Panicum tyrgidum: A resilient fodder and excellent biofuel crop

Asad Saeed, Mohsin Tanveer, Shahbaz Atta Tung, Ali Ahsan Bajwa

Global  environment  is  rapidly  changing  due  to  increase  in  global warming, associated with CO₂ concentration  leading  to  higher  ambient  temperatures. Expected reduction of agricultural production will cause serious problems. These threats are aggravated by limited freshwater resources and impending soil salinization.  Irrigated  agricultural production  already  has  decreased  20–35%  due  to  increasing  levels of  salinity  Fast  growing  population  is  suffering  from severe  shortage  of  water  and  food  which  will  aggravate  with  time. These  problems  could  be  partially  alleviated  by  utilization  of  low quality  irrigation  water  such  as  saline  groundwater  or  seawater  on appropriate  wastelands  for  production  of  non-conventional  crops especially  in  arid  regions.  Most  of  the  conventional  crops  cannot tolerate  salinity  even  al  low  concentrations.  It  is  therefore  necessary to  develop  sustainable  biological  production  systems  for  brackish  or  high  salinity  water  irrigation.  The  development  of  suitable halophytic  crops  has  been  considered  for  the  production  of  food, forage,  oil,  wood,  timber,  ornamental,  medicine  and  biofuel.  A  candidate  for  an economic  and  ecologically  sustainable  production  system  at  arid conditions  could  be  Panicum  turgidum  Forssk. It  xerohalophyte  is  a tussock-grass,  commonly  found in  the  salt  deserts  of  southern  Pakistan but also  in  other  arid  areas. Panicum turgidum is a perennial, growing as dense bushes up to 1 m tall. It bends over and roots at the nodes. Leaves few, stems hard, bamboo-like, solid, smooth and polished; 2.5-3 mm in diameter, emitting from the nodes panicles of branches in tufts from a swollen base with panicle terminal, 3-10 cm long; spikelets 3-4 mm long, solitary. The roots are remarkable for their clothing of root hairs to which fine sand adheres, giving them a felty appearance.  It is distributed from Pakistan west through the Arabian peninsula to northern Africa. In various parts of world, it has been renowned as Taman or tuman (Sudan), afezu (Nigerian Sahel), guinchi (eastern Sahara), thaman (Kuwait), markouba (Mauritania), du-ghasi (Somalia). It is native to Dead Sea Depression, at -380 m at Shor-es-Safiyeh, to 3 200 m in the Tibesti Mountains of the central Sahara. In the open tussock communities in Mauritania and the western Sahara plants survive by dissociating themselves from one another rather than growing in association. The root-stock is stout and the root fibres strong and woody; the root hairs bind particles of fine sand by the extrusion of a glue which allows them to absorb more moisture from the soil.

It is usually found on deep dune sand, but will grow in a well-drained latosol.  The plant usually spreads by the bending over of the stems until the nodes reach the ground, where they take root to form a new plant.  No preparation is necessary in the sandy environment in which it grows. In the Sahel it begins flowering in August, continues flowering through to February and is mature in June. The tuft grows again each year. There is a variation within the species, and there are forms with high grain yields. The vegetative yields of these forms in Near Eastern collections were up to twice those from Mauritania, especially at low levels of nutrients. Main attributed of this crop is its drought tolerance, sand-binding characteristics and grain production, while Main deficiency is its woodiness.  It is native to hot, dry, arid climates with 4-38°N, longitude 17°W-80°E.  The young leaves and shoots are very palatable; even in the dry state it is still eaten by camels and donkeys. There is little response to nitrogen, but some to phosphorus and potash.  The Tuareg inhabitants of the Ahaggar Mountains in the central Sahara eat the grain. It is ground into flour and made into porridge. It is also used for thatch, and mats (the Tuaregs use the stems with a weft of thin leather strips). The ashes are added to tobacco for chewing, and the powder from ground stems is used for healing wounds. It is valuable for fixing dunes in the 100-400 mm rainfall areas. In the neighbourhood of the Red Sea, P. turgidum covers the whole of the coastal plain. Panicum turgidum is a perennial bunchgrass, growing in dense bushes up to 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall. It has roots at the nodes which are covered in hairs to which fine sand adheres creating a felty appearance.

P. turgidum is a remarkable drought-resistant species. Established plants may survive for several years without rain. It appears to be tolerant to fairly high salinity stress. Therefore, it is a good species for stabilizing loose soil. Since many native grasses of the coastal strip of Egypt are spring growers, the summer growth of P. turgidum may make this species suitable as complementary forage for the deteriorated lands of the western coastal desert of Egypt. P. turgidum has the merit of being resistant to drought and also an effective sand-binding xerophytes. Wind-borne sand usually accumulates around the bushes of P. Turgidum forming isolated mounds that gradually enlarge and eventually coalesce and form sandy patches that cover the original gravely or stony bed. Thus, it is one of the best grasses to protect the soil against transportation by both wind and water. Accordingly, P. turgidum is usually used in many rehabilitation programmes in arid regions. Also due to the high palatability of this grass it is considered an important fodder and grazing plant for many animals, especially in summer when annuals disappear and shortage in natural forage occurs. Also, in dry conditions, P. turgidum provides grazing as standing hay. Since many native grasses of the coastal strip of Egypt are spring growers, the summer growth of P. turgidum may make this species suitable as complementary forage for the deteriorated lands of the western coastal desert of Egypt. Panicum turgidum is halophyte with remarkable importance in biofuel production. As stated before, it is distributed in coastal area of Karachi, thus can be employed in biofuel production.

Panicum tyrgidum: A resilient fodder and excellent biofuel crop

Copyright to agrinfobank.com, for republishing by any mean kindly contact with us info@agrinfobank.com

Rabbit Farming

Meat rabbit farming is one of the fastest growing new industries. While its long term size will never rival that of our traditional meat industries, it is providing a useful source of  income diversification for a number of people in regional and rural areas where farm incomes  have plummeted in recent years.

Rabbit farming have following benefits;

1. With available small investment and in a small place rabbit farming gives  more income
2. Rabbits eat ordinary feed and convert them into a protein rich high quality meat
3. Apart from meat production they can also be reared for hide and fur
4. By rabbit rearing one can produce a quality protein rich meat for his own family
5. Litter size (Number of young ones born/ kindling)  in rabbits is high (around 8-12)
6. Growth  rate  in  broiler  rabbits  is  very  high.  They  attain  2  kgs  at  the  age  of  three months

A successful rabbit farming required proper knowledge about rabbits and adopt best management practices, housing is very important in rabbit farming. In general, the type of housing is dependent upon the climate, location and size of the rabbitry. The optimum temperature in a rabbit shed is around 10 – 25 0C (SCARM 1998). Effective ventilation is required to control extremes of temperature and also to remove ammonia. Housing is a critical issue for rabbit health. Poor ventilation will result in irritationto the respiratory tract and susceptibility to infection from bacteria. Heat stress will cause major rabbit mortalities and reproductive failure.

