Feed Quality Research Articles

Pengaturan Suhu Brooding pada Performa Ayam Broiler Pelanggan PT New Hope Indonesia

Genetic improvement through intensive selection in broilers for economically important traits such as body weight, growth rate, feed efficiency, and carcass quality plays a role in increasing the productivity and efficiency of the broiler industry. Good maintenance management is needed by paying attention to the quantity and quality of feed as well as comfortable and controlled environmental conditions. The environmental factor that is often the focus of attention is the temperature of milieu. During the brooding period aged 0‒21 days, the Day Old Chick cannot regulate its body temperature perfectly and still influenced by ambient temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of brooding temperature on the performance of broiler at PT New Hope Indonesia's customers, to find the problems in regulating brooding temperatures along with solutions, evaluations, and improvement plans. Observations were made for 21 days in a semi-closed house with a population of 22,000 Cobb strain broiler. The research method used is data recording observation. The primary data were average brooding temperature for 21 days, depletion rate, feed consumption, body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and production index. There was a deviation in body weight and FCR at the age of 11‒14 days due to the restriction of the heater until the age of 14 days and the wind speed at night which was more than 0.3 ms-1. With the corrective action of wind speed regulation, an effective temperature close to the thermoneutral zone and optimal production performance was obtained until the end of the brooding period.
 
 Keywords: body weight, broiler, brooding, feed conversion ratio, temperature

Progress of the Agricultural Sector toward Climate Neutrality: Identification of Essential Stages

The agricultural sector’s progress toward climate neutrality is of great importance not only in the climate, but also in economic and social contexts. Climate-neutral agriculture is highly dependent on innovations that ensure maximum efficient farming, which not only reduces emissions but also ensures competitiveness in the market; all of this is fundamentally influenced by well-considered policies. Due to the complicated structure of the sector, it tends to be very difficult or even impossible to determine the real obstacles that delay the progress of sustainable farming. Therefore, this research aims to create a system dynamics model using Latvia as a case study, which would not only provide an insight into the system’s structure, but also identify the system’s weak links and allow for the development of recommendations. The model can calculate not only the generated emissions per unit of production, but also the investments required to reduce 1 kt of CO2eq generated, and results could help policymakers in any country to make rational, non-controversial decisions simultaneously in the context of economic and Green Deal objectives. The results of the study demonstrate that to increase economic competitiveness and reduce emissions in agriculture, the most important aspect is the ability to invest in innovations and new technologies that would achieve not only the lowest emissions, but also high productivity and competitiveness in the market. The research shows that the strategic documents emphasize manure management and improvement of feed quality, but there is an important element missing—an emphasis on thermoregulation improvements for animals. By improving feed quality, manure management, and thermoregulation all together, there was a 60% GHG emission reduction without reducing—and even significantly increasing—milk yield. In addition, in a comprehensive improvement of the new innovations, the case study company managed to increase milk yield by 69%.

Comparative Study on the Morpho-Physiological Responses of White Clover Cultivars with Different Leaf Types to Water Deficiency

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is one of the legume herbages with high feed quality, but it is sensitive to water deficiency. The objectives of this study were to compare morpho-physiological responses to drought stress and post-drought recovery in four-leafed white clover cultivars. Under well-watered conditions, drought stress (3 d, 6 d, 9 d and 12 d), and rehydration, the relative water content (RWC), membrane lipid permeability, osmoregulatory substances, photosynthetic characteristics and stomatal features of Chinese native Longping No.1 (LP, small-leafed) and three introduced cultivars, namely Pudi (PD, small-leafed), Rivendel (RD, medium-leafed) and Koala (KL, large-leafed), were evaluated. Results showed that small-leafed white clover maintained higher RWC and better membrane stability and osmotic regulation with increased drought intensities, compared to the medium-leafed and large-leafed cultivars. Following rewatering, small-leafed white clover recovered more rapidly with all of the parameters than the other cultivars. The increase of drought stress intensity led to the decline of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal conductance (Cs). However, the decreased range of Pn, Tr and Cs in the small-leafed white clover was significantly smaller than that in the medium-leafed and large-leafed white clovers. Meanwhile, the small-leafed white clover showed a smaller size and higher density of stoma either under normal or drought conditions than the intermediate- and large-leafed cultivars. Taken together, the results indicated that the adaptability of small-leafed white clover to drought stresses and post-drought recovery was better than that of medium-leafed and large-leafed white clovers. The study will provide better insights into the mechanism of drought response and recovery potential in different white clover cultivars.

