Wet Grains Research Articles

Selenium Utilization, Distribution and Its Theoretical Biofortification Enhancement in Rice Granary of China

Selenium, as an essential trace element, is intricately linked to the onset and progression of numerous diseases due to deficiencies in selenium intake. Selenium compounds exhibit tumor specificity and can efficiently inhibit the growth of tumor cells, making them potential candidates for cancer treatment. Nevertheless, given its status as one of the most widely consumed crops globally, increasing the selenium content in rice could prove advantageous in alleviating the prevailing issue of selenium intake deficiency, particularly in China. This review explored the regulatory role of selenium in rice growth, the regional distribution characteristics of soil selenium content in various rice-growing regions in China, and the impact of cultivation practices on selenium fortification in rice, aiming to suggest improved rice cultivation management strategies to enhance the capacity for rice selenium biofortification. The findings revealed that: (1) In Northeast and North China, characterized by alkaline soils and severe selenium deficiency, it is advisable to moderately decrease the duration of flooding, elevate the soil redox potential, and apply organic and nitrogen fertilizers in a judicious manner. (2) In Southwest China, which is characterized by acidic soils, alternating wet and dry irrigation should be employed, and the biofortification of selenium can be facilitated by applying lime and foliar spraying of selenium fertilizer. (3) In the south-central region of China, distinguished by acidic soils and double-cropped rice, it is recommended that intermittent or alternating wet and dry irrigation be employed, and the reasonable application of organic, silica, and selenium fertilizers is advocated. (4) In the northwest region, characterized by slightly alkaline soil and mild selenium deficiency, it is recommended to implement various water management practices, including shallow water during the seedling stage, deep water during the booting stage, and wet grain filling. Additionally, a rational application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers, along with foliar application of selenium fertilizer, should be employed. (5) Cultivating selenium-enriched, high-yielding, and high-quality rice varieties proves to be an effective strategy in addressing selenium deficiency. In conclusion, the unique characteristics of diverse rice-growing regions in China indicate that suitable water management, fertilization techniques, and varietal selection practices can effectively enhance the selenium content in rice, thereby maximizing the nutritional requirements for selenium.

The quality of snaplage from an early ripening corn hybrid with biological inoculant and chemical preservatives

The article presents the results of experiments on studying the preservative effect of various additives in the production of snaplage from early-ripening corn hybrids in the conditions of the Central region of the Russian Federation. After opening the containers with feed, its quality indicators were assessed by the content and ratio of organic acids, the degree of acidification, the content of ammonia nitrogen, the preservation of sugars and essential nutrients. In physiological experiments on Romanov wethers, the digestibility of nutrients was determined. It was found that in all variants, the acidity of the feed was optimal (pH 4.2 and below), which excluded the development of undesirable microbiota. At the same time, in the snaplage with chemical preservatives, acidification occurred due to formic and propionic acids introduced with the preparations and (partially) due to the fermentation of sugars. The results of the physiological experiment showed that the digestibility of dry matter of snaplage from the early-ripening hybrid corn Emelin was high (over 70.2%) in all variants, which also affected the energy value (over 11 MJ NE). Thus, for high-moisture snaplage from early-ripening corn hybrids in the Central region of Russia, it is possible to use both chemical preservatives based on organic acids and biological inoculants intended for the preservation of wet flattened grain, containing active strains of lactic acid bacteria.

Influence of water on crystallographic preferred orientation patterns in a naturally deformed quartzite

Abstract. Laboratory experiments demonstrate that intragranular water exerts an important control on deformation within quartz, causing weakening and promoting plasticity. The role of water in natural quartz deformation, however, remains unclear, as recent studies find an inverse relationship between water content and the magnitude of plastic strain. Furthermore, little work has investigated the effects, if any, of water on the relative activity of various slip systems in quartz. We focus on a naturally strained quartzite from the Antietam Formation of the Blue Ridge in Virginia, USA. Quartz water content ranges from < 50 to > 2000 ppm H2O. Water content and crystallographic data were correlated for 968 grains, enabling us to explore the relationship between water content and quartz crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) patterns. “Dry” (< 150 ppm H2O) and “wet” (> 500 ppm H2O) subsets show distinct CPOs; c axes of dry grains define a cross girdle oriented perpendicular to the extension direction (x), whereas c axes of wet grains are concentrated along the perimeter of the pole figure. All water content subsets show grains clustered near the direction of maximum shortening (z), consistent with activity of the basal 〈a〉 slip system. The cross girdle in the driest grains suggests activity of prism 〈a〉 and possibly rhomb 〈a〉, whereas the orientation of the wettest grains implies a contribution from prism [c] slip. These slip system interpretations are supported by analyses of intragranular misorientations. These results indicate that water content impacts the relative activity of various slip systems in natural quartz, potentially affecting application of the quartz opening angle thermometer.

