High-quality Feed Research Articles

344 Incorporation of Hemp Hulls and Screenings as Alternative Feed Sources for Ruminants

Abstract Currently there are no legal markets for feeding hempseed hulls or screenings to ruminants in Canada. This represents a significant wastage of high-quality feed that could be utilized in ruminant production. Therefore, the objectives of this project were to 1) evaluate the in situ rumen digestibility of hemp hulls and screenings; 2) evaluate the effect of including hemp hulls and screenings on the growth performance of feedlot lambs, and 3) assess if there are cannabinoids within the carcasses of growing lambs, and the milk of lactating ewes. Three ruminally cannulated Angus × Hereford heifers were used to determine the in situ degradability of hemp hulls and screenings. Wheat screenings, hemp hulls, and hemp screenings were weighed into polyester bags and incubated in the rumen for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 96, 120, and 240 h. The kinetics of in situ DM disappearance were estimated using a non-linear regression procedure of SAS. Wheat screenings had a similar soluble fraction to hemp hulls and screenings; however, hemp screenings had a greater (P < 0.01) soluble fraction than hemp hulls. The rapidly degradable fraction, total potentially degradable fraction, and ruminal degradability were greatest (P < 0.01) for wheat screenings, followed by hemp screenings, and then hemp hulls. Study 2 was conducted using twelve Canadian Arcott x Suffolk ram lambs randomly allocated to one of three treatments: control (Wheat screenings), hemp hulls, and hemp screenings. By-products were included at 20% dietary dry matter, and lambs were fed ab libitum until they reached 50 kg. To test for cannabinoid residues, samples of muscle, adipose tissue, liver, and kidney were taken post-mortem. Study 3 was conducted using fifteen lactating Canadian Arcott x Suffolk ewes with twins, fed the same treatments as in Objective 2. Hulls and screenings were included at 15% DM, and ewes were fed dietary treatments for 30 d, with dry matter intake and body weight recorded weekly. On d 15 and 30, ewes were hand milked to obtain samples for cannabinoid analysis. This research will have an important role in supporting Canadian approval for feeding industrial hemp by-products to ruminant livestock.

Study of Production Performance and Economic of Broiler Farms in Parwan Afghanistan

Poultry industry is one of the main source of income in Afghanistan, where about 1.5 million people are engaged in this sector. In recent years, from 476 poultry farms only 165 farms are continuing their activities in Parwan province of Afghanistan, which means that most of previous farms are broken down. In this research, 30 broiler chicken farms were selected by random sampling method and to evaluate the production performance and economical status of broiler farms in Parwan, Afghanistan. Data were collected by using questionaries’ and personal interviews. Based on the results, it was found that the production performance of the chickens was such as the feed conversion ratio was 1.83, the livability percentage was 90.23%, the average market weight was 1.9 kg, and the mortality rate was 9.77%. The fixed costs included 5.64% worker's salary, 0.79% farm rent and 0.32% electricity bill which are totally (6.75%). Variable costs include the cost of a day-old chicken 6.98%, feed cost 70.45%, veterinary service cost 3.44%, litter cost 1.41%, worker food cost 2.11%, fuel cost 7.05% and miscellaneous cost were 1.47%, which totally reached (93.25%). The total income which were earned 97.93% from live chickens as main product and 2.07% from manure as by product and the benefit cost ratio was 1.07%. To conclude this, as the broiler production is profitable, but the proportion of income is less than the investment. In order to improve the income, it is recommended to provide high-quality feed, prevent diseases, providing high-quality vaccines and medicines, and hiring experts in broiler farms.