Simulation and optimisation of a medium scale reverse osmosis brackish water desalination system under variable feed quality: Energy saving and maintenance opportunity

In this work, we considered model-based simulation and optimisation of a medium scale brackish water desalination process. The mathematical model is validated using actual multistage RO plant data of Al- Hashemite University (Jordan). Using the validated model, the sensitivity of different operating parameters such as pump pressure, brackish water flow rate and seasonal water temperature (covering the whole year) on the performance indicators such as productivity, product salinity and specific energy consumption of the process is conducted. For a given feed flow rate and pump pressure, winter season produces less freshwater that in summer in line with the assumption that winter water demand is less than that in summer.With the soaring energy prices globally, any opportunity for the reduction of energy is not only desirable from the economic point of view but is an absolute necessity to meet the net zero carbon emission pledge by many nations, as globally most desalination plants use fossil fuel as the main source of energy. Therefore, the second part of this paper attempts to minimise the specific energy consumption of the RO system using model-based optimisation technique. The study resulted not only 19 % reduction in specific energy but also 4.46 % increase in productivity in a particular season of the year. For fixed product demand, this opens the opportunity for scheduling cleaning and maintenance of the RO process without having to consider full system shutdown.

Feed Resources Potential, and Nutritional Quality of Major Feed Stuffs in the Three Agro-Ecological Zone of Mixed Farming System in Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Feed Resources Potential, and Nutritional Quality of Major Feed Stuffs in the Three Agro-Ecological Zone of Mixed Farming System in Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

ованных горных лугов и пастбищ Центрального Кавказа

Abstract. The authors presented the results of scientific developments and a new device for improving and restoring mountain pasture areas by sowing grass seeds on depleted and thinned grass. The absence of small-sized maneuverable units capable of sowing grass seeds on sparse grass in the mountains was revealed. The purpose of the study is to develop and manufacture a laboratory sample of a block module based on a mini-tractor “Fenshow-180”, for surface sowing of grass seeds. The object of the study is agrotechnical techniques and an aggregate for the introduction of grass seeds, providing accelerated restoration of mountain pasture areas, increasing the yield of perennial grasses and soil resistance to water and wind erosion. The objectives of the research included the substantiation of the technology, the assessment of the effect of sowing grass seeds on the change in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the herbage, the possibility of improving plant nutrition and water-air regime, enriching the fodder herbage by sowing valuable types of herbs. Methodology and methods. The tests were carried out in the mountainous zone of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, in areas located at an altitude of 1540 meters above sea level. The planting of herbs was carried out on a rarefied section of the northern slope with a steepness of 160 in the area Sugsadtanrag. A technical examination of the unit was carried out according to the agrotechnical requirements and the terms of reference. The surface application of grass seeds was carried out according to the application standards. Results. It was found that the laboratory sample of the unit meets the agrotechnical requirements and technical specifications, the herbage yield increased in various areas from 90–170 %, the botanical composition of the herbage changed, which affected the quality of feed, provided an increase in the nutritional value of meadow grasses from 0.7 to 2.8–3.5 thousand fodder units/ha, with a content of 120–145 g digestible protein per 1 feed unit of dry mass of feed. The conclusion is made about the expediency of using the developed block module in mountain meadows and pastures with a slope of up to 16°. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a technology has been developed and a small-sized seeder based on a mini-tractor for the restoration of mountain pastures has been manufactured.

PRODUCCIÓN DE BIOMASA Y COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA DE Tithonia diversifolia POR FECHA DE COSECHA A DIFERENTES ALTURAS DE CORTE

<p><strong>Background</strong>: The use of <em>Tithonia diversifolia</em> foliage can improve the quality of animal feed because its crude protein content doubles that of tropical grasses. However, plant response regarding biomass production to frequent harvest disturbances are not known well. <strong>Objective</strong>: To evaluate the effect of different cutting heights and repeated harvests on biomass production and nutrient content of <em>T. diversifolia</em> in fodder banks under warm sub-humid climate. <strong>Methodology</strong>: We used a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement; the treatments consisted of six harvest dates: Mar, May, July, September, November 2019 and January 2020; and three harvest heights: 40, 60 and 80 cm from the ground level. After each harvest date, the biomass was separated into different components, weighed and dried. Samples were taken to analyse the chemical composition of the forage. <strong>Results</strong>: The highest yield of leaves was found in the month of January, while tender stems in November. The Senescent material and total biomass were lower in September. The cutting height influenced leaf yield. Crude protein content was higher in September at a cutting height of 60 cm. Neutral detergent fiber was higher in the month of November for all cutting heights. Likewise, the highest contents of acid detergent fiber were in November for all cutting heights and in January for the cutting height of 60 cm. Lignin content was similar for all treatments. <strong>Implications</strong>: These results contribute to the development sustainable livestock production by providing alternatives to reduce grassland degradation from overgrazing. <strong>Conclusion</strong>: Biomass yield and chemical composition of <em>T. diversifolia</em> are affected by harvest date and heights, so it is necessary to consider it in the management strategies for optimal use of forage resources, incorporation in silvopastoral systems and the development of sustainable livestock production.</p>