The effects of applying cellulase and laccase on fermentation quality and microbial community in mixed silage containing corn stover and wet brewer's grains.

The purpose of this experiment was to explore the effect of adding cellulase and laccase on fermentation quality and microbial community in mixed silage of corn stover and wet brewer's grains. Try to a new approach for the proper preservation and utilization of the agro-industrial by-products (corn stover and wet brewer's grains). The experiment was divided into four groups: CK (control), C (cellulase, 120 U/g fresh matter [FM]), L (laccase, 50 U/g FM), CL (cellulase 120 U/g FW and laccase 50 U/g FM), and the chemical composition, fermentation quality, microbial population and microbial community in mixed silage of corn stover and wet brewer's grains after 30 day's fermentation were determined. Compared to control, the addition of cellulase significantly increased crude protein (CP), water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts, while significantly decreased the neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) content (P < 0.05). Adding laccase significantly decreased the acid detergent lignin (ADL) content (P < 0.05). Combined application of cellulase and laccase significantly increased the CP, WSC content and LAB counts, while significantly decreased pH value, NDF, ADF and ADL content (P < 0.05), thereby improving fermentation quality. In addition, the application of cellulase and laccase increased the abundance of Firmicutes and LAB genera, and decreased microbial diversity level of the sample. The combined application of cellulase and laccase further improved fermentation quality and microbial community in mixed silage of corn stover and wet brewer's grains.

Popcorn quality parameters and nutritional properties of oily maize (Zea mays var. ‘Everta’) hybrids subjected to different thermal treatments

This research assessed the popcorn quality parameters and nutritional properties of 5 oily maize (Zea mays var. ‘Everta’) hybrids under several thermal treatments (hot air, microwave, and wet cooking). Grains contained 2.16–4.51 % crude fat and 11.08–12.94 % protein, displayed a similar amount of individual p-coumaric and ferulic acid derivatives (p > 0.05) (free: 3.61–40.53 μg/g; bound: 1621.75–1970.94 μg/g), and total phytosterols ranging from 8.76 to 13.17 μg/g. Hot air- and wet cooking-treated grains showed the highest expansion volume (121.5–133.1 mL), and there were no differences in yield and residual percentage (p < 0.05). PCA analysis clustered samples 1 and 3 as the most influential on bound phenolics, expansion time, yield, and popped grains weight, mostly under hot air and wet cooking treatments. Spearman's correlations outlined the potential of the grains' total and bound phenolics on popping quality (weight and expansion time: 0.50–0.90). Results suggested the oily hybrids' nutritional potential and suitability to produce high-quality popcorn.

Concurrent measurement of strain and chemical reaction rates in a calcite grain pack undergoing pressure solution: Evidence for surface-reaction controlled dissolution

Pressure solution is inferred to be a significant contributor to sediment compaction and lithification, especially in carbonate sediments. For a sediment deforming primarily by pressure solution, the compaction rate should be directly related to the rate of calcite dissolution, transport along grain contacts, and calcite reprecipitation. Previous experimental work has shown that there is evidence that deformation in wet calcite grain packs is consistent with control by pressure solution, but considerable ambiguity remains regarding the rate limiting mechanism. We present the results of laboratory compaction experiments designed to directly measure calcite dissolution and precipitation rates (recrystallization rates) concurrently with strain rate to test whether measured rates are consistent with predicted rates both in absolute magnitude and time evolution. Recrystallization rates are measured using trace element chemistry (Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca) and isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) of fluids flowing slowly through a compacting grain pack as it is being triaxially compressed. Imaging techniques are used to characterize the grain contacts and strain effects in the post-experiment grain pack. Our data show that calcite recrystallization rates calculated from all three geochemical parameters are in approximate agreement and that the rates closely track strain rate. The geochemically inferred rates are close to predicted rates in absolute magnitude. Uncertainty in grain contact dimensions makes distinguishing between surface reaction control and diffusion control difficult. Measured reaction rates decrease faster than predicted from standard pressure solution creep flow laws. This inconsistency may indicate that calcite dissolution rates at grain contacts are more complex, and more time-dependent, than suggested by geometric models designed to predict grain contact stresses.

