr. This machine was design keeping in view its multifunctional operation like for the cutting of maize stacks, sorghum stack, agricultural crop biomass etc. The provision was provided to run this machine at variable speeds for different jobs/applications and to achieve variability in particle sizes. The economic production of designed animal feed chopper machine was simple and its cost 10,618.45ETBirr.

Separation performance of a hydrocyclone with a spiral guide feeding body structure using the response surface method

ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop a hydrocyclone with a spiral guide feeding body structure to improve classification efficiency and classification accuracy. The spiral guide feeding body structure could pre-arrange the particles before they entered into the separation chamber, thus avoiding the turbulence of the flow field and effectively improving the separation efficiency and separation accuracy. The flow field features and separation performance of a hydrocyclone were studied using the response surface method to obtain the prediction model of separation efficiency and cut-size and the interaction law between influencing factors and the optimal combination of parameters under multiple response indicators. The industrial application showed that the classification efficiency was improved by 4.56% over the conventional feeding body structure. This indicated that the hydrocyclone with a spiral guide feeding body structure had potential industrial application value and certain advantages in improving the separation performance.