Natural Spawning Technique of Koi Fish (Cyprinus carpio) in the Ciparanje Inland Fisheries Area, Sumedang, Indonesia

The Ciparanje inland aquaculture area has emerged as a hub for breeding ornamental fish, with koi fish being a prominent species. The increasing demand for koi fish has led to a surge in koi aquaculture businesses. What sets koi fish apart from some other fish species is their ability to breed throughout the year, unaffected by specific seasons. However, in their natural habitat, koi fish typically spawn at the onset of the rainy season, triggered by the enticing aroma of the soil. The growth of koi fish is influenced by various factors, including fish species, genetic characteristics, feeding efficiency, disease resistance, and environmental conditions such as water and feed quality, as well as stocking density. To ensure the production of top-quality koi fish fry, it is crucial to employ the appropriate spawning techniques. In this study, a participative approach was employed to investigate and report on the natural spawning procedures of koi fish in the Ciparanje inland aquaculture area, managed by Padjadjaran University. The natural spawning method implemented in this area encompasses several crucial processes, including the preparation of spawning ponds, selection of breeding stock, egg hatching, and larvae rearing. A total of 90,175 eggs were collected from the examined koi broodstock during the spawning activities, and an impressive 80% of these eggs successfully hatched. The calculated Hatching Rate (HR) reached 96.5%, indicating a high level of achievement in the hatching of koi fish larvae.

OR17-03-23 Responsive Feeding and Diet Quality Among Low-Income Families With Toddlers: A Mixed Method Study

OR17-03-23 Responsive Feeding and Diet Quality Among Low-Income Families With Toddlers: A Mixed Method Study

DIETARY PROTEIN REQUIREMENT OF DAPHNIA MAGNA FOR THE IMPROVEMENT POPULATION AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF DAPHNIA

Daphnia magna is one of the live feeds used in aquaculture, but its availability is still limited. The population and nutritional quality of D. magna culture depend on the nutritional quality of feed where the feed source is commonly used from agricultural by-products. In contrast, pelleted feed as a source of nutrition in D. magna culture is still limited. Evaluation of commercial pelleted feeds with different protein levels and dietary protein requirements of D. magna is the focus of this research. Three treatments with different protein levels of feed with protein levels of 17.83% (P20), 32.35% (P30) and 41.98% (P40) and rice bran as control at a protein level of 8.2% (P10) with five replications for 28 days of rearing with using a completely randomized design. The average weekly population and the highest total biomass of D. magna were obtained from D. magna fed the P30 (Protein 32.35%) of 7,575 ind. tank-1. week-1 and total biomass of 290.26 g.m-3 with the feed conversion ratio of 3.85 ± 0.75 and protein efficiency ratio of 0.83 ± 0.14. The highest protein value of D. magna was obtained from D. magna fed the P30 of 3.02% ± 0.20 wet weight. The results showed that feed with a protein content of 32.35% (P30) showed the best results for cultivating D. magna. The estimated dietary protein requirement of feed for D. magna cultivation using the second polynomial regression analysis of feed protein - population and biomass is 38.8%.

Cinnamon as a Potential Feed Additive: Beneficial Effects on Poultry Health and Production Performances – An Update

