Production of Green Biorefinery Protein Concentrate Derived from Perennial Ryegrass as an Alternative Feed for Pigs

Perennial rye grass is a widely used forage species in Ireland, on which the ruminant sector of agriculture is heavily dependent. While this species of grass is the primary source of fodder for cows, it is also abundant in plant protein, which could form a potential alternative ingredient in monogastric animal feed using a green biorefinery approach. In this study, perennial rye grass was processed using a novel biorefining process to extract value added products including protein as a potential replacement for soybean meal in monogastric feeds. Feed trials were conducted on a commercial farm with 55 weaner pigs for 31 days until slaughter. The diets comprised a control and a trial diet which integrated the green biorefinery protein concentrate. The effects of the new diet were determined by measuring the daily feed intake (DFI), average weight gain (AWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Amino acid profiles of grass protein concentrate and soybean meal were comparable, with the latter having a slightly higher amount of total protein content, lysine and cysteine. The DFI and ADW indicated that the treatment diet was superior to the control. DFI for the treatment diet (1.512 kg/d) was 8% higher than the control diet (1.400 kg/d) by the end of the trial. Additionally, the ADW for the treatment diet was 6.44% higher than that achieved in the control sample. Meanwhile, FCR calculations indicated that the treatment diet is just as efficient as the conventional diet. Overall, the results of the study indicate positive potential for perennial ryegrass-derived green biorefinery protein concentrate as an alternative protein source for pig feed formulations in Ireland.

Fertilización orgánica en el rendimiento de tres variedades de pasto, para la alimentación de vacunos

Con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de la fertilización orgánica (uso de gallinaza) sobre tres variedades de rye Grass (Ecotipo Cajamarquino, Bóxer y Tama) se evaluó las variables: Porcentaje de germinación, Prendimiento (P), Altura de planta (AP), Materia Verde (MV) y Materia Seca (MS). Se instalaron parcelas de 8 m² por cada tratamiento en dos bloques, evaluados durante tres cortes. Se empleó el Diseño en Bloques Completamente al Azar DBCA. El resultado indica diferencias significativas entre tratamientos (p< 0,05) para AP, MV y MS, donde la mejor variedad con respecto a AP y FV fueron el Bóxer (37,3875 cm) y el Ecotipo cajamarquino (34.6375 cm). La mayor producción de FV mostró el Bóxer con 18,760 t/ha/año y un nivel de 16.2417 % MS, mientras que la variedad Ecotipo Cajamarquino obtuvo un rendimiento de FV 14,116 t/ha/año y un 17.0667 % MS, seguida de la variedad Tama con 11,275 t/ha/año de FV y un 15.4000 % MS. Se concluye que la variedad Bóxer es un pasto hibrido anual de muy buen rendimiento con respecto a MV, pero a su vez es un pasto de gran exigencia nutricional, mientras que el Ecotipo Cajamarquino es de carácter perenne y alta rusticidad y muy diseminado en el distrito de investigación.

Analysis of Nutrient Composition, Rumen Degradation Characteristics, and Feeding Value of Chinese Rye Grass, Barley Grass, and Naked Oat Straw

The current study was designed to investigate the chemical composition, rumen degradation characteristics, and feeding value of three roughages commonly used in Asia as ruminant feed, including Chinese rye grass (CRG), barley grass (BG), and naked oat straw (NO). Four Holstein Friesian cows equipped with permanent rumen fistulas were chosen for experimental trials in the current study. The nylon bag method was carried out to measure the crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Our analysis revealed that the contents of CP in the CRG (9.0%) and BG (8.9%) were higher than in the NO (5.94%). The contents of NDF in the CRG (64.97%) and NO (63.83%) were lower than in the BG (67.33%), and the content of ADF in the CRG (37.03%) was lower than in the BG (37.93%) and NO (38.28%). The ED values of DM in the NO and CRG were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in the BG. The effective degradability (ED) values of NDF were the highest in the CRG and lowest in the NO (p < 0.001). In addition, the ED values of ADF were the highest in the CRG and lowest in the BG (p < 0.001). The ED value of CP in the CRG was significantly higher than that in the BG and NO (p < 0.001). The estimated total digestible nutrients (TDN) (54.56%) and DM degradation rate (DDM) (60.06%) of the CRG were higher than those of BG and NO. In addition, the expected DM intake (DMI), estimated relative feed value (RFV), and estimated relative feed quality (RFQ) of the BG were lower than those of the CRG and NO. Altogether, based on our findings, we concluded that the nutritional quality, feeding value and effective rumen degradation rate of CRG were better than of BG and NO.