ЦЕЛЕСООБРАЗНОСТЬ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОГО ОЗОНИРОВАНИЯ ВЛАЖНОГО ЗЕРНА ПЕРЕД СУШКОЙ

When drying grain, ozone enters into a number of chemical reactions that contribute to an increase in the partial pressure inside the grain and a change in the temperature gradient, which accelerates vaporization and increases the moisture diffusion coefficient. Practical application of the ozone-air mixture as a drying agent has not been established due to difficulties with process safety, the lack of substantiated ozone treatment modes, and imperfect ozonizer designs. The feasibility of using the ozonation process during drying was determined based on experiments on changing grain moisture using the ozone-air mixture as a drying agent. It was proposed to modernize the existing grain drying complexes by retrofitting the buffer silos with an ozonation system. A method for drying grain material has been developed that consists of two sequentially performed operations: preliminary ozone treatment of wet grain and its subsequent drying in a serial grain dryer. Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of preliminary ozonation on the moisture separation process when heating a grain heap. It was found that the use of preliminary ozone treatment of wet grain in a buffer tank before the grain dryer with an ozone concentration of 5, 7.5 and 15.3 mg/m3 made it possible to increase the relative drying rate by 1.51-1.84 times. Preliminary ozonation of wet grain is advisable because it not only reduces the costs of bringing the grain to a conditioned state in terms of moisture, but also has a positive effect on the quality of the dried material.

The Effects of Steeping Temperature Variations on the Production of Pap (Akamu)

The effect of temperature variation on the nutritional quality of pap was studied using (AOCS) American Oil Chemists Standard Method. Pap ingredients were purchased from Amassoma ultramodern market, Bayelsa State. A thermometer was used to record an initial temperature of 80°C (Group A), 50°C (Group B) and 25°C a room temperature (Group C). After discarding the water, the cereal grains were carefully and independently cleaned with fresh water. An attrition mill was used to grind the wet grains, and the paste produced was mixed with 1000ml of purified water. A muslin cloth was used to filter the mixture’s slurry. After allowing the filter to stand for a full day, the supernatant was disposed of. In order to allow additional water to drain off, the newly created pap was wrapped inside a muslin cloth and left to stand for the following 12 hours. The proximate composition of the pap was investigated at the varying steeping temperatures. From the result it shows that the proximate composition of pap can vary depending on the steeping temperature used, it shows that the moisture content ranged from 25.51-27-52%, protein ranged from 7.79%-8.15, fibre ranged from 2.16% – 2.24%, lipid content ranged from 8.22%–13.10%, carbohydrate ranged from 48.16% – 50.60% as the steeping temperatures increased from 25-100°C. The study revealed that the steeping temperatures had an impact on the pH, moisture, fiber, and carbohydrate contents of the papa samples, but not on the lipid, protein, mineral, or nitrogen contents, which stayed mostly unchanged. In order to preserve the nutritious value of the food, it is advised that pap be produced and steeped at a lower temperature.

Effect of Fertigation and Organic Manure on Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays) in the Northern Region of Ghana

Food insecurity in Ghana is major challenge in the country, with a significant portion of the population (5%) facing the risk of inadequate access to food. Whilst there is food insecurity, agricultural productivity in the country is not increasing. Additionally, farming in Ghana especially in northern Ghana fully depends on rainfall. Also, farmers are faced with climate crisis such as drought and high temperatures which affects productivity. Alternative ways such as fertigation have been demonstrated to increase agricultural productivity in many parts of the world. However, this technique is under-utilized in Ghana. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of fertigation and organic manure on maize growth and yield production in Northern Region of Ghana. Organic manure (OM) mainly compost was incorporated in soil together with fertigation and the effects on maize plant growth parameters (i.e., plant height, number of leaves, stem girth) and yield (i.e., number of grains, number of wet and dry grains) were measured. The study found that maize plants treated with OM and fertigation application had significantly higher plant growth parameters and yield compared to maize plants that were not given OM but were manually fertilized. The results showed that the combined use of fertigation and OM application holds immense potential for enhancing maize plant growth and yield. By maximizing the growth and yield potential of maize plants through fertilization and OM application, farmers can address the growing demand for this vital crop while promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible agricultural practices.