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, global poultry output increased from approximately 115 million tons in 2016 to around 136 million tons in 2023. Poultry production has increased significantly with the dramatic uptick in meat and egg demand. Feed accounts for between 65 and 70 percent of total production costs, making it the largest chicken industry expense. This is why it's important to maximize the transformation of poultry feed into feed with a high biological value while taking as many steps as possible to protect feed quality and reduce feed costs. The use of feed additives in poultry feed has recently gained popularity and has been essential to increase feed efficiency and growth rate, which typically leads to reduced costs. The meat's texture, consistency, and nutritional content are all improved, and its shelf life is lengthened as a bonus. Feed additives are a fantastic tool for boosting a poultry farm's bottom line. For example, cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is often used as a traditional feed supplement. Rather than antibiotics, the poultry industry could benefit from using cinnamon as a natural antibiotic replacement, which would benefit animal welfare, consumer health, and the bottom line. The performance index, feed intake, FCE performance, and weight growth of poultry can all be improved by including cinnamon in the feed at varied concentrations. The digestive health and intestinal microbial population of hens are enhanced by a diet containing bioactive components of cinnamon. Cinnamon essential oils' popularity stems from their many valuable features, such as their ability to increase gastric enzyme synthesis and other biofunctional benefits. This review focuses on the possible advantages of cinnamon as a natural feed supplement for chickens, particularly about their intestinal microbiota, blood chemistry, nutrient absorption, gene expression, and immunology.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Coccidiosis in Broilers: Investigating the Prevalence, Distribution, and Risk Factors Associated with Coccidiosis Outbreaks in Broiler Production

Background: Coccidiosis is highly prevalent parasitic disease posing significant challenges to broiler production worldwide.
 Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and risk factors associated with coccidiosis outbreaks in broiler production systems.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed, and a total of 15 flocks, comprising 16,300 birds, were examined.
 Results: The overall prevalence rate of coccidiosis was found to be 66.7%. Among individual farms, Farm 1 reported a prevalence rate of 60.0%, Farm 2 had a rate of 50.0%, and Farm 3 exhibited the highest incidence at 83.3%. The specific species distribution within the positive flocks varied across farms. Farm 1 showed a mixed infection involving Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima, while Eimeria necatrix and Eimeria acervulina were found in Farm 2. Farm 3 exhibited a more diverse species distribution, including Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, and Eimeria maxima. Furthermore, this study identified several risk factors associated with coccidiosis outbreaks in broiler production. The analysis revealed that larger farm size, inadequate biosecurity measures, and poor feed quality were significantly associated with an increased risk of coccidiosis outbreaks.
 Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights into the epidemiology of coccidiosis in broiler production and the factors influencing its occurrence. By targeting the prevalent Eimeria species and addressing the identified risk factors, poultry producers can minimize the impact of coccidiosis on broiler health, welfare, and economic performance.

Intercropping - An Approach towards Sustainability in Dry Land Agriculture

The scope for enhancement of productivity under irrigated conditions is limited due to over-exploitation of available resources However, there is ample opportunity for boosting yield in drylands by adopting suitable crops and cropping systems. The agricultural sustainability in drylands is comparatively hard to achieve due to different constraints like poor soil fertility, lack of irrigation facilities and moisture stress, small holdings and less investment in agriculture. In drylands, intercropping offers numerous opportunities to increase yield. Intercropping is the simultaneous planting of two or more crops in the same field. Intercropping is essential for improving the effectiveness of land use, weed control, ecological services, and economic viability. Improved yields and yield stability, better use of water and nutrients, increased weed control, increased pest and disease resistance, less soil erosion, and better feed quality are all advantages of intercropping. For maximising productivity in drylands, choosing ecologically sound crops like cereals and millets and implementing intercropping systems are two acceptable solutions. Ancient nutri-cereals known as millets have a significant impact on the nation's food and nutritional security and can provide agricultural sustainability in drylands when grown in intercropping systems. Most farmers who practise subsistence farming to secure their livelihoods choose the intercropping of wheat and legumes.

Alfalfa: directions and results of breeding

Purpose. Generalization of the results of breeding work with alfalfa (Medisago L.) based on many years of foreign and domestic research. Methods. Monitoring, system analysis, economic-mathematical approach, statistical and monographic. Results. The main areas of breeding alfalfa are presented, including increasing seed productivity, nitrogen fixation, and resistance to adverse abiotic (wintering conditions, drought, increased soil acidity) and biotic (pathogens, diseases and pests) factors, improving feed quality, and creating transgenic plants. The results of the multi-year selection work carried out by the Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillia of NAAS on the creation of alfalfa seed varieties tolerant to increased soil acidity, have been concretized. The research results on the population variability of self-incompatibility of alfalfa plants evaluation are given, which made it possible to develop a plan for creating synthetic varieties with increased and stable level of heterosis of feed and seed productivity traits. Conclusions. Alfalfa is a valuable feed crop that occupies a leading position among perennial legumes. There are a number of challenges for this culture that need to be solved through breeding. Laboratory and field methods of evaluating alfalfa resistance to aluminum and increased soil acidity were developed due to which the Sinyuha and Radoslav alfalfa varieties were created and introduced into production. This technique contributes to: achieving a relatively high level of feed and seed productivity in combination with plant tolerance to increased soil acidity and other negative environmental factors; the expansion of the zone of optimal cultivation of alfalfa seeds in Ukraine significantly north of the previously defined limits; minimization or complete exclusion of specific negative factors, taking into account the biological and morphological features of the available starting material when creating alfalfa varieties and hybrids.

