Abstract. Improperly balanced diet not only impacts the quality of animal products but also the quantity of profits of a livestock operation. Typically, the nutrient and chemical content of feed ingredients and forages are determined using well-established wet chemistry tests. However, these tests can be expensive and time-consuming. Moreover, the increasing use of distiller‘s by-products which are known to have large variations in chemical and nutrient content warrants a real-time on-farm feed and forage testing system. Near Infra-Red (NIR) spectroscopy systems have been documented as a quick and effective on-site testing tool across several industries. While NIR systems are being adopted for on-farm feed and forage testing, very little is known about the economic impacts of such an investment for a livestock operator. This study developed a baseline model and an excel based spreadsheet application for performing Return On Investment (ROI) analysis to determine the feasibility of using an on-farm NIR testing system. ROI was calculated based on the nutrient cost saved or spent determined from the difference of estimated nutrient content and actual calculated value. Assumptions were made for the cost of NIR system, calibration and labor expenses. What-if analyses were also performed to determine the impact of variation in nutrient content on the ROI. The finding of this study will help promote low-cost alternatives for on-farm feed and forage testing, thus positively impacting the quality of animal product and minimizing costs.
The goal of this study was to compare conventional soybean meal (SBM) with modified SBM (MSBM) after chemical and enzyme pretreatment to potentially reduce the antinutritional factors (ANF), as a fishmeal (FM) replacer at 50% or 100% in the diets of yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Half of the SBM and MSBM diets contained an enzyme cocktail (of phytase and carbohydrate-degrading enzyme), and the other half received no enzyme supplementations. Fingerlings (297; initial weight, 11.01 ± 0.19 g) were randomly distributed over nine treatments, in triplicate, and fed these isonitrogenous diets (crude protein 410 g/kg) that included replacing FM with SBM at 50% or 100% without or with enzyme supplementations (S50, S100, S50+E or S100+E, respectively), MSMB at 50% or 100% without or with enzyme supplementations (MS50, MS100, MS50+E or MS100+E, respectively) or a control FM-based diet. After 10 weeks, the growth performance, feeding efficiencies, proximate composition, intestinal/pyloric caeca digestive enzymes and liver metabolic/antioxidant enzymes in P. flavescens were measured. The highest (p < 0.05) growth performance and nutrient utilization parameters (protein efficiency ratio and protein productive value, PPV) were observed for the MS50+E group, which was not statistically different to parameters for the control and MS50 groups, and significantly (p < 0.05) higher than all other groups. The lowest and highest growth performance and feed conversion ratios, respectively, were observed in the S100, S100+E and MS100 groups. The highest protease activity (in both intestine and pyloric caeca) was observed for the control group, but was significantly similar to MS50, MS50+E and S50+E groups. The lowest value was observed for 100% replacement of FM protein by SBM and MSBM fed groups. However, inclusion of exogenous enzymes in feed showed positive effects in MS50+E (compared to MS50) for PPV, lipid productive value and amylase activity in the intestine. Activity of protein metabolism enzymes (i.e., alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase) in the liver was the highest in the control group, which was similar (p < 0.05) to the MS50+E and MS50 groups. Antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) in the liver were the lowest in the control group, which was significantly similar (p < 0.05) to the group given the feed with 50% replacement of FM protein. Complete (100%) replacement of FM protein exhibited the highest antioxidant enzyme activity. Conclusively, performance of the MS50 and MS50+E groups was similar to the FM group and better than SBM group; therefore, MSBM with high protein and low ANFs has considerable potential as an alternative to FM in aquafeed.
Conversion of biomass is considered the next major advance in biorenewable fuels, energy, and products. Wholesale conversion to biomass utilization could result in removal of current crop residues from agricultural fields or even implementation of different crops and cropping strategies (i.e., switchgrass). To date, the driver for biomass processing has been economics and limitations on the conversion of the lignocellulose. Over the last forty years significant investments and resultant changes in management practices in the agricultural sector have focused on soil and water conservation. One of the major efforts has focused on conservation-till or no-till, with the goal of retaining biomass residues in the field to prevent erosion and to improve soil structure. Environmental implications of significant changes to current cropping systems have not been thoroughly addressed, however. This paper will focus on using South Dakota as a case study to determine the potential for biomass and the implications thereof for the utilization of these materials. We will consider optimizing the amount of biomass that can be harvested with and without consideration of a minimum level of crop residue left in the field. Meeting our nation's transportation fuel needs can be accomplished sustainably, but these issues need to be addressed now, at the outset of this revolution.