Trapped Water on Silicates in the Laboratory and in Astrophysical Environments

The existence of strongly bound water molecules on silicate surfaces, above the desorption temperature of water ice, was first predicted by computational studies and has recently been demonstrated by laboratory experiments. Such trapped water may be present in various astrophysical environments and there is now evidence for its presence in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) and in extraterrestrial particles. We present here new results of a laboratory study of the phenomenon of trapping (strong bonding) of water molecules by silicates. We show that the efficiency of the trapping is strongly dependent on the properties and composition of the surface. Our results point out that the presence of trapped water should be due to the hydrophilic properties of the silicate surface and that the nature of the trapping is physical (physisorption rather than chemisorption). We demonstrate that water can be trapped on silicates up to temperatures of about 470 K, which speaks for the presence of wet silicate grains in the terrestrial planet formation zone in planet-forming disks. Studying the thermal and UV stability of trapped water, we conclude that the detection of trapped water in the diffuse ISM speaks for its efficient continuous formation. We discuss our results as relevant to fundamental scientific questions, such as the oxygen depletion problem, the origin of water on Earth, and the formation of rocky planets.

Ekmeklik Buğday (Triticum aestivum L.) Çeşitlerinde Yağışlı Koşullarda Verim ve Kalite Parametrelerine Genotip Çevre Etkisi ve Stabilite

The significant genotype by environment interaction is a major matter for wheat breeding research. The study was carried out for seven growing season (between 2010-2011 and 2016-2017) in the Edirne location in the Trakya region, Türkiye. Each year was considered as a single environment. In the study, a regional yield trial of 25 genotypes, 5 of which were standard cultivars were evaluated across seven environments. The experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The characters such as yield, days to heading, plant height, thousand kernel weight, hectoliter weight, protein ratio, wet gluten content, gluten index, grain hardness and sedimentation value were investigated in the study. The result of the variance analysis (ANOVA) demonstrated considerable differences (p

Aflatoxin Decontamination in Maize Steep Liquor Obtained from Bioethanol Production Using Laccases from Species within the Basidiomycota Phylum.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important crop in Argentina. Aspergillus section Flavi can infect this crop at the pre-harvest stage, and the harvested grains can be contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs). During the production of bioethanol from maize, AF levels can increase up to three times in the final co-products, known as, dry and wet distiller's grain with solubles (DDGS and WDGS), intended for animal feed. Fungal enzymes like laccases can be a useful tool for reducing AF contamination in the co-products obtained from this process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of laccase enzymes included in enzymatic extracts (EE) produced by different species in the Basidiomycota phylum to reduce AF (AFB1 and AFB2) accumulation under the conditions of in vitro assays. Four laccase activities (5, 10, 15, and 20 U/mL) exerted by nine isolates were evaluated in the absence and presence of vanillic acid (VA), serving as a laccase redox mediator for the degradation of total AFs. The enzymatic stability in maize steep liquor (MSL) was confirmed after a 60 h incubation period. The most effective EE in terms of reducing AF content in the buffer was selected for an additional assay carried out under the same conditions using maize steep liquor obtained after the saccharification stage during the bioethanol production process. The highest degradation percentages were observed at 20 U/mL of laccase enzymatic activity and 1 mM of VA, corresponding to 26% for AFB1 and 26.6% for AFB2. The present study provides valuable data for the development of an efficient tool based on fungal laccases for preventing AF accumulation in the co-products of bioethanol produced from maize used for animal feed.

Short-term feed restriction induces inflammation and an antioxidant response via cystathionine-β-synthase and glutathione peroxidases in ruminal epithelium from Angus steers.

