Unchopped Straw Research Articles

Urea based straw treatments for dairy cattle feeding management under farmers’ condition in Chitwan, Nepal

A study was conducted at Gitanagar VDC of Chitwan during May to August 2012, to find the effect of chopped and un-chopped rice straw in relation to with/ without treatment of urea (4%) on milk yield and its composition. Repeated Measure Design (RMD) was conducted in 8 cows and four treatments namely; T1 (un-chopped straw), T2 (chopped straw), T3 (un-chopped straw with urea solution @ 4%) and T4 (chopped straw with urea solution @ 4%) providing all four treatments to each cow at an interval of 15 days to match with the design. The samples of treatments were analyzed for CP, EE, CF, Moisture level, and total ash content. Urea treated rice straw consumption was significantly different (p<0.05) among treatments. The average uptake of rice straw in T1, T2, T3 and T4 was found to be 3.39, 3.73, 3.81 and 3.9 kg/cow/day respectively. Similarly, milk yield from urea treated chopped rice straw was found significantly different (p<0.01) among other treatments. The average milk yield in four treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 was found to be 9.449, 9.697, 10.011 and 10.264 liters/cow/day. In milk composition, urea treated rice straw had positive impact on increment of protein and fat % which was significantly different (p<0.01) and (p<0.05) respectively. While SNF, lactose, density, solubility, freezing point were statistically similar (p>0.05). Net income/cow was higher (Rs. 86.912) in T4 than other treatments.Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science. Vol. 33-34, 2015, Page: 35-40

Effect of straw size and microbial amendment of litter on certain litter quality parameters, ammonia emission, and footpad dermatitis in broilers

Abstract. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of litter amendment (microbiological product – Micropan complex) and straw size (unchopped and chopped straw) on pH, moisture level, ammonia emission, and footpad dermatitis in broilers. A total of 1200 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to four treatments (2 × 2 factorial arrangement), with four replicates per treatment. Each replicate consisted of 75 as-hatched birds per pen. The first factor consisted of wheat straw – chopped (C) or unchopped (U) – and the second factor was the litter amendment with (WM) or without (OM) Micropan® (enzymatic bacterial product – Eurovix, USA). At 4, 5, and 6 weeks of the trial, the levels of ammonia concentration, moisture content, and pH of litter in each pen were measured. The foot pad lesions were evaluated at 21, 35, and 42 days of age. Broilers reared on chopped straw had significantly better leg condition as expressed by a smaller incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis. The pH value of litter was decreased and footpad quality was significantly improved by Micropan application in broilers kept on chopped and unchopped straw in the sixth week of age. There was no significant effect of Micropan application and straw size on ammonia emission in broiler housing.

How can straw incorporation management impact on soil carbon storage? A meta-analysis

Straw incorporation (SI) is a common practice in China and has important implications for agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to quantitatively summarise the response of top soil (0–20 cm) carbon (C) to SI under different agricultural management regimes. Results indicated that compared with straw removal (SR), SI significantly increased soil C storage by 12 %. Moreover, incorporation of chopped straw with tillage treatment (ploughing and rotary tillage) increased C storage compared to unchopped straw without tillage treatment. SI implementation with upland cropping, in the northwest and northeast resulted in higher C storage compared with rice cropping, and in the northern and southern regions. Changes in soil C were observed based on SI variables, including tillage and straw amounts in fine-textured soils, however straw amount rather than tillage treatment exhibited a greater influence on soil C in coarse-textured soils. We concluded SI implementation with increased amounts of chopped straw for a longer duration was favourable to soil C sequestration in Chinese croplands. Furthermore, we estimated if SI was popularised across all of China’s agricultural regions, soil C sequestration potential would reach 48.2 ~ 56.2 Tg C year−1. SI practices should therefore be encouraged.

Effect of different litter treatments on production performance of broiler chickens

In modern poultry production, foot pad dermatitis (FPD) represents one of the main problems on broiler chicken legs with significant affect on animal welfare and performance. This problem is not solved by the using of straw as litter. Different treatments of straw are needed to eliminate the adverse effects of this material as litter. The most widely used method to improve the quality of litter is chopping straw and application of microbial products on that. These procedures can decrease the moisture in the litter and reduce the population of microorganisms whose activity produces ammonia, and hence improving environmental conditions in facilities. The experiment involved four treatments with four replications with a total of 300 broilers per treatment. The treatment I was unchopped straw, treatment II was chopped straw, treatment III unchopped straw with the addition of microbial products, and treatment IV was chopped straw with the addition of microbial preparation. Duration of trial was 42 days. During the experiment, the following production parameters were measured: body weight per week of the experiment, feed conversion ratio, mortality and FPD. Results of the trial point out that the best production results were in treatment IV with an average final body weight of 2.456g and feed conversion ratio of 1.71.

The effect of varying lengths of chopped straw bedding on the behaviour of growing pigs

Legislation in the United Kingdom states that all pigs should have access to straw or other material or object suitable to satisfy their behavioural needs (Welfare of Livestock Regulations, 1994). However, the use of straw bedding has not been universally adopted as its use is incompatible with housing systems which contain perforated flooring, and 76% of pig producers in the UK currently employ fully- or part-slatted finishing housing systems. The aim of this study was to investigate whether different lengths of chopped straw would achieve enhancements in pig welfare, by exploring the possibility that small quantities of chopped straw, in preference to unchopped straw, could constitute adequate provision in part- and fully-slatted systems, thus avoiding the blockage of perforated flooring.