Foliar nutrient content responses to bio-inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobium on three herbaceous forage legumes

Smallholder livestock production in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa has been hampered by a lack of high-quality feed. As such, improving ruminant nutrition using optimized production of herbaceous forage legumes has been suggested. However, the production of forage legumes for livestock feed is poor in communal areas in the province due to the necessity to use high levels of chemical fertilizers to provide high-quality feed that meets animal nutrient demands. The current study aimed at investigating the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Rhizobium inoculation on the chemical composition of three herbaceous forage legumes, namely, Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Lablab purpureus (lablab), and Mucuna pruriens (mucuna). The field trials were established over two growing seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) at the University of Fort Hare Research Farm (South Africa) and were carried out as a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 12 treatments that were replicated 4 times. The 12 treatments included three legume species (cowpea, lablab, and mucuna), two AMF (with and without AMF inoculation), and two Rhizobia inoculations (with or without). The results showed that the dual inoculation of AMF and Rhizobia bacteria significantly (p < 0.05) increased the contents of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, ash, magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) of three herbaceous forage legumes. Furthermore, solo inoculation with AMF or Rhizobia bacteria resulted in substantially higher potassium (K), Ca, and Mg cation ions, and Ca/P, Zn, manganese (Mn), and Fe concentrations in forage legumes than in other treatments. In conclusion, the dual inoculation produced optimal nutrient accumulation in both growing seasons when compared to single inoculation and uninoculated forages. Therefore, this could assist in alleviating livestock malnutrition in smallholder farming.

Rapid Evolutionary Adaptation to Diet Composition in the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens).

Genetic adaptation of Hermetia illucens (BSF) to suboptimal single sourced waste streams can open new perspectives for insect production. Here, four BSF lines were maintained on a single sourced, low-quality wheat bran diet (WB) or on a high-quality chicken feed diet (CF) for 13 generations. We continuously evaluated presumed evolutionary responses in several performance traits to rearing on the two diets. Subsequently, we tested responses to interchanged diets, i.e., of larvae that had been reared on low-quality feed and tested on high-quality feed and vice versa to evaluate costs associated with adaptation to different diets. BSF were found to experience rapid adaptation to the diet composition. While performances on the WB diet were always inferior to the CF diet, the adaptive responses were stronger to the former diet. This stronger response was likely due to stronger selection pressure experienced by BSF fed on the low-quality single sourced diet. The interchanged diet experiment found no costs associated with diet adaptation, but revealed cross generational gain associated with the parental CF diet treatment. Our results revealed that BSF can rapidly respond adaptively to diet, although the mechanisms are yet to be determined. This has potential to be utilized in commercial insect breeding to produce lines tailored to specific diets.

Computational Insights into the Selecting Mechanism of α-Amylase Immobilized on Cellulose Nanocrystals: Unveiling the Potential of α-Amylases Immobilized for Efficient Poultry Feed Hydrolysis.

The selection of an appropriate amylase for hydrolysis poultry feed is crucial for achieving improved digestibility and high-quality feed. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which are known for their high surface area, provide an excellent platform for enzyme immobilization. Immobilization greatly enhances the operational stability of α-amylases and the efficiency of starch bioconversion in poultry feeds. In this study, we immobilized two metagenome-derived α-amylases, PersiAmy2 and PersiAmy3, on CNCs and employed computational methods to characterize and compare the degradation efficiencies of these enzymes for poultry feed hydrolysis. Experimental in vitro bioconversion assessments were performed to validate the computational outcomes. Molecular docking studies revealed the superior hydrolysis performance of PersiAmy3, which displayed stronger electrostatic interactions with CNCs. Experimental characterization demonstrated the improved performance of both α-amylases after immobilization at high temperatures (80 °C). A similar trend was observed under alkaline conditions, with α-amylase activity reaching 88% within a pH range of 8.0 to 9.0. Both immobilized α-amylases exhibited halotolerance at NaCl concentrations up to 3 M and retained over 50% of their initial activity after 13 use cycles. Notably, PersiAmy3 displayed more remarkable improvements than PersiAmy2 following immobilization, including a significant increase in activity from 65 to 80.73% at 80 °C, an increase in activity to 156.48% at a high salinity of 3 M NaCl, and a longer half-life, indicating greater thermal stability within the range of 60 to 80 °C. These findings were substantiated by the in vitro hydrolysis of poultry feed, where PersiAmy3 generated 53.53 g/L reducing sugars. This comprehensive comparison underscores the utility of computational methods as a faster and more efficient approach for selecting optimal enzymes for poultry feed hydrolysis, thereby providing valuable insights into enhancing feed digestibility and quality.