Decreased intake is induced by stressors such as parturition, transportation, dietary transitions, and disease. An important function of one-carbon metabolism (OCM) is to produce the antioxidant glutathione to help reduce oxidative stress. Although various components of OCM are expressed in the bovine rumen and small intestine, the relationship between reduced feed intake, OCM, and antioxidant mechanisms in gut tissues is unknown. This study aimed to assess alterations in immune and antioxidant pathways in ruminal epithelium due to acute feed restriction (FR). Seven group-housed ruminally cannulated Angus steers (663 ± 73kg body weight, 2yr old) had ad libitum access to a finishing diet (dry-rolled corn, corn silage, modified wet distiller's grains) during 15d of a pre-FR period (PRE). Subsequently, steers were moved to a metabolism barn with tie stalls and individually fed at 25% of estimated intake in PRE for 3d (FR period, FRP). This was followed by 15d of recovery (POST) during which steers had ad libitum access to the same diet as in PRE and FRP. Plasma and ruminal tissue biopsies were collected during each period. Plasma free fatty acid and IL1-β concentrations were higher (P ≤ 0.03) in FRP than PRE or POST. The mRNA abundance of the proinflammatory genes tumor necrosis factor, toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and TLR4 in the ruminal epithelium peaked (P < 0.05) at FRP and remained higher at POST. These responses agreed with the higher (P < 0.05) abundance of phosphorylated (p)-MAPK (an inflammation activator) and p-EEF2 (translational repressor) in FRP than PRE and POST. Although ruminal glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzyme activity did not increase at FRP compared with PRE and POST, protein abundance of GPX1 and GPX3 along with the antioxidant response regulator NFE2L2 were highest (P < 0.01), and the activity of cystathionine-beta synthase tended (P = 0.06) to be highest during FR. Although FR had minimal negative effects on tissue integrity-related genes (only filamin A was downregulated), it led to a systemic inflammatory response and triggered inflammation and antioxidant mechanisms within the ruminal epithelium. Thus, deploying anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms via molecules that feed into OCM (e.g., dietary methyl donors such as methionine, choline, betaine, and folate) could potentially counteract the stressors associated with FR.

Effect of wheat middling incorporation into wet corn distillers grains with solubles on apparent diet digestibility and ruminal fermentation characteristics in growing and finishing diets.

Two separate cross-over experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of incorporating wheat middlings into wet corn distillers grains with solubles (WDGS) on apparent diet digestibility and ruminal fermentation characteristics in growing and finishing diets. In experiment 1, four ruminally cannulated heifers (313 ± 42.9kg) were limit fed a high-energy growing diet that included WDGS (CON) or WDGS + wheat middlings (CON + WM) at 40% of diet dry matter (DM). The diet also contained (DM basis) 39.5% dry-rolled corn, 7.5% supplement, and 13% warm-season grass hay. In experiment 2, four ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (321 ± 17.4kg) were fed a finishing diet that included WDGS (CON) or WDGS + wheat middlings (CON + WM) at 30% of diet DM. The diet also contained (DM basis) 60.3% dry-rolled corn, 2.7% supplement, and 7.0% warm-season grass hay. Experiments consisted of two 15-d periods that were conducted concurrently. Each period included 10 d of diet adaptation, 4 d of fecal collection, and 1 d of ruminal fluid collection. Fecal samples were collected on days 11 to 14 of each period and composite samples were analyzed for chromium to estimate apparent diet digestibility. On day 15, ruminal fluid samples were collected prior to feeding and again at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, and 24-h post-feeding. In experiment 1, DM, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intake did not differ (P ≥ 0.11) between diets; however, starch intake was greater (P = 0.03) for heifers fed CON + WM compared with CON. Apparent DM, OM, NDF, and starch digestibilities were similar between diets (P ≥ 0.13), but feeding CON + WM tended to lead to lesser (P = 0.06) apparent ADF digestibility. Ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid concentrations did not differ between diets (P ≥ 0.16); however, ruminal ammonia concentrations tended to be less (P = 0.09) for CON + WM compared with CON. In experiment 2, DM intake did not differ (P = 0.65) between diets. Apparent DM digestibility was greater (P = 0.01) for CON + WM compared with CON but the difference was small. Intake and apparent digestibility of OM, NDF, ADF, and starch did not differ (P ≥ 0.25) between diets. Ruminal ammonia concentrations were lesser (P = 0.03) while ruminal pH was greater (P = 0.02) for CON + WM compared with CON. Overall, incorporation of wheat middlings into WDGS had minimal impacts on feed intake, apparent diet digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics when fed to growing and finishing cattle.