INFLUENCE OF THE FACTORS OF ENVIRONMENT ON THE QUALITY OF THE FEED IN THE KARAGANDA OBLAST

In the article, the authors present the results of assessing the quality and safety of feed in various districts of the Karaganda region. The following feed studies were carried out: organoleptic and physico-chemical indicators; the total toxicity and residual amount of heavy metal compounds were determined; the quality and safety of feed from various areas of the study area were assessed; organoleptic and physico–chemical indicators of animal feed were carried out; the dynamics of seasonal accumulation of residual amounts of heavy metal compounds in feed was also established.
 The following contaminants are most dangerous in feed: toxins of microorganisms (including fungi), toxic elements (heavy elements), antibiotics, pesticides, nitrates, nitrites, dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, radionucleides.
 According to the ecological situation, the Karaganda region is one of the ecologically unfavorable territories of our country. This is due to the large concentration of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, energy complexes and other industrial objects, such as Arcelor Mittal Temirtau and Kazakhmys.
 From the atmosphere, toxic substances enter the soil and penetrate it directly or with precipitation.
 Therefore, the study of the influence of environmental factors on feed in the conditions of the Karaganda region is of great practical and theoretical importance.

Rumen microbiome response to sustained release mineral bolus supplement with low- and high-quality forages

IntroductionLimited forage quantity and quality are challenges faced in livestock production systems in semi-arid rangelands of the western United States, particularly when livestock face stressors such as cold weather or have increased nutritional requirements such as during pregnancy and lactation. To meet livestock nutrient requirements, producers frequently provide supplemental nutrition, however there is limited knowledge regarding the effects of these practices on the rumen microbiome in these environments.MethodsA study was conducted to evaluate changes in the rumen microbiome in response to high- and low- quality forage with sustained release mineral boluses. The study consisted of 16 ruminally-cannulated 2–3-year-old black angus cows fed high quality grass alfalfa hay or low-quality grass hay with a 90 or 180 day sustained release mineral bolus. Rumen samples were collected pre-feeding and 8 hours post feeding and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were sequenced from the rumen fluid.ResultsAlpha diversity as measured by Shannon’s diversity index decreased significantly over time (p<0.01) and averaged 5.6 pre-feeding and 5.4 post- feeding and was not significantly different between high- and low-quality forages or between mineral bolus types (p>0.05). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix showed distinct grouping by feed quality and time but not by mineral bolus type. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in all treatments and significant increases (p<0.05) in the relative abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae and the genus Prevotella were observed in high quality forage diets. Rumen VFA and NH3-N concentrations were also strongly associated with the high-quality forage diet. Predictive functional profiling indicated that functions associated with methanogenesis were negatively correlated with feed quality.DiscussionThe results of this study suggest that mineral bolus type is unlikely to affect rumen bacterial community structure or function while forage quality can significantly alter community structure and predicted functions associated with methanogenesis and VFA production.

EDUKASI MEMBUAT PAKAN SILASE KELOMPOK TANI TERNAK SANGGABETES, DESA HOLOAMA, KECAMATAN LOBALAIN, ROTE NDAO

The use of forages such as odot grass in making silage during the dry season can be increased to improve the quality of animal feed. Anaerobic storage techniques can be carried out so that cooling can run perfectly. This training was carried out with the aim of equipping and increasing the understanding and abilities and skills of the Sanggabetes Livestock Farmers Group, Holoama Village, Lobalain District, Rote Ndao in increasing the nutritional value of forage feed. The stages of community service activities begin with socialization followed by hands-on training and end with monitoring and evaluation activities. The results of this service activity indicate that there was interaction and discussion between the resource person and the participants during the climb. The trainees and the Rote Ndao Animal Husbandry Service hope to continue the collaboration that has been established with mentoring activities for the Sanggabetes Livestock Farmer Group, Holoama Village, Lobalain District, Rote Ndao and other farmer groups in Rote Ndao in the utilization of forage and rice straw for cattle and other rumenance.