Impact of Feed Quality on Livestock Productivity

Abstract
 Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate impact of feed quality on livestock productivity.
 Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
 Findings: High-quality feed rich in essential nutrients, such as protein and energy, plays a crucial role in enhancing the growth, reproduction, and overall health of livestock. Research consistently demonstrates that access to nutritious feed leads to increased weight gain in meat-producing animals, higher milk yields in dairy cattle, and improved reproductive performance in breeding stock. Conversely, poor-quality feed or inadequate nutrition can lead to stunted growth, lower milk production, reduced fertility, and increased susceptibility to diseases. Therefore, optimizing feed quality through proper nutrition management is a fundamental factor in maximizing livestock productivity and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Nutrient Utilization Theory, Liebig's Law of the Minimum and Optimal Foraging Theory may be used to anchor future studies on impact of feed quality on livestock productivity. Livestock producers should implement stringent quality control measures to ensure the consistency and safety of animal feeds. Government agencies and industry associations can develop educational programs and training initiatives for livestock farmers.

Applying circular economy principles to intensification of livestock production in Sub-Saharan Africa

In the context of sustainable agricultural development, much has been made of the need to apply agroecology or regenerative principles to improve rural livelihoods and to align the sector with critical planetary health boundaries. This movement is a reaction to the perceived private and social costs arising from both production and consumption associated with industrialised agriculture, mostly in upper-income countries, with several default assumptions being apparent about applicability elsewhere. The notion of circularity, or the circular economy, is frequently conflated with agro ecological rhetoric, often overlooking a longer tradition of circular resource use efficiency in traditional mixed crop–livestock farming in low-income settings. This paper examines the concept and origins of circularity and reviews some examples of historic circular economy research within the international agricultural research system as applied to smallholder agriculture. These include (i) studies focusing on the impact of crop residue retention, (ii) work on residue incorporation and/or mulching and their effects on crop yields and soil fertility, (iii) research on the effects of manure use on crop yields and soil fertility and (iv) work on the feeding of crop residues to livestock. We consider some promising innovations or practices adhering to circular economy principles. Candidate innovations focus on the improvement of livestock feeding practices including the breeding of dual-purpose crops to enhance livestock nutrition, conversion of cereal straw residues to high-quality feed, use of cassava waste as livestock feed and use of insects as livestock feed. We conclude by considering how circular bio-economy principles might be maintained in the future evolution of food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.

AGROTECHNOLOGY FOR FEED CULTIVATION AND CREATION OF HAYFIELDS AND PASTURES IN THE FOREST AND STEPPE ZONE OF NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN

A high-quality feed base is a must to ensure the growing of numerous animals via selecting promising high-yielding crops that can provide livestock with feeds at the entire production stage. This study purposed to develop new technologies for reinstating a balanced use of pastures in Kazakhstan’s steppe and forest-steppe zones. Several investigations succeeded in 2019–2022 at the Service-ZHARS Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) production fields of District Kyzylzhar, North Kazakhstan. Five chosen pasture combinations created multifactor pasture lands, as follows: common alfalfa + Festulolium; awnless brome + yellow sweet clover; common alfalfa + pasture ryegrass + Festulolium; white sweet clover + awnless brome + Timothy grass, and sainfoin + Festulolium + pasture ryegrass + Timothy grass. For haymaking and pasture chain construction, the following grass combinations selected comprised two-pasture grasses (previous years' brome and Timothy grass + common alfalfa + sainfoin) and seven hay grasses (vetch + oats, Sudan grass, sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid + sorghum, corn for silage, sorghum, peas + oats + barley + wheat, and peas). The use of droughtresistant legumes, cereals, and arable crops and their mixtures positively impacted intensifying the feed base and reducing the pasture areas’ degradation. Thus, in the first experiment, the green mass collection was higher than 3.33 t ha-1 , while in the second one, it was below 4.75 t ha-1 , which fully bestowed the physiological needs of animals. The species diversity of pasture vegetation has improved because of beans’ inclusion, possibly enhancing the protein ratio in green feed and hay as the main component of the farm animals' diet.