1..   Ventilation
A discussion of different ventilation systems can be found in McNitt et al. 1996. The following summary covers the main points. Natural ventilation systems can use wind and animal heat to move air. Natural ventilation is low cost, the disadvantages being lack of control over air movement, inability to lower the inside temperature of the rabbitry below that outside, and over-ventilation. Natural ventilation can be provided with a high gable roof, a ridge vent, and open sides with flaps that can be opened or closed depending on the  atmospheric requirements. In high wind areas,a stub wall or wind baffle outside the open  sided sheds is needed to reduce wind velocity. Mechanical ventilation systems are used in  environmentally controlled buildings, using fans to provide required airflow. The advantage  of this system is the ability to control rate of airflow for effective removal of moisture, heat and ammonia; disadvantages being the high initial and operating cost and the need for back up  systems in case of power failure.Evaporative cooling systems may be used in a hot, dry climate. A water sprinkling system on the roof of the rabbit shed will help to reduce high temperatures.

2..   Space requirements
The following information is drawn from the code of practice published for intensive husbandry of rabbits in Australia (SCARM 1998). Sufficient room is required for caged  rabbits to move around, to feed and drink without difficulty. The minimum legal standards for different classes of rabbits are given below:

Doe and litter (5 weeks)	0.56 sq.m(total area)
Doe and litter (8 weeks)	0.74 sq.m(total area)
Rabbits (5-12 weeks)	0.07 sq.m(per rabbit)
Rabbits (12 weeks or more)	0.18 sq.m(per rabbit)
Adult does and bucks for breeding	0.56 sq.m
Cage height (>12 weeks)	45 cm

If the floor of the cage is of wire mesh material it should be of woven or flat construction. The square mesh of the floor should not exceed 19 x 19mmfor adults and 13 x 13 mm for kittens. The optimum for rectangular mesh is 50 x 13 mm. The thickness of the wire mesh should not  be less than 2.5 mm diameter (12 gauge). Cage arrangement can vary depending on the size of  the enterprise. Multiple deck configurations require a faeces diverter or multi deck conveyor belt.

3.  Feeders and watering equipment
Good feeding and watering equipment will supply feed and water in hygienic condition and will avoid causing discomfort or stress to the rabbits. “J” type feeders are most widely used. A  feed hopper in a cage should have a sufficiently big opening and should be large enough to  feed all the rabbits in the cage at the same time. An automatic watering system can be  installed. The drinking nipples of the watering system should be at optimum height from the floor of the cage, around 10 cm from the floor of the cage and they should not project more than 2.5 cm into the cage (SCARM 1998). It is always advisable to have a backup system to  ensure that rabbits have access to water in case of a failure of an automated system.

FEEDING
There are some detailed publications on rabbit feeding such as the book by Cheeke (1987). The following information has been reproduced from the Thumper Newsletter. The average daily requirement of pelleted feed for rabbits of different ages is given below:
Does 100g
Pregnant does 160g
Lactating does 350g
Oaten chaff can be fed at the rate of 20 g per day per adult rabbit.  Pellets should be formulated to give basic nutrient requirements for rabbits. This information is available in Cheeke (1987).

Cold and gusty winds reduce fish catch

Cold and gusty winds at sea with short days have significantly reduced winter's fish catch, as vessels have shifted to their nocturnal operations in a bid to maximise the fishing span. Talking to Business Recorder on Tuesday, the scantly covered with warm gears seafarers said that the short days make them to rely more on night time operations with a view to increase the fishing span.
"Catch always comes down in winter because of strong gusty winds and cold weather conditions," said President Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association (Stofa), Habibullah Khan Niazi.
The fishermen said the northerly winds, which have yet to take impetus to tear across the coastal belt of Sindh, are still cold enough to cause vessels to cut their catch short to quickly return to moorages.
"Span of fishing operations has increased at seas from 20 to 28 days since the cold weather season has started in the country's coastal parts," Habibullah Niazi said
The seafarers said the Arabian Sea turns into inertia and remains dull for four months, but scales down the catch as marine life plunges into seabed in habitats during the cold.
"Cold waves push fish to seabed dwelling where many of the species remain there all the winter days, making the fishermen sail longer to hunt," said President Native. Islanders Fishermen Association (Nifa), Asif Bhatti.

^{Courtesy Business Recorder       I   News Collated by agrinfobank.com}

Original Article Click Here

How can you tell if a chicken is happy?

By Harry Wallop

A scientist claims caged hens live better than free-range birds. Has common sense flown the coop?

At first, the sheer scale is hard to fathom. I can see yard after yard of metal and hardly any animals. But the noise is unmistakable: a steady clucking sound, which rumbles throughout the enormous building.

It is only when your eyes adjust to the low level of light that you slowly notice the birds. Initially, just a few hundred and then more and more. I am standing on a metal gangway – like the ones you find in high security prisons. On either side of the narrow walkway, hens are packed in groups of 60 to each “cage”. The cages stretch for 330 feet to the end of the shed, and they run along each of the eight different storeys in the shed. I am on the highest level and can glimpse thousands of feathers and glinting eyes beneath my feet. It is unnerving.

In total, there are 76,000 hens in this shed. This is just one of the five sheds that Phill Crawley, a ruddy-faced, second-generation poultry farmer, owns in Leicestershire. And, alongside the barns dotted among the orchards and fields, are thousands upon thousands more chickens.

That is because Sunrise Eggs, his family company – responsible for 2 per cent of the 9.3 billion eggs laid in Britain every year – produces free-range as well as “colony” eggs.

Colony, or “enriched cage”, used to be known as battery eggs, but the European Union last year forced all farmers to move to the higher-welfare colony system, after years of wrangling with the industry. Under the old system, you were allowed to keep 18 hens in one square metre – about the size of the floor of a telephone box. The new system allows for 13 hens in the same area.

To my eye, this existence still looks pretty miserable. The hens never leave their cage, never see daylight and cannot walk more than a few feet back and forth. Crawley says matter of factly: “They’ve never known any different.”

He has allowed me in to inspect his farm after a leading chicken expert at the University of Bristol, Prof Christine Nicol, suggested that many free-range hens were no happier than those in enriched cages.

“It looks horrendous. It looks like a factory, your worst nightmare of an industrial intensive system,” Prof Nicol said. “But when you look inside the cages, I’m not saying it’s great… but the birds have space, they have a perch, they have got things to scratch on.”

Crawley is rightly proud of his well-run farm. His colony sheds are industrial, but along with that comes a surprisingly low level of smell and dirt – the chicken muck is taken away on a conveyor belt every two days, keeping the floors of the cage surprisingly clean. He plucks a hen from the cage and lets me inspect it closely: its feathers are glossy and its eyes are bright.

“I don’t think any system is perfect,” he says. “Each system has its good points as well as its not-so-good points.”

A few years ago it seemed all the supermarkets would join the likes of Marks & Spencer and become free-range only. “But then the credit crunch came along,” says Crawley. “And the supermarkets said, 'Actually, we’d better keep colony hens.’ It was very much a cost-driven thing.”

At Tesco, half a dozen medium free-range eggs cost £1.30. Its everyday value ones are 93p. Many consumers may wince at the idea of “enriched cage” hens, but not at the price of their eggs. Only half of all the eggs consumed in Britain are free-range or organic (which has even stricter standards of animal welfare).

“Free-range is more labour-intensive,” explains Crawley, as he takes me across to one of his huge free-range barns, or huts. One worker is needed per 16,000 free-range hens, compared with one worker per 50,000 colony hens.

Curiously, he knocks on the door, before entering. “I do it so the chickens aren’t surprised when I come in.” He is not being sentimental; he is just trying to ensure that they don’t get stressed.

This is the key issue. Caged hens, even “enriched” ones, are fully controlled to the last inch. “Colony birds have a consistent life. There are far fewer variable factors compared with a free range.” And the big variable in the free-range hut right now is me and The Daily Telegraph’s photographer clomping about.

