scholarly journals Avena sativa AV25-T (Altoandina) Supplementation as Alternative for Colombia's High-Altitude Dairy Systems: An Economic Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Enciso ◽  
Javier Castillo ◽  
Luis Orlando Albarracín ◽  
Luis Fernando Campuzano ◽  
Mauricio Sotelo ◽  
...  

In the Colombian high-altitude tropics (2,200–3,000 m.a.s.l.), Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) is the main feed source for the dairy system. This grass species has good characteristics regarding adaptability and productivity, but is affected by frost, grass bugs (Collaria spp.) and precipitation-related production seasonality. Forage deficits might thus be a problem at several times in a year. As a strategy to maintain production stable, dairy farmers use commercial feed concentrates increasing their production costs. Agrosavia, as a response to this, started in 2005 with the evaluation and selection of new forage species for the Colombian high-altitude tropics. The oat Avena sativa AV25-T was identified as promising alternative to supply the requirements of dry matter in times of deficit and released as cultivar in 2018 under the name Altoandina. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic viability of Altoandina in Colombia's high-altitude dairy systems. Altoandina (Aa) was provided as silage in two different diets: 35%Aa−65% Kikuyu (Yellow Diet) and 65%Aa-35% Kikuyu (Red Diet). The diet for comparison was traditional grazing with 100% Kikuyu grass (Blue Diet). All diets were supplemented with 6kg commercial feed concentrate, 0.5 kg cotton seeds and 0.5 kg Alfalfa meal per cow/day, respectively. To estimate economic indicators, we used a cashflow model and risk assessment under a Monte Carlo simulation model. Including Altoandina incremented productivity per hectare by 82.3 and 220% in the Yellow and Red Diets, respectively. According to the results of our economic model, the Yellow Diet is the best alternative. Its average Net Present Value (NPV) was superior in >80% and showed a lower variability. The indicators Value at Risk (VaR) and probability (NPV < 0) show the Yellow Diet to have the lowest risk for economic loss under different yield/market scenarios. The Yellow Diet also has the lowest unit production costs and uncertainty of productive parameters. According to our findings, supplementation with Altoandina at 35%, i.e., during critical times, has high potential to improve efficiency and profitability. This information is key for the decision-making process of dairy farmers on whether to adopt this technology.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Jinqiu ◽  
Li Bing ◽  
Song Tingting ◽  
He Jinglei ◽  
KongLing Zelai ◽  
...  

Oat is an annual gramineous forage grass with the remarkable ability to survive under various stressful environments. However, understanding the effects of high altitude stresses on oats is poor. Therefore, the physiological and the transcriptomic changes were analyzed at two sites with different altitudes, low (ca. 2,080 m) or high (ca. 2,918 m), respectively. Higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activity, reactive oxygen and major reductions in photosynthesis-related markers were suggested for oats at high altitudes. Furthermore, oat yields were severely suppressed at the high altitude. RNA-seq results showed that 11,639 differentially expressed genes were detected at both the low and the high altitudes in which 5,203 up-regulated and 6,436 down-regulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment tests were conducted and a group of major high altitude-responsive pigment metabolism genes, photosynthesis, hormone signaling, and cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis were excavated. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain response, we also confirmed expression levels of 20 DEGs (qRT-PCR). In summary, our study generated genome-wide transcript profile and may be useful for understanding the molecular mechanisms of Avena sativa L. in response to high altitude stress. These new findings contribute to our deeper relevant researches on high altitude stresses and further exploring new candidategenes for adapting plateau environment oat molecular breeding.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
A A Rayas-Amor ◽  
P Dorward ◽  
T Rehman ◽  
F L Mould ◽  
O A Castelan-Ortega

Approximately 80% of all production costs are related to the purchase of forages and other feeds in dairy enterprises in Mexico. Resource poor, smallholder (campesino) systems are heavily reliant on the use of maize stover, noncultivated/cultivated grass species and weeds to feed their dairy cattle, thus a nutritional understanding of local forage resources would be of considerable economic benefit. The objective of this study was to determine the nutritive value of non-cultivated pastures (NcP) across the growing season.