Effects of microbial inoculant on chemical compositions and in vitro digestibility of elephant grass-based silage

Probiotic microbial inoculants have been used to improve fermentation quality of green forage feed in pig farming This study aimed to formulate and evaluate effects of microbial inoculants on quality and digestibility of elephant grass-based silage. Green forage formula was made based on economical and agro ingredients resulting in 36% of cost reduction in comparison to the basal diet. The additive containing 1% microbial mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum LCN13, Bacillus velezensis VTX9 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae MCN9 as starter cultures significantly reduced crude fiber (12.39 ± 1.01% Dry Matter (DM)) and neutral detergent fiber concentrations (28.49 ± 0.93% DM) after 120 h (p < 0.05). In contrast, remarkable increases (p < 0.05) were determined in metabolizable energy (2972 ± 18.18% DM) and crude protein (16.32±1.15% DM). These results indicated that metabolic activities by microbial inoculants contributed considerably to the nutritive value of the elephant grass-based diet. The experiment along ensiling time revealed that significant changes in nutritive compositions were observed at 120 h and 168 h (p < 0.05). In support of these results, in vitro digestibility indexes including dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein showed an increasing trend corresponding to ensiling times. Since there were no significant differences between 120 h and 168 h, fermentation time of 120 h was sufficient to obtain desired outcomes. These findings emphasized that elephant grass-based forage fermented with microbial inoculant could be a promising cost-effective and high-quality feed for pig production. Further investigations are required to evaluate safety, growth performance, and pig intestinal microbiota.

Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Poultry Feed Pelleting Machine

The poultry industry plays a crucial role in meeting the global demand for animal protein. To ensure optimal growth and productivity of poultry, the formulation and processing of high-quality feed are essential. Feed pelleting is a common method employed to enhance the nutritional value, digestibility, and handling characteristics of poultry feed. The machine which meant for the production of poultry feed pellets in good quantities, was designed, fabricated and its performance evaluation was carried out accordingly. The independent dual operated Poultry Feed Pelleting Machine permits constant production line since the prime mover (diesel engine) would be plunged into operation as at when due, that is, when electricity power supply failed. The materials used were locally sourced which included; mild steel, high carbon steel, aluminum, 3hp electric motor, prime mover and axle. The base materials are corn, soybean, wheat, rice bran, wheat bran, herbs, fish meal, groundnut cake etc. The machine functioned reliably at the throughput capacity of 95kg per hour and up to 800kg per day with 95% efficiency proved its high performing rate. Moreover, the study showed that useful information in designing pelleting machine that produced pellet optimally when the appropriate moisture condition for feed materials is considered ranging from 20% - 30% with temperature range of 500C-700C. The results indicate that the developed machine offers significant advantages in terms of pellet quality, production efficiency, and energy consumption compared to conventional pelleting methods. The developed machine is recommended to facilitate the production of poultry feed pellets for small scale and medium scale farmers.

Fodder Radish as a Potential Alternative Feed Source for Livestock in South Africa