There are two key criteria that define hens as free-range under EU and British Lion guidelines. Firstly, they must have access to the outside. This is accomplished by opening a series of hatches along the side of the hut during daylight hours. About a quarter of the hens are outside, some rootling about in an orchard, and some even perched on the low branches of trees.

But the rest are inside – hordes of them, with an alarmingly large clutch gathering around my feet trying to untie the laces of my shoes and pecking my ankles.

The second free-range criterium is that there can be no more than nine animals per square metre, which is still pretty crowded.

So, while the hens outside look a happy, even an idyllic, sight in the autumnal Leicestershire fields, there is an industrial feel to the swarm of free-range hens inside. “There are some humans who jump out of bed at 5am and go to work. There are some who slump on the sofa all day with a four-pack of strong brew. And there are all those in between,” says Crawley. “Free-range hens are no different.”

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the chef and a long-term campaigner for animal welfare, says he is unconvinced by the idea that colony birds can be as happy: “Only free-range birds are able express the full range of natural behaviours that hens naturally wish to engage in – foraging for natural foods such as plants and bugs, wing flapping, dust bathing, nesting and laying in comfort, and all the time moving in a natural environment without any restrictions. I’m sure it’s not easy to assess the welfare benefits of these behaviours scientifically.”

This point, of course, only refers to those hens who choose to explore the outside. Not the poultry layabouts.

There is one thing, though, I have yet to inspect: the taste of the eggs, which is an aspect of the free-range debate that many chefs do not address.

Crawley takes me back to his farmhouse, where his wife Jane cooks me two boiled eggs, both laid just a few hours previously.

I crack the tops off. One looks immediately golden and inviting, one a bit pallid. But both taste almost identical – rich without being luscious.

It turns out that the nice-looking one is the colony egg, not the free-range one as I had presumed. “It’s likely the pigment in the food made it that colour,” explains Crawley. I arch my eyebrow. “But that doesn’t mean it’s artificial. Maize is a natural colourant.”

Still, it is hard to disagree with Henry Dimbleby, co-owner of the Leon chain of restaurants (free-range only), when he says: “I actually have never done a taste test. But for me – however well ventilated and however well lit those caged barns are – there is something profoundly unsettling about them.”

I may not have been able to taste the difference in the eggs, but I could sense which hens had a better chance at a happy life.

Original Article Click Here    Article reposted agrinfobank.com Team only for education and information purpose only, along with original author name and post link, if author and source have any objection send your objection at article@agrinfobank.com.

Livestock sector contributes 55pc in agriculture GDP

The livestock sector has a key role in the development of agriculture as it contributes 55 per cent of the agri GDP while it has 12pc share in the total national GDP. This was stated by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Vice Chancellor Prof. Talat Naseer Pasha while talking to APP here on Sunday.He said as the livestick sector had a remarkable share in the national GDP, therefore, it needed to have check on prices of the livestock feed which had a big share in the production of livestock. He said over 25 per cent raise in feed prices during the last one year, illegal export and raise of management cost had caused high prices of animals which affected prices of meat. Prof. Pasha said a role of feed in the growth of animal was 75 per cent when prices of feed raised it meant the cost of production affected the 75 per cent share of the production which resulted in raise in prices. To a question, he said illegal export and management cost consisting of labour, watering and transport had also an important role in increaing prices of animals.
However, he said legal export could be beneficial for farmers and the government while the government could get foreign exchange through it.

News Source               News Collected: agrinfobank.com Team

Excessive fishing: seafood exports decline by $2.861 million in October

The year-long excessive fishing caused a big plunge in fish and shrimp catch which is estimated to be about 40 percent lower this year, resulting in seafood export decline by $2.861 million in October this year, exporters said on Saturday. The country''s seafood export stood 8.10 percent lower to $32.449 million in October as compared to the $35.310 million in October last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said. 
"Overfishing round the year and use of banned nets by fishermen plagued the sea and reduced the seafood crop significantly during August-September period," said Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (Pakfea) Chairman Faisal Iftikhar. In terms of volume, the country''s seafood export also suffered a fall of 2,221 metric tons or 15.13 percent to 12,456 tons in October this year as compared to 14,677 tons in October last year, the PBS said.
However, seafood export in July-October 2013-14 increased to $117. 651 million from $98.732 million in the same period 2012-13, depicting a rise of $18.919 million or 16.43 percent. Faisal attributed the decline in catch to continuing fishing activity round the year without any halt to let the sea increase its seafood crop. He termed the fisheries situation "too bad", saying the government has to act to maintain fish and shrimp stocks in its seawaters.
Similarly, in terms of quantity, seafood export moved up to 48,729 tons in July-October this year from 41,851 tons in the same period last year, showing an increase of 6,878 tons or 19.16 percent, the PBS said. Chairman Pakfea said the annual catch at the country''s sea is drastically falling which has its implications when it comes to seafood export. The fall in catch this season is reckoned between 30 percent and 40 percent, which held back the seafood export.
"The government is not interested in understanding the annual decline in seafood catch and the banned nets are widely used in the daily operation on seas," he said, adding that the authorities have to ensure implementation of two months annual fishing ban to help grow fisheries stocks, which are depleting fast.

News Source: Business Recorder      News Collected: agrinfobank.com Team

Tips For Winter Supplementation Of Cattle

By: Clay P. Mathis

Developing a cost-effective supplementation program depends on just two things – first, identify the nutrient (or nutrients) most limiting to productivity and provide it at the lowest cost. Just as important, however, is identifying what your cows don’t need, so you’re not paying for more nutrition than necessary.

If protein is deficient, evaluate supplements on cost/lb. of protein. Similarly, if forage supply is limited and energy is deficient, look at supplements based on cost/lb. of total digestible nutrients (TDN; energy). Sometimes both energy and protein are limiting, so a balanced approach to provide supplemental protein and energy is recommended.

Generally, high-protein commercial supplements and byproduct feedstuffs are more expensive than feeds that are lower in protein content. However, it is still important to evaluate potential supplements based on cost/unit of nutrient needed (i.e., $/lb. protein or $/lb. TDN), recognizing that a cost/unit of nutrient comparison does not account for practicality of use, the starch or fiber content of energy supplements, the dynamic nature of commodity prices, or the broad variation in nutrient content inherent to many byproduct feedstuffs.

Commercially available processed supplements and feeds (i.e., cubes, small pellets, blocks, tubs and liquids) are designed to be safe and easy to store and deliver to the livestock. The practicality of using commercial supplements has significant monetary value.

Nonetheless, when protein supplementation is needed, consider comparing the price/lb. of protein for traditional supplements to that of products like canola meal (~38% crude protein – CP), dried distillers grains (~27% CP), and corn gluten feed (~21% CP). If you’re going to feed byproducts on the ground, include an adjustment for 10-25% wastage.

When energy supplementation is needed, products high in digestible fiber are most desirable, so up to 7 lbs. of soybean hulls (69% TDN); wheat middlings (~73% TDN); and even corn gluten feed (~72% TDN, max of 5 lbs./day without sulfur analysis) may be cost-effective when compared to traditional supplements.

When it’s necessary to use energy replacement to reduce intake of pasture forage or extend grazing days, low-cost byproducts like cotton motes or cotton burrs can be offered free choice and may be a less expensive approach than feeding hay. However, these byproducts are low in energy (40-45% TDN), so don’t expect any weight gain when these are fed.