Systematic Calibration and Validation Approach for Discrete Element Method (DEM) Modeling of Corn Under Varying Moisture Contents (MC)

Abstract. Discrete Element Method (DEM) based simulation of grain threshing and conveyance processing at relatively dry to wet grain moisture content range has been limited. A comprehensive five-step framework of a DEM grain model calibration and validation of flow and grain impacts on equipment was investigated. The framework was examined by developing DEM models for corn grain moisture conditions sampled during crop harvesting, and simulated hopper discharge corn flow, and corn impact forces on a grain paddle elevator of a crop harvesting machine. Five bulk material response parameters were obtained from two calibration experiments of the angle of repose and direct shear test at the MC levels of 11%, 16%, and 26%. Latin hypercube sampling statistical design of experiment points, Gaussian Process Regression surrogate model, and optimization algorithms were successfully implemented to generate Hertz-Mindlin (HM) with Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) cohesive model of corn at three moisture content levels. The DEM simulation results predict the corn mass flow rate of hopper discharge with relative errors of -5%, -4%, and 1% for corn at 11%, 16%, and 26% MC levels, respectively. The DEM also predicts corn impact forces on a paddle elevator with a relative error of less than 11%. The established DEM calibration methodology, used for simulation of crop threshing, and harvested grain handling processes at extreme grain moisture content, can accelerate the simulation-based design of crop harvesting equipment. Keywords: Calibration, Corn, Discrete Element Method, Moisture Content, Sensitivity analysis, Validation.

Intensification of the Grain Drying Process with an Ozone-Air Mixture

Background: The use of ozone allows not only to weaken the connection of moisture with the grain, but also, interacting with its internal components, the gas contributes to an increase in the temperature of the heap. Due to this, the grain must be heated for less time before reaching optimal parameters, which reduces the energy intensity of the drying process. At the same time, the separation of moisture from the grain occurs more intensively, since the gas in small concentrations improves the permeability of cell membranes, causes structural transformations of the integumentary tissues and promotes the orientation of water molecules around atomic oxygen. As a result, the drying time is significantly reduced. After treatment, the residual ozone decays to oxygen without polluting the environment. In addition, ozonation promotes deodorization, sanitation, sterilization of grain and equipment. However, the use of ozone-air mixture in grain drying in production is too insignificant due to the small experimental base and lack of practical recommendations. Purpose: Improving the efficiency of modern grain dryers through the use of the ozonation process. Materials and Мethods: The theoretical and methodological basis of the research was the work in the field of grain drying with an ozone-air mixture by leading Russian and foreign scientists, as well as their own research. The sources under study cover the first mentions of the use of ozone in grain drying and the subsequent development of this topic. The review included publications from various databases, among which are: e-library, Scopus, Web of Science, Agris, FIPS and others. Results: Hourly preliminary ozonation of grain with a humidity of 26.3% contributed to a decrease in the moisture content by 1.3% from the initial value. While in the control sample, which was not subjected to preliminary ozone treatment, the moisture content did not change over the same period. Subsequent drying of the exposed grain allowed for an hour of operation to remove 1.6% more moisture than that of the control sample. At the same time, the drying conditions of both batches of grain were identical. This indicates that the ventilation of grain with an ozone-air mixture is more effective than its presence in a buffer silo without processing. Conclusion: Pretreatment of a wet grain heap with an ozone-air mixture before feeding it to the grain dryer intensifies the process of subsequent grain drying. At the initial grain moisture content of 26.3%, hourly ozone treatment with an ozone concentration in an ozone-air mixture of 8 mg/m3 reduces the moisture content by 5.4% per hour of drying. Under the same conditions, in the experiment without processing for the same period, the decrease in grain moisture was 3.8%. Consequently, the proposed method of grain drying increases the efficiency of modern grain dryers.