2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 1797-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Plata-Reyes ◽  
E. Morales-Almaraz ◽  
C. G. Martínez-García ◽  
G. Flores-Calvete ◽  
F. López-González ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 338
Author(s):  
Ronan C. Colombo ◽  
Adriane M. de Assis ◽  
Vanessa Favetta ◽  
Lilian Y. Yamamoto ◽  
Sergio R. Roberto

Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) propagation by cuttings is a promising alternative in commercial production of seedlings, since it is an easy procedure, in addition to enabling the standardization in the field and the reduction in production costs. Therefore the objective of this work was to evaluate ‘Bengal’ lychee cuttings rooting, collected in spring and summer, using different concentrations of indolebutyric acid (IBA) and substrates. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, with 5 replications and 10 cuttings per plot, and the following factors were adopted: IBA concentrations (0; 1,000 and 2,000 mg L-1) and types of substrates (carbonized rice husk, vermiculite medium granules and coconut fiber). At 140 days, the following variables were evaluated: cuttings survival; leaf maintenance; cuttings unrooted with calli; cuttings rooted; roots number per cutting; root length and root dry mass. In addition, the pH, electrical conductivity, density and water retention capacity of the substrates were evaluated. There was no difference in IBA concentrations applied in both evaluated periods. However, in the spring, the carbonized rice husk provided highest mean for the measured variables. On the other hand, in the summer, the rooting percentage presented a lower average in all substrates (< 1%), independent of the IBA concentrations. It was concluded that the ‘Bengal’ lychee propagation by cutting can be carried out in the spring, using carbonized rice husk as substrate, without IBA.


2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Clark ◽  
Bill Malcolm ◽  
Joe Jacobs

The majority of dairy farmers and processors in Australia and New Zealand are considered world class due to their ability to produce dairy products at a cost that is competitive on the world market without requirement for subsidy. International and domestic forces beyond the farm influence the international competitiveness of Antipodean dairy systems, as much or more than, the within-farm characteristics of the systems. Critical external forces include: world population growth, protein demand from increasingly wealthy developing countries, dairy supply from domestic and international producers, international dairy prices and exchange rate volatility. Within farm, the keys to persistent profitability, business survival, and growth will continue to be management ability and labour skill as well as the relationship between milksolids (milk fat + milk protein) produced per system and total production costs. Domestic forces will include competition for resources such as land, water, quality labour and capital, and public expectation that farms will meet the costs of community environmental and welfare objectives. Public and industry investment in research, development and extension in innovations that increase productivity is essential if dairying is to remain competitive. The operation of the comparative advantage principle determines which industries thrive, or decline, in an economy. New Zealand dairying has a strong comparative advantage over alternative pastoral industries which will continue. In Australia, the comparative advantage of dairy farming over alternative activities is less clear-cut. History shows that the best farmers and processors handle risks such as market and climate volatility and other challenges better than others, and their prospects are positive. However, world class performers in the future dairy industry will certainly not be all, or even the majority, of the current population of dairy farmers.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Thiedmann ◽  
Aaron Spettl ◽  
Ole Stenzel ◽  
Thomas Zeibig ◽  
James C. Hindson ◽  
...  

The rising global demand in energy and the limited resources in fossil fuels require new technologies in renewable energies like solar cells. Silicon solar cells offer a good efficiency but suffer from high production costs. A promising alternative are polymer solar cells, due to potentially low production costs and high flexibility of the panels. In this paper, the nanostructure of organic–inorganic composites is investigated, which can be used as photoactive layers in hybrid–polymer solar cells. These materials consist of a polymeric (OC1C10-PPV) phase with CdSe nanoparticles embedded therein. On the basis of 3D image data with high spatial resolution, gained by electron tomography, an algorithm is developed to automatically extract the CdSe nanoparticles from grayscale images, where we assume them as spheres. The algorithm is based on a modified version of the Hough transform, where a watershed algorithm is used to separate the image data into basins such that each basin contains exactly one nanoparticle. After their extraction, neighboring nanoparticles are connected to form a 3D network that is related to the transport of electrons in polymer solar cells. A detailed statistical analysis of the CdSe network morphology is accomplished, which allows deeper insight into the hopping percolation pathways of electrons.


2014 ◽  
Vol 153 (4) ◽  
pp. 708-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. STERGIADIS ◽  
C. LEIFERT ◽  
C. J. SEAL ◽  
M. D. EYRE ◽  
M. K. LARSEN ◽  
...  