The agricultural sector receives substantial support from livestock, which greatly contributes to the well-being of rural communities. Livestock offers animal-derived products, such as meat and milk, which serve as abundant protein sources for human consumption. While the majority of South Africa’s agricultural land is suitable for livestock farming within the smallholder sector, these farmers often face a variety of challenges. Among these challenges, there is insufficient access to superior forage resources, resulting in the limited availability of high-quality feed. Traditional nutrient sources for ruminants, such as soybean meal, grain, sunflower meal, and fish meal, are employed as supplementary feeds to provide exceptional nutrition and improve animal performance. Nonetheless, they present logistical, economic, and environmental challenges. To circumvent these challenges, smallholder producers have turned to leguminous trees, including Vachellia species and other locally available feed resources. They are utilized as feasible and cost-effective alternatives to supplement livestock, especially during periods of extended drought. However, these locally available feed resources exhibit inherent limitations, including thorn presence, high fiber content, low digestibility, and the presence of anti-nutritional and toxic factors. Cool season forage crops such as fodder radish present promising alternatives as autumn and winter forages for these farmers. Despite being widely used globally as a supplement for livestock during winter, fodder radish remains relatively underutilized, particularly among smallholder farmers. There is a scarcity of comprehensive information regarding its chemical composition, nutrient utilization, and remarkable potential to revolutionize livestock production, especially within the smallholder sector. Most of the available literature demonstrates the positive effects of fodder radish on soil structure, soil carbon and nitrogen levels, weed suppression, and other benefits. This paper systematically reviews the current state of knowledge on the nutritive value, opportunities, and challenges associated with the utilization of this crop in the cooler eastern regions.

Biochemical, clinical manifestation of vitamin D deficiency in calves

Today, one of the priority tasks in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine is the creation of a highly productive, stable herd with a stable level of metabolism. A large load on the animal's body reveals high milk productivity; in connection with this, metabolic processes slow down, directly reducing milk productivity and requiring a balanced diet and high-quality feed. An increase in milk productivity is often directly related to metabolic disorders and the appearance of diseases, including the intensity of physiological and biochemical metabolic processes associated with converting a significant amount of energy and nutrients from feed into milk. Metabolic pathologies in animals can be caused by hereditary defects in the metabolism of nucleic acids, congenital insufficiency of enzymes responsible for the synthesis and breakdown of amino acids, disorders of organic acid metabolism, fatty acid deficiency, etc. Timely diagnosis of rickets and rapid therapy in the initial period is essential in treatment because the earlier the diagnosis is made, the easier it is to treat the disease. This will lead to the termination of the further destructive process, the occurrence of bone deformations, and changes in internal organs. The article deals with the issue of vitamin D deficiency in young cattle from a modern perspective. Materials on the classification, etiology, and pathogenesis of vitamin D-deficient rickets in calves are covered. The role of vitamin D in the prevention of rickets and its importance for general animal health and welfare are summarized. It is noted that this disease's characteristic feature is mainly the course's hidden stages. Clinical symptoms of D-hypovitaminosis appear in the late stages of the disease when restoring the animal's health is impossible. The essence of the pathology is a violation of mineralization of the organic matrix of bone tissues (D-hypovitaminosis) or osteolysis of already formed structures. The work aimed to find out the distribution, etiology, biochemical and clinical manifestation of D-hypovitaminosis in calves in one of the farms of the northern districts of Zhytomyr region, which belongs to the natural-geographical zone of Zhytomyr Polissia. The material for the study was clinically healthy calves and calves with rickets aged 1–3 months. The conditions of keeping and feeding animals on the farm were studied. Diagnosis and spread of D-hypovitaminosis among calves 1–3 months old were carried out with the help of clinical and unique methods; first, preference was given to laboratory studies. Clinical manifestations are described, and laboratory features of the course of vitamin D deficiency in animals are presented. It has been established that vitamin D deficiency in calves is quite widespread on the farm. Thus, the subclinical (hidden) course was registered in 45.8 % of animals and the clinical – in 24.1 %. The disease was more often registered in the winter-spring period. The leading cause of the disease in calves is insufficient motor activity (hypodynamia) in the absence of insolation, as well as a low level of feeding: reduced provision of cholecalciferol (25.8 %), violation of the calcium-phosphorus ratio (2.7–4.2:1 versus 1.5–2.0:1), deficiency of microelements – cobalt, zinc, copper, the provision of which was, respectively, 57.6, 85.6 and 96.2 % of the need. Pathognomotic manifestations of the disease in calves are licking, allotriophagia, thickening of carpal joints, partial resorption of the last ribs and tail vertebrae, and loose teeth. Vitamin D deficiency prevents the efficient absorption of calcium and phosphorus in feed. With vitamin D deficiency, only 10–15 % of feed calcium and 50–60 % of phosphorus are absorbed. The most informative laboratory markers for diagnosing pathology are determining cholecalciferol content, total calcium, inorganic phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase activity, and its bone isoenzyme in blood serum.