Technological aspects of the development of thermal vacuum installation for drying grain with simultaneous dehydration and disinsection

The Ukraine is one of the largest producers of grain products. Its natural and climatic conditions are such that annually from 50 to 80 % of the harvested crop of grain crops is subject to drying and disinfection. Drying and simultaneous disinsection of grain are the main technological operations for removing harmful moisture from grain material and freeing it from barn pests, which on a national scale makes it possible to avoid millions of losses. The article provides materials on the development of a highly efficient environmentally friendly installation and energy-saving technology of dehydration with simultaneous disinfection of wet grain, which makes it possible to dry grain in a short period of time to a moisture content of 12...14 % and destroy pests. A brief review discusses the main drying units, which are of the convective type and mainly use heated air. Their main positive and negative aspects of use are analyzed. An experimental model of the developed highly efficient environmentally friendly grain drying plant with physical and mathematical justification is presented. Thus, at the same time, such indicators as the speed of grain swirling (υВ) at different temperatures, the value of the centrifugal force of the grain (F) moving in the cavity of the heating element through a spiral channel were calculated. The instantaneous process of thermal energy transfer from the heater wall to the wet grain is substantiated.Thus, the surface element (dS) of a wet grain receives a flow of thermal energy (dQ) with a temperature (Т) in a short period of time (∆τ) with a heat transfer coefficient (a). It has been experimentally proven that grain dehydration is affected by at least three parameters: the heating temperature, its humidity, and the pressure in the vacuum chamber. All parameters are interconnected and affect technological indicators. Thus, the use of thermovacuum technology is an alternative to traditional high-temperature methods of drying grain crops. Key words: thermovacuum dehydration of grain, drying, disinsection.

Prediction of the non-uniform drying of wet grain in a fluidised-bed based on a modified CFD-DEM drying model

The diversity in grain shapes results in complex interactions among flow, heat and mass transfer, which constrains the rational selection of process conditions to improve the uniformity of grain drying and enhance drying quality. A Computational Fluid Dynamics Discrete Element Method model, suitable for describing wet grains drying was developed. The effects of particle shape and fluid velocity on the interaction of flow, heat, and mass transfer were revealed, and an evaluation system for drying quality was established. The results showed that a nonlinear trend can be observed in the drying non-uniformity. The presence of localised high temperature regions within the bed and the differential interphase heat transfer under mesoscale structures were the primary factors contributing to the drying non-uniformity. When the aspect ratio increases from 1 to 3 and the fluid velocity increases from 3.3 m s−1 to 4.2 m s−1, the temperature lumped parameter increases by 13.16% and 17.48%, respectively. The mixing mechanism of particles underwent a transformation from a convective to a diffusive, which enhanced the circulation capacity of particles and improved the uniformity of the drying process. These research findings can provide guidance for improving the design, control and operation of fluidised drying equipment.

PSX-25 The Fecal Metabolome Differs Between Nelore Bulls Fed Pre- and Post-Feedlot Diets: Initial Results