Soil Nitrogen Treatment Alters Microbiome Networks Across Farm Niches

BackgroundAgriculture is fundamental for food production, and microbiomes support agricultural through multiple essential ecosystem services. Despite the importance of individual (i.e. niche specific) agricultural microbiomes, microbiome interactions across niches are not well-understood. To observe the linkages between nearby agricultural microbiomes, multiple approaches (16S, 18S, and ITS) were used to inspect a broad coverage of niche microbiomes. Here we examined agricultural microbiome responses to 3 different nitrogen treatments (0 kg/ha/yr, 150kg/ha/yr and 300kg/ha/yr) in soil and tracked linked responses in other neighbouring farm niches (rumen, faecal, white clover leaf, white clover root, rye grass leaf, rye grass root)ResultsNitrogen treatment had little impact on microbiome structure or composition across niches, but drastically reduced the microbiome network connectivity in soil. Networks of 16S microbiomes were the most sensitive to nitrogen treatment across amplicons, where ITS microbiome networks were the least responsive.ConclusionsNitrogen enrichment in soil altered soil and the neighbouring microbiome networks, supporting our hypotheses that nitrogen treatment in soil altered microbiomes in soil and in nearby niches. This suggested that agricultural microbiomes across farm niches are ecologically interactive. Therefore, knock-on effects on neighbouring niches should to be considered when management is applied to a single agricultural niche.

Plasma-fixated nitrogen as fertilizer for turf grass

Plasma-fixated nitrogen is a sustainably produced nitrogen fertilizer with applications in recreational turf grass such as rye grass and bent grass.

Phosphorus in Spring Barley and Italian Rye-Grass Biomass as an Effect of Inter-Species Interactions under Water Deficit

With global warming, the problem of soil water deficit is growing in Central Europe, including Poland, and the use of catch crops is recommended to mitigate climate changes. This study aimed to determine the influence of water deficit on phosphorus (P) content and accumulation in the above-ground biomass of spring barley and Italian rye-grass growing separately and in the mixture, and on the inter-species interactions between these crops. The study was based on a pot experiment established in accordance with the additive design. The experimental factors were as follows: A. water supply of the plants: an optimal dose and a dose reduced by 50% in relation to the optimal dose, and B. the sowing type: barley sown as a single species, rye-grass sown as a single species, and barley with rye-grass catch crop. Based on the P accumulation in plant biomass, the relative yield of barley and rye-grass, the total relative yield, and the competitive equilibrium index were determined. Water deficit had no effect on the P content in the plants, but it reduced the P accumulation in barley stems, leaves and spikes, as well as in rye-grass stems and leaves, from the emergence to the end of plants’ growing period, both when the plants were sown as a single species and as a mixture. Barley was a stronger competitor than rye-grass. Inter-species competition occurred at the stem elongation and heading of barley. The intensification of inter-species competition for P under water deficit conditions should be taken into account when recommending the undersowing of barley with rye-grass for sustainable agriculture.

Antifungal and Phytotoxic Activities of Essential Oils: In Vitro Assays and Their Potential Use in Crop Protection

(1) Background: The use of natural products based on essential oils (EO) is nowadays arousing great interest as an alternative method to control plant pathogens and weeds. However, EO possess low bioavailability and are highly volatile, and their encapsulation in hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) could be a means to enhance their stability and maintain their bioactivity. Thus, the current study aims at investigating, in the presence and the absence of HP-β-CD, the antifungal and phytotoxic activities of nine EO, distilled from plant species belonging to Alliaceae, Apiaceae, and Cupressaceae families, with considerations for their chemical composition. (2) Methods: EO antifungal activity was assessed by direct contact and volatility assays against Fusarium culmorum, a major phytopathogenic fungi, while phytotoxic effects were evaluated against lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and rye-grass (Lolium perenne L.), by seedling’s emergence and growth assays. (3) Results: These EO inhibit fungal growth in both direct contact and volatility assays, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) ranging from 0.01 to 4.2 g L−1, and from 0.08 up to 25.6 g L−1, respectively. Concerning phytotoxicity, these EO have shown great potential in inhibiting lettuce (IC50 ranging from 0.0008 up to 0.3 g L−1) and rye-grass (IC50 ranging from 0.01 to 0.8 g L−1) seedlings’ emergence and growth. However, the EO encapsulation in HP-β-CD has not shown a significant improvement in EO biological properties in our experimental conditions. (4) Conclusion: All tested EO present antifungal and phytotoxic activities, with diverse efficacy regarding their chemical composition, whilst no increase of their biological effects was observed with HP-β-CD.