P24 (not presented) Effect of high-quality feed supplement and sex on the growth performance of brahman crossbred cattle

P24 (not presented) Effect of high-quality feed supplement and sex on the growth performance of brahman crossbred cattle

Compound Feed Industry: benchmarks, potential opportunities

Relevance the main component for production of feed products in livestock industry is feed grain. The provision of the republic with grain crops, as well as exports, are associated with their use for fodder purposes, consumption traditionally accounts for more than half of the domestic consumption of their processed products. The goal is to study the problems and prospects of the feed industry, which determines the effective functioning of the entire grain market, supplying agricultural enterprises and farms with necessary and high-quality feed. This was largely facilitated by the intensive development of food industry and grain farming, which became the main suppliers of raw materials for feed mills. Methods – comparative, systemic, statistical analysis, logical generalization. Results – the authors note that in the structure of feed raw materials, main share falls on barley, oats, wheat, while the share of corn and legumes has decreased. Based on the available livestock, the standard needs of animal husbandry are not provided. The export orientation of domestic grain production is primarily aimed at the needs of the world market, at the same time, domestic needs are satisfied on a residual basis. Rational use of cereals will improve the quality and competitiveness of animal products. The opportunities created by «National Company «Food Contract Corporation» JSC for the sale of grain fodder to poultry farms enhance holding back the prices for finished food products by concluding agreements with manufacturers and retail chains. Conclusions – it is obvious that the basis for the transfer of the livestock complex to industrial resource-saving technologies is the creation of a solid forage base. Without a balanced feeding of animals in terms of protein and vitamin-amino acid composition, other measures will not have the expected result. Emphasis is placed on the need to increase the capacity of large enterprises to provide feed products on industrial scale and manufacture dry nutritious feed mixtures in feed mills and factories based on their own raw materials, mineral and vitamin supplements for grain processing and livestock farms.

Scientific substantiation of technological aspects of production of high-protein fodder plant material from perennial legumes

Purpose. To ensure the maximum realization of the productive potential of legumes in the production of fodder plant material with a high content of crude protein. Methods. Generally accepted widely approved methods of research work on fodder production, dialectical method of scientific knowledge, observation, comparison, abstract logical and statistical-mathematical analysis. Results. Different intensities of ontogenesis, dynamics of green mass and dry matter accumulation and parameters of the qualitative composition of perennial legumes were studied. Critical microstages of development were identified, when the crude protein content in the dry matter of plants decreased below 20.0%. For tall legume species, it was 49 microstage of development, which corresponds to the complete budding of plants, and for small species - 5-9 microstages of development, which corresponds to the beginning of flowering. The technological model of production of fodder raw materials from perennial legumes with an assessment of the levels of fodder productivity and quality indicators of plant raw materials was theoretically substantiated. It was found that foliar feeding of legumes with biological products Nanovit Humino Max, Nanovit Amino Max and Vitazim Bio at a dose of 1 l/ha against the background of local application of N60P60K60 in the rows during sowing of legumes provided 3 mowing per season with a significant advantage of the productivity of the studied species over the control. The increase in green mass was 12.3-31.0 t/ha, which is 27.5-70.1% more than in the control, and the increase in dry matter was 2.8-5.9 t/ha, or 29.7-66.2% more. Conclusions. The developed model of technology for growing perennial legumes provides an optimal balance between high productivity and quality of plant raw materials. It has been proven that foliar fertilization with biological products in combination with local fertilization provides a significant increase in the yield of green mass, dry matter and crude protein content. The use of an innovative fertilizer system in combination with a system of use differentiated by macrostages of plant development contributes to a significant increase in the fodder productivity of legume plant material for the preparation of high-quality feed with a high crude protein content.