It is important to be aware, however, that the appeal of lower-cost byproduct feedstuffs is usually partially offset by increased storage and delivery challenges. In addition, many byproducts have anti-nutritional factors which dictate that they can only be used in moderation.

Frequency of supplementation

Feeding frequency (daily vs. three times/week vs. once/week) of some supplements may affect animal response. Feeding smaller amounts of protein or energy supplements more frequently decreases the potential for negative impacts on forage intake. However, feeding high-protein supplements once a week results in no significant reduction in performance when compared to feeding supplements three times/week or daily. Additionally, transportation and labor costs are reduced with less frequent feed delivery.

 

Conversely, research shows that heifer weight gain and conception rate declined when the frequency of energy supplementation was decreased from daily to twice/week. Collectively, these findings indicate that protein supplements (i.e., ≥ 30% CP) can be delivered as infrequently as once or twice/week, while energy supplements (≤ 20% CP) should be offered no less frequently than every other day.

Supplements containing 30-40% protein can be delivered less frequently than every day. In fact, research has shown that the delivery of a week’s supply of a high-protein supplement all at once can be as effective as feeding the same weekly supply in equal proportion on a daily basis. A conservative approach to reducing labor and delivery costs associated with feeding high-protein supplements is to feed twice/week. For example, target 1 lb./head/day by feeding 3.5 lbs. twice a week.

And don’t overlook crop aftermath. When available, corn stalks or alfalfa stubble may be great feed sources that can help get cattle through for a few weeks or months at a relatively low cost.

Urea (non-protein nitrogen)
As range forage matures, it becomes lower in nutritive value. When the protein content of forages in cattle diets declines to less than about 7%, both forage intake and digestion are usually suppressed and animal performance is reduced. Providing supplemental protein to offset deficiencies in the forage protein can help optimize forage intake and utilization.

Protein is vital because the rumen microorganisms require the nitrogen in proteins to grow and digest feeds in the rumen. The primary sources of protein in traditional range supplements fed to cattle in the West and Southwest are plant proteins like cottonseed meal and soybean meal. However, it is possible to reduce the cost of range supplements without compromising performance by replacing a portion of the plant protein (nitrogen) with urea or other non-protein nitrogen (NPN) sources.

Urea is almost always less expensive per unit of nitrogen than plant protein sources. However, excessive levels of urea can impair animal performance, so urea should be incorporated into range-cattle supplements in moderation. For example, a cottonseed meal-based protein supplement formulated to be 38% protein should not contain more than about 4% CP equivalence from urea if fed less frequently than every other day and/or if fed to lactating cows.

The real question is: How much urea can be included in a protein supplement without negatively impacting performance? To answer this question, it is important to note that CP can be categorized into two parts—that which is degraded in the rumen by microorganisms (ruminally degradable protein), and that which escapes the rumen without being altered by the microbes. The ruminally undegradable protein is commonly referred to as escape protein or bypass protein.

Generally, 55-70% of the protein in high-protein feedstuffs of plant origin is ruminally degradable protein, and thus is used by the rumen microorganisms as a source of nitrogen. Urea is completely degraded in the rumen (100% ruminally degradable protein).

The most appropriate way to determine the optimal amount of urea in a protein supplement is to evaluate the proportion of the ruminally degradable protein that urea supplies. This can be challenging, because feed tags generally express the percentage units of CP equivalence coming from NPN.

Based on the findings of numerous research trials, a conservative target level of urea inclusion in protein supplements for gestating cows grazing low-quality forage is about 25% of the ruminally degradable protein in the supplement, if the supplement is fed on a daily basis. If fed less frequently, 20% may be a safer target.

There is limited research evaluating the impact of feeding urea-containing protein supplements to postpartum cows. However, some results indicate that high levels of urea inclusion in supplements during this period may have a negative effect on fertility.

Based on those trials, postpartum protein supplements should be formulated so that urea does not supply more than about 15-20% of the ruminally degradable protein in the supplement. Most of the research trials evaluating NPN content in supplements utilized feeding rates of 4 lbs./day or greater.

In New Mexico and West Texas, it is much more common to provide protein supplements at rates of 1 to 3 lbs./day. If producers are supplementing at lower rates (i.e., < 3 lbs./day) they can likely avoid negative impacts of supplying a higher concentration of NPN in a supplement. In fact, it is often smaller meal sizes and increased meal frequencies that allow for self-fed liquid and tub products to include NPN at such a high proportion of the total protein in the supplement.

It is also important to note that supplements including urea or other sources of NPN should contain at least one unit of sulfur for every unit of nitrogen. This is generally not a problem in the Southwest because sulfur content of drinking water is often high.

Urea inclusion in protein supplements can be a successful means to reduce supplement cost without negatively impacting performance, as long as urea is included in moderation. Urea inclusion can reduce supplement cost by 5-15% when supplements are formulated so that urea supplies 15-25% of the ruminally degradable protein. In a cottonseed meal-based protein supplement, this amount of urea inclusion would equate to about 3-6% of the CP equivalence supplied by urea.

Clay Mathis is executive director of the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Summary of NPN (urea) supplementation recommendations

If attempting to identify a single feed for the entire dormant season supplementation period while feeding three times/week or less, a conservative target of 20% of the ruminally degradable protein in the supplement (about 4 to 5 CP equivalents from NPN) should reduce feed cost and minimize the risk of suppressed performance.

Higher NPN inclusion rates (20-50% of the supplement rumen degradable protein from NPN) may be safe when supplementation rate is low (1-2 lbs./day) and meals are consumed frequently.

Source: http://beefmagazine.com

Global workshop on Dairy Science Park from November 18

Arrangements for the three-day second International Workshop on Dairy Science Park (DSP-2013) scheduled on November 18-20, was in full swing in the (AUP). The objective for holding the event is developing enterprising capacity of livestock and poultry farmers of Pak-Afghan Region through partnership of academia, entrepreneurs, exporters and civil society with special focus on meat production targeted at international Halal food market.
The organisers of the workshop on Dairy Science Park are included Directorates General, Livestock and Dairy Development (Extension and Research), Nangarhar University, Afghanistan, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), the Livelihood Programme, Inter Co-operation, Pakistan and a local non-governmental organisation, LASOONA (Society for Human and Natural Resource Development).
DSP-2013 is expected to provide guidelines, roadmap and an engine for growth of the local sheep/goats/poultry production farms into viable enterprises capable of producing clean food for local market and business administration.
The workshop will be comprised nine different sessions including meat and dairy technology, animal health, entrepreneur development, poultry science, feeding and nutrition, quality control/HACCP, dairy science, reproduction and genetics and Halal certificate and financing.