Los pastos estrella africana, kikuyo y “rye grass” en Cartago, Costa Rica: biomasa, composición botánica y nutrientes

Introducción: El forraje es el alimento principal para el ganado lechero y su calidad y biomasa definen equilibrios nutricionales óptimos. Objetivo: Valoramos la disponibilidad de biomasa, la composición botánica, los contenidos de proteína cruda, fibra detergente neutro y la digestibilidad del pasto estrella africana, kikuyo y ryegrass bajo pastoreo, ubicados en las faldas del volcán Irazú, Costa Rica con 30, 30 y 38 días de rebrote, respectivamente. Métodos: De junio 2016 a julio 2017, recolectamos muestras de los tres forrajes, 1-2 días antes del ingreso de los animales, para 20 muestreos en cada forraje, mediante el uso de una técnica visual que permite determinar la biomasa disponible en cada aparto. Esta muestra se dividió en tres partes, para el análisis de composición nutricional, número de hojas y composición botánica. Resultados: Encontramos que el pasto estrella africana ofrece mayor cantidad de materia seca disponible (Kg MS/animal/potrero), proteína disponible, FDN digestible y materia seca digestible que los pastos kikuyo y ryegrass. Además, no determinamos diferencias en los aportes nutricionales entre el pasto kikuyo y ryegrass. Identificamos cuatro coberturas en los potreros, donde la gramínea principal fluctuó entre 50 y 99%, la secundaria, entre 0 y 36%, las arvenses y leguminosas de 0 a 7,5% y 0 a 15% respectivamente. Mientras que, el material senescente vario entre 0 a 46% según la especie forrajera. Conclusión: La composición botánica en los potreros no tuvo efecto sobre el valor nutricional de los tres pastos.

Efecto de la suplementación de proteína y energía sobre la producción láctea, densidad, sólidos totales, grasa y nitrógeno ureico en la leche de vacas Brown Swiss en condiciones hipobáricas naturales

El estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar el efecto de la ratio energía / proteína de las raciones alimenticias suplementarias (RAS) sobre la producción y características de la leche en condiciones hipobáricas naturales (4300 m de altitud en Puno, Perú). Se distribuyeron al azar 24 vacas Brown Swiss de primer y segundo tercio de lactación en tres RAS con tres ratios de energía metabolizable / proteína (RAS1: 17.0 kcal/g; RAS2: 14.2 kcal/g; RAS3: 12.4 kcal/g) y como fuente de proteína tres niveles de harina hidrolizada de pieles de ovino y alpaca – Pioval-2® (0, 3 y 6%, respectivamente) y tres niveles de harina de soya integral extruida (0, 10 y 25%, respectivamente). Las vacas estaban al pastoreo sobre cultivo de alfalfa asociado a rye grass y recibieron ensilado de avena. Se determinó la producción diaria de leche (PDL) durante 45 días, así como la densidad (DE), sólidos totales (ST), grasa (GR) y nitrógeno ureico en la leche (NUL) a los 0, 15, 30 y 45 días. Las RAS no afectaron la PDL (17.7, 18.8 y 19.0 kg/día) ni la DE (1,031, 1,031 y 1,030 g/l, respectivamente) de la leche. La RAS2 incrementó los ST y GR (13.0%, 4.2%) con relación a RAS1 (12.4%, 3.8%) y RAS3: 12.2%, 3.9%) (p<0.01) en la leche, respectivamente. Con la disminución de la fracción energía / proteína en las raciones el NUL aumentó proporcionalmente (RAS1: 28.9; RAS2: 32.3; RAS3: 36.8 mg/dl; p<0.001). En conclusión, el aumento de la fracción energía / proteína de la ración de concentrado no afectó la producción ni la densidad de la leche, pero mejoró el contenido de sólidos totales y grasa; mientras que la reducción de la ratio energía / proteína en la ración incrementó consistentemente el nitrógeno ureico en la leche.