SUMMARYThere is an increasing interest in pasture-based dairy systems in Europe, mainly because of increasing production costs for intensive dairying. Milk is a matrix of compounds that influence nutritional and manufacturing properties, many dependent on husbandry linked to pasture-based systems (increase in pasture intake, forage : concentrate ratio, clover inclusion in swards/silages and use of alternative dairy breeds). The present study investigated the impact of three grazing-based dairy systems with contrasting feeding intensity or reliance on pasture intakes (conventional high-intensity, low pasture intake [CH], organic medium-intensity, medium pasture intake [OM], conventional low-intensity, high pasture intake [CL]) on milk fatty acid (FA) profiles, protein composition and α-tocopherol and antioxidants concentrations. The proportion of animals of alternative breeds (e.g. Jersey) and crossbred cows in the herd increased with decreasing production intensity (CH < OM < CL). Milk constituents known to be beneficial for human health, such as vaccenic acid, rumenic acid, monounsaturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, antioxidants and caseins, were elevated with decreasing production intensity (CH < OM < CL), while less desirable saturated FA were lower, although not all differences between OM and CL were significant. Omega-3 FA were maximized under OM practices, primarily as a result of higher clover intake. Increases in pasture intake may explain the higher concentrations of desirable FA while increased use of crossbreed cows is likely to be responsible for higher total protein and casein content of milk; a combination of these two factors may explain increased antioxidant levels. The higher concentrations of vaccenic acid, rumenic acid, omega-3 FA, lutein, zeaxanthin, protein and casein in OM and CL milk were found over most sampling months and in both years, reinforcing the higher nutritional quality and manufacturing properties associated with milk from these systems. A switch to pasture-based dairy products would increase the intake of milk's beneficial compounds and reduce consumption of less desirable saturated FA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-57
Author(s):  
Soeng Chat Vichea ◽  
Endang Sulistyowati ◽  
Pao Srean

The objective of this research was to analyze profitability and correlation between KOICA milk shop and dairy farms in Selupu Rejang, Rejang Lebong, Bengkulu, Indonesia.  Data driven were  general condition, performance of Milk Shop, performance of dairy farms, and the correlation between KOICA milk shop and dairy farmer are evaluated.  The methodology started by census that chosen only KOICA milk shop owner and dairy farmers who pooled the milk to KOICA milk shop.  Data collected then tabulated and analyzed using Excel and Regression.  The result showed that both KOICA milk shop and dairy all were gained properly benefit from dairy business. For the average, it was about IDR 6,557,057.75 per month equivalent to USD 493 as a profit in KOICA milk shop. The profit was depending on the milk production from dairy farmer only, if they couldn’t milk from dairy cow, KOICA milk shop won’t be able to earn money. The dairy farmers were also got IDR 3,620,311.09 (USD 272) per month as the average profit from milk, compost and calve.  There was very high correlation between the milk produced by dairy farmers then processed by Koica Milk Shop and its profit was r : 0.99. The discovering of this research was very valuable information, and also important to whom it may concern in dairy business as well as dairy farmers and Government for applying or understanding to develop new strategies for reducing production costs and to increase the profit by using model of whom successful in dairy business.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 072-077
Author(s):  
Siti Zulaiha

Biofuel is one of the most promising alternative energy sources for reducing human reliance on fossil fuels. Microalgae has recently emerged as the most promising biofuel source. However, biofuels from microalgae are still not feasible to replace fossil fuels because of their high production costs, therefore, it is necessary to pick microalgae species with high growth rates and lipid content. Overexpression of lipid biosynthesis enzymes and inhibition of competitive metabolic pathways are two genetic engineering strategies that can be developed to assess microalgae lipid production. Malate and multienzyme enzymes (GPAT, LPAAT and DGAT) can be overexpressed in microalgae to boost lipid production. The strategy of blocking competitive metabolic pathways can be carried out through suppression of starch metabolism and lipid catabolism. The strategy of blocking competitive metabolic pathways has been carried out in several microalgae and is effective for enhancing lipid biosynthesis. Several mutations that block both the starch metabolic and lipid catabolic pathways can result in increased levels of microalgal lipid accumulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Peter Stipsitz ◽  
Michael Mandl ◽  
Michael Harasek

Background: Ethyl lactate is an environmentally benign solvent, which could substitute petrol-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in many applications if production costs are reduced. It is usually produced by the esterification of lactic acid with ethanol – two important chemical building blocks of biorefineries that are available at industrial scale. Reactive distillation is a promising alternative production process, which utilises process intensification to increase energy efficiency and space-time yield by enhancing the reaction kinetics. Methods: In this work, process intensification of ethyl lactate production by means of distillation was analysed with special focus on the efficient separation of water. Different setups were evaluated. The feedstock requirements were studied and the process was optimized regarding reaction kinetics in experiments on laboratory level. The preparation of anhydrous starting mixtures for ethyl lactate formation was tested in batch experiments and applied to reactive distillation. The simultaneous distillation was optimized and assessed for its energy efficiency. For this purpose, integrated reactive distillation was compared to a simple setup for distillation enhanced esterification. Results: It was found that an optimized serial setup of reactors and distillation steps can offer similar process intensification at a lower distillate rate compared to simultaneous reactive distillation and is therefore more energy efficient. Moreover, the serial setup is more flexible and straight-forward to regulate and scale-up. Conclusions: Based on the experimental results, the optimal setup and parameters of a continuous process for ethyl lactate production by distillation enhanced esterification was presented.


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