Source: Business Recorder

Manifold increase in prices of sacrificial animals

As Eid-ul-Azha is approaching; traders have increased prices of sacrificial animals manifold and making it hard for the citizens to perform one of their main religious duty, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder. A visit to different markets in the twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad revealed that despite sky-rocketing prices, people in large number have thronged to animal markets to buy sacrificial animals.
However, most of them came back just having a look at the animals, as they were of the view that there are ample chances that prices will come down on the last day before Eid. Survey noted that every animal's price vary depending on health and weight. Sheep was available from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000. Similarly, prices of healthy goats ranged between Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000. Besides, sheep/goats, rates of bulls and cows are very high which start from Rs 50,000 and in some cases cross Rs 200,000 depending on their health, weight and breed. The traders at the cattle markets also decorate their animals to attract customers.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has set up a sacrificial animal market at Sector I-11 to facilitate the residents in purchasing the sacrificial animals, the CDA spokesman said. He said that the animal market was operational from October 3. The contract of animal market was given to a company for Rs 10 million and all the facilities including lights, parking place, sanitation and veterinary doctors were available in the market.
A spokesperson of the City District government Rawalpindi, has established seven sale points for sacrificial animals that includes: KRL Road, New Gulzar-e-Quaid, Chaklala Ground, Bostan Khan Road, Morgah, Dhama Syedan and Chakri Road.
People from different walks of life told Business Recorder that inflation has marred the purchasing power of the masses due to which the sale of sacrificial animals has registered considerable decline. The rates of sacrificial animals have gone out the middle income group reach, they added. Even goat is no more affordable to them to sacrifice individually and they are compelled to perform the Quarbani jointly.
Traders were of the view that prices of each and every item is increasing adding that increase in the cost of animals is reasonable as food expenditure of these animals is also increased like other items with each passing day. Survey further noted that the exorbitant increase in prices of sacrificial animals has forced the residents of the twin cities to visit nearby villages in search of animals at comparatively low prices.
CDA spokesman said that the authority has chalked-out a comprehensive plan to collect and dispose of entrails, offal and waste material of sacrificial animals from the various parts of the city during the Eid-ul-Azha. CDA has divided the city into four zones for effective implementation of the action plan, he said. The Authority would also dig as many as 29 deep ditches at 17 different locations in the entire city for proper disposal of offal and other waste.

Source: http://www.brecorder.com

Ten Ways to Cut Cattle Feeding Costs

Keeping costs down is one way to improve your chances of making money in the cattle feeding business. Here are 10 suggestions.

1. Good records. Monitoring feedlot performance and costs allows producers to make midcourse corrections. This is particularly important as feed costs rise and cattle prices change. Knowing current costs of production is essential to making timely marketing decisions and reducing corn use.

Several feed companies and veterinarians provide feedlot monitoring as a service. Feedlot monitoring software is available through Iowa State University Extension and commercial vendors.

2. Purchase cost. Purchase cost is often the largest single cost associated with a finished beef animal. Careful budgeting prior to purchase is extremely important in times of narrow margins. Good records of previous close-outs and past history of cattle from a source is useful in projecting cattle performance. Often the cheapest cattle may not be the most profitable depending on performance and efficiency. Use realistic cost and price projections when budgeting for new feeder cattle. Often periods of low prices and price volatility can create opportunities for the astute cattle buyer.

3. Feedbunk management. Managing feedbunks more closely can improve efficiency by reducing the incidence of low level acidosis on high grain rations. Using a bunk scoring system, or some method to reduce feed waste, can pay greater dividends during periods of high grain costs. An added benefit may be more consistent performance and better efficiency by eliminating the day-to-day variation in feed consumption. Recent research indicates that cattle that are slightly restricted (95 to 97 percent of full feed) will be more efficient. Good feedbunk management also includes proper feed mixing and accurate weighing of feed ingredients. This ensures that expensive nutrients will not be overfed, and reduces the risk of deficiencies.

4. Alternative feedstuffs. Many feeders are searching for alternatives to high priced corn. Several commodity feeds can partially substitute for corn. Your best bet is to look locally for feeds that may have a transportation cost advantage in your ration. Wet byproducts have a limited economical transportation range. Some examples of alternative feeds that may be available locally include corn gluten feed, distillers grains, corn screenings, off-grade or discounted corn, other grains (wheat, barley, rye, milo, oats), bakery byproducts, and others. Commodity feeds that may partially substitute for corn include hominy feed, fat, and wheat midds. Prices of these feeds tend to fluctuate with the corn and soybean meal market. Also, alternative feeds vary in nutritional content and may have practical feeding restrictions. Contact your nutritionist to help make decisions relative to the substitution of alternative feeds.

5. Feed an ionophore. Products like Bovatec, Cattylst, and Rumensin are ionophores. They will improve efficiency 4 to 10 percent, depending on the type of ration fed. As feed costs increase, the payback for improved efficiency is much greater.

6. Implants. Implants are another technology that improves efficiency. New implant technologies and strategies can improve efficiency 10 to 15 percent. Learn about the differences in implants and choose the one that matches your cattle and management. There may be tradeoffs in cattle weight and grade to consider when choosing the right implant strategy.

7. Marketing. Timely marketing can reduce the cost of production. It takes twice as much feed to put a pound of gain on a 1,300-pound animal as it does to put the same on a 900-pound animal. Marketing 50 pounds lighter can reduce the amount of corn needed to finish a steer by 6 to 7 bu. Consider the USDA Select discount when making this decision. Select carcasses are typically discounted more through the summer months. This makes high priced corn more valuable because it is necessary to increase the number of more valuable, USDA Choice carcasses.

8. Protein supplementation. Recent research at Iowa State University has shown that high performance cattle, aggressively implanted and managed to perform at high rates of gain respond to higher levels of protein (13 to 14 percent crude protein). Before adopting the recommendation to increase your protein levels to these higher rates, carefully evaluate the cattle and management to determine if a response in efficiency is expected. Even if it is, there is a cost to feeding higher levels of protein that increases as feed costs increase. Carefully weigh all supplement decisions, but be careful not to create a deficiency.

9. Mineral supplementation. Evaluate your mineral supplementation program. Are you feeding a protein supplement that is complete with minerals and supplementing minerals free choice? If your mineral is a free choice mineral, is it the right one? Phosphorous is one of the most expensive nutrients that is added to most mineral supplements. On a high-grain ration, supplemental phosphorous is likely not needed. Corn is a good source of phosphorous. Free choice mineral mixes or blocks for feedlot cattle should be high in calcium and low in phosphorous.

10. Do the little things. Basic management that requires little more than time can pay big rewards in improving efficiency when feed costs are high. These include routine water maintenance and cleaning, feeding cattle at the same time every day, handling cattle to reduce stress (including heat stress), and maintaining quality control on feed ingredients.

Adapted from ISU Extension publication SP-32.

Source: http://www.extension.iastate.edu

Health Care for Horses

Scott Pleasant, D.V.M., M.S., Equine Veterinary Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech; and Nancy Currin, D.V.M., Veterinary Extension Publication Specialist, Virginia Tech

Thoughtful and planned care will allow your horse to live a longer and healthier life. Good equine husbandry is based upon the principle of preventive care: problem prevention rather than problem treatment. This requires embracing all aspects of horse care that affect its health and well-being. The purpose of this publication is to provide a broad overview of health care for horses. More detailed information is available through your local Extension agent and/or veterinarian.