This study analyzed the drying efficiency of a prototype low temperature closed-cycle grain drying system. The main principle of this drying system was the heat pump system working as a dehumidifier. The main component of this drying equipment included a compressor, a condenser, twin evaporators, and a fan. Two drying studies (denoted as trial 1 and trial 2) were conducted to assess the overall drying performance of this low temperature drying system. To calculate the drying efficiency, the total energy consumption was divided by the amount of water removal for each trial; the drying efficiency was reported in the form of Btu/lb of water removal. We also tested corn seed germination to determine if this drying process had an effect on seed germination performance. The drying efficiency results for trial 1 and 2 were 1036 Btu/lb water removal and 869 Btu/lb water removal, respectively; compared to other on-farm drying methods this drying system had fairly high drying efficiency. The germination test results showed that this drying system had no adverse effect on germination performance.
Farmers in developing nations encounter high postharvest losses mainly attributable to the lack of modern techniques for threshing, cleaning, grading, and grain storage. Mechanized handling of grain in developing countries is rare, although the technology is effective against insects and pest infestations. The objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of five grain handling techniques that have the ability to reduce postharvest losses from insect infestation. The five methods were metal silo plus all accessories (m. silo + acc.), metal silo only (m. silo), woven polypropylene plus phosphine (w. PP. + Phos.), woven polypropylene only (w. PP.), and Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags only (PICS). The functional unit used was handling 1 kg of maize grain. The cost analysis of each technique was calculated based on equations using a spreadsheet. The annual capital and operational costs of handling using m. silo + acc. or m. silo were very high, unlike the PICS, w. PP. + Phos., or w. PP. The annual capital and operational costs decreased as production scale increased. Food security (due to reduced insects and pest infestations) and financial prospects of farmers can improve when the grain is mechanically handled with m. silo + acc. or m. silo.
Unmarketable animal tissues are typically processed by rendering plants, which transform them into meat andbone meal (MBM) or similar products. MBMs traditional use as animal feed has become increasingly threatened, but MBMhas potential for non-feed applications. Development of new products and processes is hindered by lack of reliable data onmany of MBMs chemical and physical properties. MBM samples, as well as data on raw material and process, were collectedfrom 19 rendering facilities in the United States and Canada. A large majority of the raw material was tissue from cattle, swine,and poultry. All facilities surveyed practiced continuous dry rendering; 89% of the facilities use continuous cookers and 11%use falling film evaporators. MBM is high in protein (44.6-62.8%, mfb), but this protein is poorly soluble; at pH 7 solubilityranged from 2.20% to 7.22%. Among all samples, the particles median geometric mean diameter was 387 .m, and the sizedistribution was broad. The median density of MBM particles was 1.41 (g/mL); median density of MBM in bulk ranged from0.50 g/mL when loose-filled to 0.68 g/mL when packed. pH values of the samples ranged from 5.89 to 7.19, and samplescontaining the most cattle tissue had the highest pH. Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity values for both loose-filledand packed MBM are reported, as well as CIE L*a*b* color values.
Abstract Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus , remains the USA's largest aquaculture industry. However, in recent years, high feed prices have negatively impacted profitability. Production of ethanol as a biofuel has increased dramatically. Companies have modified their processes to enhance ethanol yield and these modified processes also increase the crude protein content of the byproduct. The object of this study was to evaluate this high‐protein dried distiller's grains ( HP‐DDG ) for its suitability in catfish diets. A total of 25 full‐sibling channel catfish (7.1 ± 2.3 g) were randomly stocked into each of twelve 260‐L polyethylene tanks to achieve 25 fish per tank. The control diet was similar to a commercial formulation. Experimental diets contained 20, 40, or 40% HP‐DDG with added lysine (1% of total diet). There were three replicate tanks per diet. Fish were fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 9 wk. Average harvest weights for fish fed the 40% HP‐DDG diet without lysine supplementation (57.0 g) were significantly smaller than that for fish fed the control diet (77.7 g). Average harvest weights of fish fed 20% HP‐DDG (86.8 g) were significantly greater than that of fish fed either 40% HP‐DDG (57.0 g) or 40% HP‐DDG + lysine (73.7 g). There were no significant differences in feed conversion ratios or survivals among treatments, which overall averaged 1.1 and 99%, respectively. These data indicate that HP‐DDG appears to be a suitable ingredient in channel catfish diets up to at least 20% of the total formulation. Data also indicate that inclusion levels of at least 40% HP‐DDG are likely limiting in lysine.