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the fecal metabolome of Nelore bulls (Bos taurus indicus) fed pre- and post-feedlot diets. In pre-feedlot, 21 animals belonging to the Nelore Qualitas breeding program aged 666 ± 68 days old, and 534.5 ± 34.2 kg of body weight were allocated to one pen for 15 days. The pre-feedlot diet contained corn silage (80%) and sugarcane bagasse (20%). Next, the bulls (546.0 ± 41.2 kg of body weight) were submitted into a finishing stage in feedlot for 56 days. During the post-feedlot diet contained wet grain corn (44.6%), corn silage (27.6%), citrus pulp (11.9%), peanut bran (8%), sugarcane bagasse (4.9%), premix (1.8%) and urea (1.2%) twice a day with ad libitum access in Intergado electronic troughs (Intergado Ltda., Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Pre- and post-feedlot fecal samples were collected directly from the rectal ampulla of each bovine and stored in a -80°C freezer for metabolomic assays by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis (1H NMR). The metabolites were identified, quantified and data processing using the Chenomx NMR Suite 8.6 (Chenomx Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada) and MetaboAnalyst 5.0 (http://www.metaboanalyst.ca). We identified and quantified 57 and 55 metabolites in the fecal samples of the bulls fed pre- and post-feedlot diet, respectively. We observed that 39 metabolites differed (P &amp;lt; 0.05) between pre- and post-feedlot diet. The 2-phenylpropionate, caprylate, fumarate, deaminotyrosine, gamma-glutamyl phenylalanine, NADH, thymidine and pantothenate were observed only in the pre-feedlot diet. However, acetamide, 2-oxoglutarate, uracil, xanthine, trimethylamine and demethyl sulfone were consumed exclusively post-feedlot diet. Our multivariate analyses demonstrated that the fecal metabolite profiles of the Nelore bulls fed pre- and post-feedlot diet were different. The first two components of principal component analysis (PCA) explained 86.1% of the total data variance (PC1 = 77.6%; PC2 = 8.5%). Likewise, the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) explained 85.5% of the data variance with the first two components (component 1 (74.4%) vs. component 2 (8.1%)). Three fecal metabolites (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) with variable importance in the projection (VIP scores over 1.0; P&amp;lt;0.05) were greater in animals fed post-feedlot diet. Additionally, metabolome profile offers information on the main metabolic pathways, and five pathways were identified as different (P&amp;lt;0.05 and impact &amp;gt;2) in the fecal samples that bulls fed pre and post feedlot diets: pyruvate metabolism (bta00620); glycine, serine and threonine metabolism (bta00260); synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies (bta00088); histidine metabolism (bta00340) and biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan (bta00400). Our results suggest that pre- and post-feedlot diets modify the fecal metabolome profile of Nelore bulls. In addition, further studies about metabolic effects of diets are required for a better understanding of these influence on Nelore bulls.

358 The Effects of Varying Levels of Cotton Gin Byproduct and Wet brewers’ Grains on Growth Performance of Growing and Finishing Steers

Abstract The abundance of craft breweries provides widespread availability of wet brewers grains (WBG) to be used by beef cattle producers as a potential feedstuff. Cotton gin byproduct (CGB) is a feedstuff typically reserved for mature beef cows due to its low and variable feed value. Both WBG and CGB have high cost of transportation but are sometimes used by producers near supply centers due to their low price. The objective of this study was to analyze animal performance of growing Angus steers fed total mixed rations with varying amounts of CGB and WBG. Sixty-four Angus steers (365 ± 26 kg) were allotted and blocked by initial body weight (BW) in a randomized complete block design to 8 dietary treatments and fed in 2 phases, growing phase (GP) and finishing phase (FP) (84-d and 69-d, respectively). Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial with two levels of CGB (0 or 25% of DM) and 4 levels of WBG (0, 10, 20 or 30% of DM). The control and base of all treatments were corn, corn silage and soybean meal. Body weights were recorded on two consecutive days at the beginning and end of GP and FP. Feed samples were collected, and refusals were weighed weekly. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with main effects of CGB, WBG, and the interaction. The linear, quadratic, and cubic effects of increasing levels of WBG and CGB were tested with polynomial contrasts. Average daily gain (ADG) did not differ among dietary treatments (0, 25% CGB and 0, 10, 20, 30% WBG) for GP, (1.67, 1.61, and 1.67, 1.57, 1.74, and 1.60 kg/d, respectively) (P &amp;gt; 0.3031), FP (1.53, 1.61 and 1.56, 1.53, 1.61, and 1.58 kg/d) or the overall trial (1.61, 1.62 and 1.62, 1.55, 1.68, and 1.60 kg/d). The addition of CGB increased GP dry matter intake (DMI; 11.06 vs 11.99 kg/d; P = 0.0011), while the addition of WBG linearly decreased GP DMI (11.81, 11.69. 11.81, and 10.81 kg/d; P = 0.0292). There was an interaction between CGB and WBG (P = 0.0206), with increasing levels of WBG at 0% CGB exhibiting a cubic effect (P = 0.0127), but no effect at 25% CGB. Inclusion of CGB decreased feed efficiency (FE) in the GP (6.77 vs. 7.69; P = 0.0008) but had no carry-over effect in the FP. There was no effect of WBG on FE in GP or FP. In conclusion, CGB increased DMI, reduced FE, and maintained ADG. Increasing quantities of WBG did not reduce ADG or FE, but decreased DMI with increasing feeding level. Therefore, WBG and CGB can be considered viable options for cattle producers seeking to lower input costs.