 

Housing

There is a wide range of suitable methods to house horses. The most natural method is to keep horses on pasture. Pasture-based horses tend to have fewer disease and behavioral problems than horses housed in more confining circumstances. As a general rule, a stocking rate of one horse per two acres is recommended in order to maintain pasture quality. Additional acres may be needed depending on soil quality, topography, and other animals present. Higher stocking rates will necessitate elevated levels of pasture management such as mowing, fertilizing, rotating pastures, etc., and may require supplemental feeding. Pasture-kept horses must have access to fresh, clean water at all times and adequate shelter during weather extremes. Shelter may be natural, such as mature tree stands, or constructed open sheds. Constructed sheds must have 100 to 150 square feet per horse that will use the shelter. Constructed sheds should be positioned to optimize drainage and face away from the prevailing winds. The sheds should be structurally sound, well ventilated, and have safe interior and exterior surfaces. It is generally recommended that sheds be set back at least fifty feet from property lines and one hundred feet from neighboring houses. Check with local authorities for specific Health Care for Horses Scott Pleasant, D.V.M., M.S., Equine Veterinary Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech Nancy Currin, D.V.M., Veterinary Extension Publication Specialist, Virginia Tech requirements and zoning regulations. Pasture fencing should be durable and safe. Wood or diamond mesh make excellent perimeter fencing choices for horses. Electric tape is a good choice for fortifying existing fencing or for subdividing a pasture for grazing management. The best fencing material to use will not only depend on cost, but also the age and temperament of the horses to be contained. Gates should latch securely and not have openings in which the horse could get a head or limb caught.

Other suitable methods for housing horses include drylots and stables. Drylots have little or no vegetation, and are usually used when suitable pasture is not available or as part of a rotational grazing program in order to limit damage to wet or overgrazed pasture. Fresh, clean water, appropriate fencing, and adequate shelter must be provided (see above). Drylots should be well drained so that horses are not standing in mud. They are frequently constructed with a stone base and covered with natural clay or crushed stone, but may also use geotextile or filter fabric. Measures need to be in place to control erosion of stone, soil, and manure into areas that will impact water quality. Manure should be removed regularly. Your local soil and water conservation district will have advice for preventing run-off and protecting water quality.

Management factors such as limited pasture, weather, injury, and the type and use of the horse may dictate that a horse is stabled for a significant portion of the day. Horse barns should be constructed with health and safety issues in mind. Barns should be located close to turnout areas and easily accessible for trailers and maintenance equipment. Site selection should optimize drainage, ventilation, and light. Construction materials should be sturdy and have safe exterior and interior surfaces, including accessory equipment such as hooks, hangers, latches, feeders, and waterers. The standard size horse stall is 12 feet by 12 feet. This size allows enough room for safe movement of the horse and handler in the stall and for the horse to lie down and get up comfortably. Stall walls and doors should be strong and not have gaps that a hoof could get through. Since exercise is important to the physical and mental well being of the horse, horses that are kept primarily in stalls should be afforded the opportunity to exercise each day. This might include limited turnout to the pasture or drylot, work in hand, riding, or driving.

Feeding

Proper feeding is critical to the overall health of the horse. Improper feeding can cause problems such as colic, lameness, reduced performance, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Aside from water, horses need energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins in their rations. Proper amounts and balances of these nutrients are important. Nutrient deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances all can have a negative effect on health and performance.

When considering what, how, and how much to feed horses, it is important to remember that they evolved as forage eaters, grazing for upwards of 16 to 18 hours each day and traveling considerable distances as they grazed. Their stomachs are small (two- to five-gallon capacity), limiting the amount of feed that they can take in at one time. Their digestive system is best suited to processing small amounts of food continuously; therefore, horses are most content when they can nibble almost constantly.

With this information in mind, the most natural food for horses is pasture. Most mature pleasure horses doing light to moderate work will do well on pasture alone if they have sufficient grazing time and good-quality forage in the pasture. If pasture or sufficient pasture is not available, feeding hay is the next best alternative. If fed hay only, most horses will generally require a minimum of 1.5 to 2 pounds of good quality grass hay (timothy, orchard grass, or fescue) per 100 pounds of body weight daily to meet their needs. This should be split into two to four feedings. “Easy Keepers” or horses that become over conditioned (overweight) on this feeding regimen need fewer calories. In this case, feeding a more mature hay with less nutritional value per pound may allow the horse to eat over a longer period of time without becoming over conditioned. If hay is being used to supplement pasture, then the amount of hay fed will need to be adjusted in order to keep the horse in appropriate body condition. A horse is considered to be in good body condition when its ribs cannot be seen but they can easily be felt. An accurate estimate of a horse’s weight can be determined with an equine weight tape which is available at most feed stores. Accurate weights of hay can be measured using economical hanging or top loading scales. Good-quality hay is green, leafy, and free of mold, excessive dust, and musty smell.

Horses on forage diets (grass, hay, or a grass/hay combination) need salt to balance their diets. Depending on the forage fed and the age and performance of the horse, it may also require a vitamin-mineral supplement, and/or protein supplement. Most feed manufacturers now sell vitamin-mineral-protein supplements designed for horses on forage-based diets. These are low-calorie and typically fed at one to two pounds per day for a mature horse.

Because of limitations on intake capacity, forage alone may not meet the nutrient requirements of hard working horses, pregnant mares, nursing mares, and growing foals. In these instances, horses should be fed a grain/ concentrate to supplement their diets. Appropriate types and amounts of grain/concentrate should be fed based on manufacturer recommendations, and these recommendations should be adjusted based on the body condition and exercise level of the individual horse. Any change in the diet should be done slowly. Forage should still be fed at a minimum of one to one and a half pounds per 100 pounds of body weight daily to keep the digestive tract functioning normally.

Contagious Disease Control

Contagious diseases are those that can be spread from one animal to another. Control programs should be targeted at reducing exposure to disease-causing agents and increasing disease resistance. To reduce contagious disease exposure to resident horses, it should be required that new horses have a negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA, “Coggins Test”) and have been appropriately vaccinated and dewormed before they arrive. New horses should be received and maintained in an isolation barn or paddock for 30 days to ensure that sick horses or horses incubating a contagious disease are not inadvertently introduced into the farm population. The isolation area should be physically separated from the resident horses. Separate equipment and preferably separate personnel should be used to take care of the isolated horses. Isolated horses should be cared for after the resident horses. During the 30-day quarantine period, horses should be monitored daily for signs of contagious disease. Common signs to look for are decreased appetite or activity level, coughing, fever, and discharge from the nose or eyes.

Additionally, any resident horse that becomes ill with a potentially contagious disease should also be promptly isolated. Isolation should continue for at least 10 days after all symptoms are gone. Separate equipment and personnel should be used to take care of sick horses. If separate personnel are not available, sick horses should be tended to after the other horses on the farm. Stalls that have housed sick horses should be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and left empty for as long as possible before being used by other horses.

Disease resistance in horses can be enhanced by proper housing, feeding, exercise, and the use of vaccines. Vaccines are health products that trigger protective immune responses and prepare the vaccinated individual to fight future infections from disease-causing agents. There are many vaccines and vaccine combinations available for use in horses. The specific vaccines needed by a particular horse will depend on several factors, including the horse’s age, exposure to other horses, and geographic location. Your veterinarian will help you determine the vaccination program best suited for your horse.

In general, all adult horses should be vaccinated against tetanus, eastern and western encephalomyelitis (EEE and WEE), west Nile virus (WNV), and rabies each year. Horses that are exposed to other horses during shows, trail rides, etc. should also be vaccinated for influenza and equine herpes virus 1 and 4 (EHV- 1 and EHV-4). These vaccines may need to be boostered every three to six months for effective immunity. Pregnant mares should be vaccinated against EHV- 1 the fifth, seventh, and ninth months of gestation. Pregnant mares should also be boostered for tetanus, EEE, WEE, WNV, EHV-1, EHV-4, and Influenza, four to six weeks before foaling. Only “killed” vaccines may be used in the pregnant mare. Foals from appropriately vaccinated mares usually start their vaccinations when they are three to four months old. Foals from unvaccinated mares need tetanus antitoxin right after birth and should start their vaccines at two to three months of age. Many other vaccines are available, and may be recommended in your area. Again, work with your veterinarian to set up a vaccine protocol specific to your horse’s individual needs.