A Triple-Band Uni-Cavity Fabry–Perot Cavity Antenna With Hybrid Excitation Modes

A novel methodology realizing multiband Fabry-Perot-Cavity Antenna (FPCA) is proposed. Different from single transmission-mode (T-mode) or reflection-mode (R-mode) FPCA, the R+T-mode FPCA employs hybrid excitation modes to the same FPC, reducing the requirement for multiband high-quality feed antennas. To verify this methodology, a triple-band FPCA integrated by two R-mode ones, operating at the middle and the high bands, and a T-mode one working at the low band is designed. A triband partially-reflective-surface (PRS) offering bidirectional asymmetric transmission for middle and high bands, and partial reflection for the low band, is proposed. Meanwhile, a triband artificial magnetic conductor is designed to fulfill the in-phase bouncing condition in a low-profile uni-cavity for all bands. One inter-cavity feed and two external ones are utilized to complete the hybrid excitation of the FP cavity. Finally, a proof-of-concept prototype is fabricated showing -3 dB gain bandwidths of 7.0% (3.02-3.24 GHz), 16.9% (5.38-6.37 GHz), and 10.0% (10.31-11.40 GHz). Beam-scanning ranges of ±35° and ±30° are also obtained for the middle and the high bands. The proposed methodology may readily realize an FPCA of even more frequency bands with limited aperture size and a low-profile resonant cavity.

Profit, productivity, and eco-efficiency of using Caucasian clover/ grass pastures in hill country farms

The following study was conducted to establish whether significant amounts of Caucasian clover-based pastures in hill country farms can increase eco-efficiency and profitability. Published data were used to predict the production of Caucasian clover-based pastures, based on weather data and soil moisture deficit prediction, for four sheep and beef farms with low rainfall in the South Island. Scenarios with 10, 20 or 30% of the flat and rolling areas improved with Caucasian clover/grass pastures were compared to current systems based on resident white clover-based pastures. A staged approach, to utilise the extra high-quality feed produced, used a sequentially process to improve productivity by increasing lamb finishing, higher hogget liveweight, better ewe nutrition or more beef finishing, depending on initial efficiency metrics. Timeto maximum production using an annual establishment programme of 5% of the target areas in Caucasian clover/grass mixtures took 4 to 6.5 years (10% and 30% respectively). Adding Caucasian clover/grass increased pasture production by 5.5% while product/kg DM consumed increased by 12.8% and profitability by 22% when either sheep or beef production were used to capture the extra amount and quality of pasture. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were increased by only 6.3%, resulting in more efficient meat production.

Effect of Nutrient Improvement and Mineral Premix Supplementation on Weight, Average Daily Gain, and Metabolite Profile of Repeat Breeder Cows

Nutrient overload, deficiency, or imbalance are fundamental issues that frequently arises in breeder cows. Malnutrition in cattle can cause delayed puberty, an increased risk of pregnancy failure, and infertility. This study aimed to determine the effect of nutrient improvement and mineral premix supplementation on body weight, average daily gain, and blood metabolite profile of repeat breeder cattle. Sixteen Simmental Cross cattle aged 4 to 5 years (calved at least once) with an average S/C of 5 and an average body weight of 400 kg were used. The feed provided was forage, Profeed® concentrate, High Quality Feed Supplement (HQFS) and mineral premix. This study was initiated by selecting repeat breeder cattle of smallholder farmers. The selected cattle were reared for three months in the research cage with a predetermined feed for each group. During the research period, four weighings were carried out to determine the body weight of the cattle. Blood samples were taken for testing of the blood metabolite profile; at the beginning and end of the study. The collected samples were then analyzed in the laboratory, and the resulting data was analyzed for variance using the independent-t-test and paired t-test. The results showed that the addition of 0.5% mineral premix had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on body weight gain. In the blood metabolite profile, the improvement in nutrition had a significant effect (P<0.05) on glucose levels (H-0 and H-71). It can be concluded that the supplementation of 0.5% mineral premix has no effect on body weight and blood metabolite profiles. Repeat breeder cattle on smallholder farmers have low glucose levels, so improving nutrition (quality and quantity) is a matter of concern to support pregnancy.