Growth responses of Clarias agboyiensis and C. macromystax fed foreign and indigenous commercial fish feed

The study investigated growth responses of the small fish, Clarias agboyiensis and C. macromystax fed with foreign (Coppens and Al aqua) and indigenous (Vital and Blue crown) commercial catfish feed. Fish were grouped into four categories: AA1 to AA4 represented C. agboyiensis fed with Coppens; BB1 to BB4 represented C. macromystax fed with Al aqua; CC1 to CC4 represented C. agboyiensis fed with Vital while DD1 to DD4 represented C. macromystax fed with Blue crown. Fish on foreign feed were fed at 1% of their body weight once a day while those on indigenous feed were treated at 2% body weight twice daily. Each feed contained 60% crude protein. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design with 16 fish in each 70 litre water container. Growth responses were estimated using standard procedure. Results showed that C. agboyiensis fed with Coppens at 1% body weight and once daily had the best average final weight of 337.37g, final length of 32.15cm, specific growth rate of 19.65%/day, condition factor of 2.95 and survival rate of 83.5 %. This was followed by C. macromystax fed Al aqua at the same frequency and duration having a final weight of 309.25g, final length of 30.85cm, specific growth rate of 19.40%/day, condition factor of 2.95 and survival rate of 80%. The least growth response was recorded in C. macromystax fed Blue crown. The study indicated that Coppens feed has the best nutrient utilization ability. Thus, fish fed this diet even at 1% biomass and once daily produced the best growth. Therefore, fish could actually be fed once a day for growth and improved meat quality provided the feed quality is adequate.

Classification of Corn Seed Quality using Residual Network with Transfer Learning Weight

Corn is one of the main ingredients in farm animal feed. Currently, corn is preferable because widely available and cheaper in the market than others. However, it needs quality control on corn production. The company that manufactures animal feed has certain quality standards to receive corn material. On the other hand, the quality of corn produced varies greatly. Thus, quality control when receiving corn from suppliers greatly affects the quality of animal feed. The quality of feed ingredients is classified into physical properties and analytical values. Physical properties are determined so that the resulting corn can be accepted or rejected, while the analytical value is used as the basis for formulating the diet. The physical properties of corn are determined by the human senses, such as sight and smell, while the analytical value is by chemical analysis. Physical quality control by relying on human senses is certainly limited and takes time. Based on these problems, it needs to make a classification system of corn seeds automatically. This study uses corn seed images as classification data. The system uses public data from Naagar which consists of four classes: pure, discolored, silk cut, and broken. Image classification uses a Convolutional Neural network (CNN) with ResNet152v2 architecture. The hyperparameters used consist of a learning rate of 0.001, a batch size of 512, and an epoch of 25. Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam) for the optimizer. Percentage of data training vs validation 80:20. The validation results show an accuracy of 65%, precision of 66%, and recall of 64%.

Restoring Technology and a Seeding Unit for Recovering Mountain Meadow and Pasture Ecosystems

The paper shows that the constant use of mountain meadows and pastures leads to soil degradation and herbage depletion. It is noted that grass overseeding on the sparse mountain grass meadows and pastures helps to increase their yield and nutritional value. It is revealed that there is a lack of small-sized maneuverable machines capable of grass overseeding in the sparse mountain areas. (Research purpose) To develop and manufacture a laboratory model of a block module aggregated with the Feng Shou 180 mini-tractor for surface grass overseeding, to ensure an accelerated increase in the perennial grass yield and soil resistance to water and wind erosion. (Materials and methods) The restoring technology was substantiated and a laboratory block module was developed for sowing legumes and cereals. The seeding unit and technology were tested in the mountainous zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania at a 1540-meter altitude above sea level. Grasses were overseeded on a sparse section of a 13-16-degree steep northern slope in the area of Sugsadtanrag. The technical examination of the unit was carried out in accordance with the agrotechnical requirements and terms of reference. The surface application of grass seeds was performed according to the norms. (Results and discussion) A laboratory block module aggregated with the Feng Shou 180 mini-tractor for surface grass overseeding was produced. It is established that the laboratory model of the unit complies with the agrotechnical requirements and terms of reference. (Conclusions) It is found that within the second year of using the unit, there was a 90-170 percent increase in the herbage yield and a certain improvement in the botanical composition, which positively affected the feed quality. The use of the developed block-module is proved to be reasonable and helpful in mountain meadows and pastures having 16-degree steep slopes.