Parasite Control

Controlling internal parasites (worms) is an extremely important component of horse health care. Internal parasites are silent thieves and killers. The damage they cause often goes unnoticed until problems are severe. The most common and troublesome internal parasites in horses are roundworms, small and large strongyles, tapeworms, and botfly larvae. Young horses are more likely to be adversely affected than adult horses. All internal parasites have similar lifecycles: parasite eggs are passed in the feces of infected horses; horses ingest parasite eggs or larvae from the environment; parasite larvae migrate through various tissues of the horse (specific for each parasite) and eventually end up in the gastrointestinal tract, where they mature into adults. Migrating larvae can cause tissue damage to the lungs, intestinal wall, blood vessels, etc. The physical presence of the adult worm can cause intestinal irritation, intestinal obstruction, and will take valuable nutrients away from the horse.

Unfortunately, there is no single parasite control program that suits all horses and all situations. You should consult your veterinarian to help devise a parasite control program for your horse or your farm. In general, parasite control programs should include appropriate selection and use of anthelmintics (dewormers), management practices that further reduce parasite transmission, and evaluation of the control program. The dewormer used must be highly effective against the parasites infesting your horse. Your veterinarian can help you determine which dewormer is appropriate for which horses. The correct amount of dewormer must be administered based on an accurate estimation of the horse’s weight; using a weight tape is strongly recommended. Routine removal of feces from stalls, pastures, and paddocks will decrease the number of parasite eggs/larvae in the environment. Manure should not be spread on pastures unless it has been properly composted for the appropriate amount of time. True composting will kill internal parasite larva in approximately three months, while piling manure and letting it sit will take a year. The effectiveness of the parasite control program should be evaluated once or twice yearly by having fecal examinations performed.

Dental Care

Proper dental care is essential to maintaining a healthy horse, and regular dental checkups should be included in every horse’s heath care program. Horses with healthy teeth will be more comfortable, utilize feed more efficiently, may perform better, and will likely keep their teeth longer. Common dental problems in horses include: sharp enamel points which cause lacerations of the cheeks and tongue, retained deciduous teeth (baby teeth, “caps”), malocclusions (the upper and lower teeth are improperly aligned) which lead to uneven wear and overgrowth of teeth, fractured teeth, loose or missing teeth, and infected teeth and/or gums. Regrettably, many horses do not show signs of dental problems until it is too late to correct them. Regular dental care can prevent many problems from occurring and allows correction of minor problems before they become severe. Dental care should begin with foals. Foals should be examined shortly after birth and again around weaning for congenital (birth) defects. If congenital defects are recognized early, surgical or orthodontic correction may be possible. Dental exams should then be performed once or twice a year depending on the age and use of the horse. Younger horses, performance horses, and geriatric horses will likely benefit from more frequent exams. Your veterinarian will help you set up an appropriate dental care plan.

Hoof Care

The time-honored phrase “No Foot – No Horse” emphasizes the importance of healthy feet to the well-being of a horse. Proper hoof care will help reduce lameness problems and allow a horse to perform up to its potential. Good hoof care involves maintaining facilities free of sharp objects that may injure a hoof, feeding a balanced diet that optimizes hoof growth and integrity, regular hoof inspection and farrier care. A horse’s feet should be handled regularly from birth. This allows it to get accustomed to having its feet worked with, and frequent observation will help caregivers recognize problems early. In general, a horse’s hooves will need to be trimmed every six to 12 weeks by a farrier in order to remove excessive growth and to ensure proper balance. The exact interval will depend on how fast the hooves grow, the horse’s activity, and the terrain to which it is exposed. Overgrown and imbalanced feet will predispose the horse to a variety of problems including thrush (a bacterial infection of the foot), hoof cracks, and lameness due to abnormal stress on joints and soft tissues. Shoeing horses is not usually necessary unless hoof wear is greater than hoof growth, resulting in lameness.

Summary

Taking care of horses does not need to be complicated. A solid health care program will help keep your horse free of disease and allow it to live a happier, longer life. Preventing problems makes more sense than treating them! Working with your veterinarian and/or Extension agent will help make the most of your horse’s health care program.

---

Reviewed by Celeste Crisman, Extension specialist, Animal and Poultry Science

---

Source: http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu

Government committed to resolving poultry industry issues

"Government is committed to resolve the issues of poultry industry and enhance export of Halal processed food to Muslim countries as poultry sector can play an important role in uplifting of our economy," MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif said this while inaugurating Pakistan Poultry Expo IPEX 2013 in Lahore today.
Acknowledging the role of poultry industry in job creation and strengthening the economy, he said government would support industry as thousands of people are attached and it ultimately affects the lives of citizens. While quoting the example of India and China he said despite the fact that both countries have cold war on different issues but their mutual trade touches $74billion while they are co-operating to increase it to $100 billion. Meanwhile, he assured that one-window operation will be provided to facilitate the poultry sector and issues such as clearance of maps for construction of farms and other bureaucratic hurdles will be removed.
He also urged poultry farmers to streamline the operations and develop poultry sector on modern lines. He opined that this sector should also set up small power plants using agricultural waste and bio-mass like Germany, where around 7,000MW is produced by using energy mix. Earlier, Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Khalil Sattar in his briefing highlighted the growth, challenges, potential and bureaucratic hurdles faced by poultry industry.
He said Pakistan is the 11th largest poultry producing country in the world with huge potential to benefit from growing demand of Halal food world over. He added that poultry sector is playing key role in poverty alleviation and provided approximately 1.7 million jobs to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers deep into the rural areas; thereby reducing chances of huge urbanisation.
He said in Pakistan poultry industry faced several setbacks in past including bird flu influenza, GST, taxes and duty incentives for imported chicken products which encouraged imported chicken processed. Moreover, TPO demands to get drafted maps from their desired architectures and farmers have to spend double amount for the maps' clearance.
For the growth of the sector he emphasised on withdrawal of zero rating of sales tax on processed and value-added products which has increased the cost of production. He also demanded removal of anomalies and added that import of machinery, equipment and implements should be free of advance income tax to reduce cost of investment.
He also highlighted examples of other countries where government support and incentives revived the industry. He said the UK VAT Act 1994 Schedule-8 Group-1 specifies food of a kind used for human consumption is Zero Rated. The term food includes products eaten as part of a meal or as a snack. Food items are not only exempted but also zero rated and entitled to input tax credit. In USA too, many States exempt all food items whether processed or unprocessed from payment of VAT.

Source: http://www.brecorder.com

The algae opportunity: Feed Livestock

The field of algae is growing rapidly. Through heterotrophic algae, we are finding a more natural, pure sustainable source of DHA and high quality fatty acids, that not only provide needed nutrients, but are revolutionising the way we feed our livestock.