Effect of Mineral Premix Supplementation on Intake and Digestibility of Repeat Breeder Cows

Repeat breeder is a problem faced by cattle farmers in Indonesia. The highest reproductive disease commonly occurring is repeat breeder conditions reaching up to 32.76%. Limited feed conditions cause cows to have a low Body Condition Score (BCS) so that the energy utilization process in the body is not optimal and there is a decrease in BCS which causes disturbances in reproductive performance. If there is a mineral deficiency in the body, the metabolic process will be disrupted, which causes the absorption of nutrients in the body to be less optimal. Feeding cows not only increases body weight but also becomes the basis for the success of the pre-breeding phase, the pregnancy phase, the pre-calving phase and lactation. Energy, protein, fat, and mineral needs need to be met in a balanced way. The level of consumption and digestibility of feed nutrients is a benchmark in meeting nutritional needs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of mineral premix supplementation on breeder cows’ feed consumption and digestibility. This study used the definite cows, which were repeat breeders selected from several farms in Yogyakarta’s Sleman district. The feeding trial lasted for 71 days with a predetermined feed arrangement. The feed provided was forage, commercial concentrate, High Quality Feed Supplement (HQFS) and mineral premix. Then, the data was analyzed by calculating the average value, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. This study showed that mineral premix supplementation had no significant differences (p>0.05) in nutrient consumption body weight metabolites (DM, OM, CP, EE, ADF, NDF, NFE and TDN) in both treatment groups. In the nutrient digestibility of repeat breeder cows, it was found that there were significant differences in protein parameters (p<0.05), while in DM, OM, EE, NDF, NFE, and TDN, there was no significant difference in the two treatment groups. The digestibility of crude protein in the group given the mineral premix supplementation was higher than that of the group without mineral premix, P0 indicates digestibility of 35.1% and P1 is 45.1%. Consumption and digestibility are strongly influenced by the quality, quantity, and particle size of the feed given. The nutrient composition of the feed that did not differ between P0 and P1 caused consumption and digestibility to be not much different

Technology for preparing silage in rolls with the use of biological and chemical preservatives

The task of producing large feeds through the dissemination of modern technologies and the creation of a high-quality forage base is paramount for animal husbandry. The aim of the study is to study various biological and medical preparations and their complex use while maintaining the senate in the expanded, revealed in the film, to clarify its quality and safety. The scheme of the experiment provides for the use of benzoic acid and powdered sulfur for surface treatment in case of detection with biological preparations Biotrof and Biosil NN, as well as only with benzoic acid in searches with the preparation of haylage without preparations. For harvesting haylage, oriental goat's rue mixed with cereals is used. The laying of experimental batches of haylage is carried out under production conditions according to the generally accepted methodology of laboratory experiments. The quality of haylage was controlled by organoleptic parameters, acidity, content and ratio of acid fermentation. As a result of the research, it was found that canned haylage drugs have the best organoleptic characteristics characteristic of high-quality feed. The best effect of conservation was the combined treatment of silage powdered sulfur and lactic ferment Biosil NN. The use of these preparations increases the formation of butyric acid in the haylage, the dominance of lactic acid in the residues of acid fermentation (83.0%) has been identified, due to the fact that the feed is better acidified (pH=4.7) than haylage without consumption (pH=5, 38). According to the result of a comprehensive assessment of the quality of haylage for all assessed indicators, this feed is applied to the 1st quality class, which to the greatest extent gives an assessment of ruminant tests.