Management factors affecting activity and aggression in dynamic group housing systems with electronic sow feeding: a field trial

AbstractA series of 24-h video studies on four commercial Danish pig herds investigated the behaviour of pregnant sows kept in dynamic groups (72 to 200 sows) with electronic sow feeding (ESF). The herds mainly differed with respect to provision of a layer of unchopped straw as bedding material, the frequency of introduction/removal of animals, space allowance in the lying area, group size and number of feeding stations, and starting times for the feeding cycle. All herds had one feeding cycle per 24 h. Six 24-h video recordings in the most settled period with respect to rank relationships (2 to 12 days after the last introduction) were collected from each herd and analysed according to activity and aggressive interactions. In two of the four herds recordings were collected in two separate periods with different starting times for the feeding cycle. In all herds peaks of activity in the morning and in the afternoon were evident. Furthermore, the diurnal variation was overlaid by an increase in activity at the start of the feeding cycle. The activity and aggression in the feeding area as well as the duration per sow of the period with high feeder occupation were lowest in herds where a layer of straw bedding was provided. Changing feeding start from day time to night time was accompanied by a reduced feeder occupation in the period following start of the feeding cycle. However, in herd 1 (characterized by no litter, high stocking density and high frequency of grouping) the level of aggression was reduced, whereas it was increased in herd 2 (characterized by straw in lying area, low stocking density, low frequency of regrouping). Number of regroupings and space allowance apparently had no obvious effects on the average frequency of aggression or the aggression per sow at risk in periods between introduction of new animals, but space allowance may have improved social function by weakening the association between activity and aggression. Due to the small number of herds included the present results were descriptive rather than conclusive. However, the study supports the suggestions that provision of unchopped straw as bedding material and starting the feeding cycle in the evening for overnight feeding may improve behaviour in dynamic group housing systems with ESF. However, the benefits of starting the feeding cycle in the evening may depend on low disturbance in daytime from other management procedures.

A note on the behaviour and performance of growing pigs provided with straw in a novel housing system

AbstractStraw-Flow is a novel housing system for growing pigs which simplifies the handling of bedding and manure by allowing pigs to take unchopped straw from dispensers. Three groups of 50, 50 and 60 Large-White × Landrace pigs were housed in Straw-Flow pens from 5 to 90 kg. They were supplied daily with 50 to 100 g unchopped straw per pig and given food ad libitum. From 30 to 90 kg, mean growth rate was 863 g/day and food conversion ratio was 2·56 kg food per kg growth. The pigs' behaviour was divided approximately into: 0·820 lying, 0·100 active, 0·075 feeding and 0·005 drinking (on a proportional basis). There were no differences (P > 0·05) between groups or different weights for any of the behaviour categories. The pigs were less active before noon than after noon (P < 0·05). The daily number of visits to the drinker between weights 5 and 25 kg fell from 23·7 to 11·0 (P < 0·05). A single drinker, of new design, appeared to be adequate for a group of 50 to 60 pigs.

Application of natural zeolites for the reduction of ammonia emissions during the composting of organic wastes in a laboratory composting simulator

Ammonia losses from composting of unchopped and chopped straw-pig slurry mixtures were studied in a laboratory composting simulator. Ammonia emissions were reduced when pig slurry was composted with chopped straw. Chopped straw was more easily degraded by the microorganisms because its surface area was higher than that of the unchopped straw. An average of 84·88% of initial NH 4-N was immobilized and incorporated into the organic-N fraction. Zeolite clinoptilolite was very effective in trapping the ammonia lost during the composting process. The zeolite sample was placed inside the composting simulator, in the spent-air stream, just after the air had passed through the composting material. Reduction in the effectiveness of ammonia adsorption in zeolites was related to their water adsorption. The connentration of ammonia in the airstream played an important role in the ammonia adsorption. The zeolite amount required to retain 80% of N-losses was 53 g kg −1 of fresh chopped straw-pig slurry mixture, while the amount was 82 g kg −1 of fresh mixture when unchopped straw was used. The combination of mixing the pig slurry with an easily degradable straw and covering the composting material with zeolite minerals is a very effective procedure for reducing ammonia emissions.

Straw residues in wild rice (Zizania palustris L.) stands in northern Saskatchewan

Straw production in wild rice stands fluctuates markedly from year to year. In the short term, heavy straw accumulation may reduce grain yields by smothering seedlings; in the long term, the balance of nutrients in a lake may be affected. An aquatic weed harvester was used to remove standing straw from part of a wild rice stand at the end of the growing season. Compared to the control plot, grain production increased twofold in the following year. However, straw production also increased significantly and may exacerbate the problem in future years. Decomposition bags containing chopped and unchopped straw were submerged in a lake to assess the rate of straw breakdown: complete decomposition may require 3 yr. Decomposition occurred most rapidly during the early part of each growing season. No difference was noted in rates of decomposition or nutrient release between the chopped and unchopped straw. Reduced light levels under straw loadings up to 5000 kg ha−1 in laboratory trials did not affect seedling development. However, seedling survival was severely reduced under artificial straw loads and none survived straw additions equivalent to 5000 kg ha−1. Key words: Wild rice, Zizania palustris, Saskatchewan, straw production, nutrient content, decomposition rates