By Alex Tsappis, Applications Nutrition Specialist at Alltech
The biodiversity of algae is tremendous: there are an estimated 800,000 species of algae ranging from single-celled to multi-celled organisms such as the 200-foot long giant kelp. Algae produce carbohydrates, oils, protein, vitamins, pigments and organic material. Algae’s genetic potential is also large, with a genome that is more than twice the size of yeast. Such characteristics enable algae serving many industries such as food, animal feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels.
Since algae are aquatic, they grow much faster than land plants as they do not have to expend energy growing roots and support structures like trunks, leaves and stems. Without the need for support, algae can triple or quadruple their biomass every day. While land plants only grow in one direction, algae can grow in all directions. This rapid growth means that one acre of algae can produce the same amount of protein in a year as 
21 acres of soybeans or 49 acres of corn making algal alternatives; a more sustainable option in the future.
While macroalgae (seaweed) dominates the global aquatic plant production, the microalgae industry is growing rapidly as scientists continue to find new applications for both freshwater and marine species. Today, the freshwater Chlorella and Arthrospira are 
primarily used for animal feed as well as for human dietary supplements and ingredients. Other species are used for the extraction of high-valued components such as vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, natural pigments and antioxidants.
The most commercial production of microalgae is done autotrophically in open outdoor circulating raceways or ponds. Under autotrophic growing conditions, microalgae use light energy to fix carbon dioxide, their carbon source, into hydrocarbons with oxygen discharged as a waste product. However open systems are subject to several disadvantages such as airborne contamination, variability, chemical and physical contamination; downstream processing and the growth of zooplankton and other species are also drawbacks of an open system.
The other commercial production method in growing algae is the heterotrophic system. Heterotrophic species get their energy from organic carbon compounds in much the same way as yeast, bacteria and animals. By eliminating light from the production process, any fermenter (such as those used for production of medicines, beverages and food additives) can be used for heterotrophic algal growth. These fermenters can generate large volumes of highly productive cultures making them less expensive than the autotrophic system.
The heterotrophic method maintains a closed, controlled system that provides a more consistent, traceable and pure algal product. For example, by manipulating the physical and chemical properties of the cultural medium, several species of microalgae can overproduce and accumulate higher levels of specific fatty acids.
Xu and others demonstrated that C. protothecoides had a lipid content as high as 55%, approximately four times greater than algae grown autotrophically.
In another study, Barclay and others showed that omega-3 fatty acid productivity was two to three times higher when produced in heterotrophic rather than autotrophic conditions.
Microalgae contain large quantities of high quality eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The lipid content of microalgae can reach up to 70%, with high concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Specific strains have been found to contain a staggering 14% DHA.
Microalgae and aquaculture
Algal oils are now being commercialised as sustainable alternative sources to fish oils. They have been shown to be nutritionally equivalent and can successfully enrich larval feed and to replace fish oil in fish diets.
Fish oil, derived from fisheries, is the most common and major source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. However, due to limited availability, sustainability issues, contamination risks, inconsistency and the increasing price of fish oil, some fish farmers are opting to use cheaper alternatives high in omega-6, for example vegetable oil, cotton seed oil, sunflower oil. These alternatives are however poor in omega-3 EPA and DHA.
About 30% of the world’s algae produced is used for animal feed production, with its largest applications in aquaculture. Microalgae are required in larval nutrition, either fed directly in the case of mollusks and panaeid shrimp, or indirectly as live prey in small fish larvae.
Algae and Alltech
Alltech has been working with algae for the past five years. During this time Alltech screened many different types of algae and investigated the vast array of potential uses. Alltech scientists conducted two trials to determine heterotrophically grown microalgae’s affect in Nile tilapia and Rainbow trout.
The great potential for microalgae resulted in Alltech purchasing the 100,000 ft2 algae facility in Winchester, Kentucky in 2010. Alltech Algae uses proprietary algal technology to process heterotrophic algae because of its nutritional benefits.
Alltech’s Aquaculture Center examined the impact of algae into the diets of Nile tilapia. The microalgae Schizochytrium limacinum can be fermented to produce a finished product that contains 50% fat and 14% DHA. This product increased the DHA content in the tilapia fillet while improving weight gain, while no negative growth was observed.
Another study was carried out to evaluate if algae could improve the growth performance and DHA levels in Rainbow trout. Algae was added to 90 Rainbow trout diets from Trout Lodge Sumner, WA, as an energy source replacing fish oil and soybean oil. It resulted in an increased weight gain, indicating that this alga is a suitable replacement of fish oil and fishmeal. The addition of the 14% DHA algae also led to a higher DHA content in Rainbow trout fillets. By providing a clean and consistent source of DHA omega-3 fatty acids and high quality protein, heterotrophic microalgae offers more nutrition to a diet than the 
autotrophic method.
Problems with the western diet
The fish market isn’t the only industry where omegas-3s (specifically DHA) are quickly disappearing. A nutritional disaster is literally knocking on our front door. Humans require an omega-6: omega-3 ratio of 4:1. The typical western diet provides a staggeringly high 16:1 ratio. Lowering this ratio reduces the risk of many chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and some cancers. In addition to the benefits gained from a healthy omega-6: omega-3 ratio, increased levels of DHA provide much needed nutrients essential to human functions.
Omega-3 enriched foods and beverages have had an enormous growth over the last six years. But, not all omega-3 are created equal. DHA, a long chain omega-3 fatty acid, is the most abundant omega-3 in the brain and retina. It is also an important structural component of heart tissue and naturally found in fish and marine algae. EPA, a long chain omega-3 fatty acid, is important for human health. However, it is not stored in significant levels and is not efficiently converted to DHA in the human body. The shorter-chain omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, serves mostly as a source of energy in the human body and cannot be converted efficiently into DHA.
DHA play important roles in human diets during pregnancy and early infant development. In adults, high levels of dietary DHA and EPA have been associated with lower rates of coronary heart disease, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis and inflammation, diabetes, and cancers. The typical US dietary intake of DHA + EPA is 100 mg/day, falling far short of the recommendations that range from 400 to 1000 mg/day.
Food products are now being enriched or fortified with DHA omega-3 in order to meet consumers’ nutritional requirements. Some bread and milk are now being fortified with DHA omega-3. Alltech has set out, together with retailers, feed manufactures and farmers, to create eggs and meat that are high in omega-3 DHA.
Microalgae and functional foods
Alltech tested the effects of oil from Schizochytrium, the microalgae strain added to layer diets on egg fatty acid profiles. Alltech tested Hy-Line W36, 46-week-old, 288, 12 replicate units of six hens per unit, egg samples taken after feeding four weeks treatment diets, the control diet was a corn-soy and the dose titration: 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% algae were compared.
Microalgae supplementation of chicken diet is potentially safe, sustainable way to create functional, DHA-enriched eggs to help human dietary deficiencies.
In order to utilise microalgae on a wider level, greater understanding of their nutritional value is required. Alltech investigated the effects of adding different levels of microalgae to broiler diets on growth performance, immunity of broiler chicks and the fatty acid profile of chicken meat and liver.
Around 180, one day old male broiler chicks were tested, ten replicate cages of six chicks per cage. The trial was conducted over 21 days with treatments at 0, 2, and 4% of algae supplementation. The results concluded that dietary supplementation of algae can enrich omega-3 fatty acids in meat and promote growth performance and immunity of broilers.
The future of algae
Algae are a diverse group of single organisms, with over 800,000 different species thought to exist with an estimated ability to produce over 15,000 novel compounds. 
While macroalgae dominates the global aquatic plant production, microalgae algae are currently being utilised in various nutritional products used in feed and foods due to the rich DHA omega-3 attributes.
What is the algae opportunity? Are algae the future? Absolutely. A microalgae-based feed supplement can be used to create a safe and sustainable alternative to fish oil. The question is no longer ‘if’. The question is ‘when’, and the answer is ‘now’.

Source: http://www.allaboutfeed.net/