Dynamics of water-energy-food nexus interactions with climate change and policy options

Understanding the dynamics of water-energy-food (WEF) nexus interactions with climate change and human intervention helps inform policymaking. This study demonstrates the WEF nexus behavior under ensembles of climate change, transboundary inflows, and policy options, and evaluates the overall nexus performance using a previously developed system dynamics-based WEF nexus model—WEF-Sask. The climate scenarios include a baseline (1986-2014) and near-future climate projections (2021-2050). The approach is demonstrated through the case study of Saskatchewan, Canada. Results show that rising temperature with increased rainfall likely maintains reliable food and feed production. The climate scenarios characterized by a combination of moderate temperature increase and slightly less rainfall or higher temperature increase with slightly higher rainfall are easier to adapt to by irrigation expansion. However, such expansion uses a large amount of water resulting in reduced hydropower production. In contrast, higher temperature, combined with less rainfall, such as SSP370 (2.4 ℃, -6 mm), is difficult to adapt to by irrigation expansion. Renewable energy expansion, the most effective climate change mitigation option in Saskatchewan, leads to the best nexus performance during 2021-2050, reducing total water demand, groundwater demand, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and potentially increasing water available for food production. In this study, we recommend and use food and power production targets and provide an approach to assessing the impacts of hydroclimate and policy options on the WEF nexus, along with suggestions for adapting the agriculture and energy sectors to climate change.

New Pellet Feeds for Rabbits with a High Content of Nutrients and With the Addition of Dietary Supplements

This research presented the pellet feed production line. Three pellet feed formulasfor young stock rabbits (28-135 days old) were developed with the addition of experimental dietary supplements grouped into the following protein green complexes (PGC):PGC-92-1including thе following supplements- dried herbal pulp from red clover, herbal alfalfa meal, and Sporotherminprobiotic; PGC-92-2 including the following supplements - protein feed concentrate from wheat stillage filtrate (syrup), herbal alfalfa meal, and Sporothermin probiotic; PGC-92-3 including the following supplements – PGC from red clover, herbal alfalfa meal,andSporothermin probiotic. These were compared with feed formulated without dietary supplements (PGC-92 (Control)). The nutritional value of the concentrate feeds met the requirements assigned for this group of animals. The storage of the formulatedconcentrate feeds took place in industrial conditions (the floor store) in paper bags of 30 kg per group at the temperature of 18-20 ∘C and the relative humidity of 65-70%. Due to itsmoisture content exceeding the standard requirements, the check concentrate feed (Control) revealed a higher content of fungal and bacterial microflora. The fat acidityvalue and the total acidity increased, which indicated the instability of this batch of concentrate feed during storage. The experimental batches of concentrate feed had a stablequality and retained good quality throughout the testing period. The testing of the effects of the studied complexes in fattening young stock rabbits was carried out on the premises of the Lipetsk Rabbit LLC industrial complex with 2000 rabbits. The use ofall-in-onepellet feedsformulated with the addition ofdietary supplements made it possible to increase the slaughter yield by 3.62%, 4.45% and 3.96%, while reducing feed intake per 1 kg of slaughter mass by 0.72 ECU, 0.38 ECU and 0.88 ECU. There was an increase in profit of 17725.25rubles, 16114.38 rubles and 14168.55 rubles, and an increase in the level of profitability by 45.93%, 41.26% and 31.24%, which resulted from a highersafety andgrowth performance of the raised rabbits. Keywords: concentrate feeds, pellet feeds, dietary supplements, protein green complex, feed for rabbits, growth performance

Innovative Wastewater Treatment Technologies for Resource-Saving Activities of Feed Mills

Introduction. National economies are looking for tools to activate the explicit and hidden resource potential. Innovative resource-saving projects are such a tool. Feed production strives to increase its resource efficiency. Study objects and methods. The present research featured the feed industry of the Russian Federation and regional feed mills. It involved structural, functional, and systematic approaches and standard research methods. Results and discussion. Liquid waste proved to be an important resource potential of modern feed production. It contains substances with high nutritional, biological, and energy value and can be used to produce methionine. The experimental part featured an industrial enterprise in the Voronezh region, which expects to produce 1452 tons of methionine worth 58 080 thousand rubles. The profitability will be 616.76%, the gross return on sales − 86.1%, the payback time – 1.44 months, the efficiency of capital investments – 8.45. Conclusion. The innovative project will reduce the negative impact on the environment, increase the resource efficiency of the enterprise, and provide additional income.

Horses’ rejection behaviour towards the presence of Senecio jacobaea L. in hay

Background Senecio jacobaea contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can induce severe hepatic intoxication in horses, either acute when ingested in high amounts or chronic when consumed over a long period. The aim of this study was to determine horses’ rejection behaviour towards the presence of Senecio jacobaea in hay when fed ad libitum. We hypothesized that adult horses can sort Senecio jacobaea out of the contaminated hay when hay is fed ad libitum. Six warmblood geldings with a mean (±SD) age of 15 ± 2 years were included. In a randomized study, Senecio jacobaea contaminated hay (5% or 10% contamination level) was provided at several timepoints over the day for 1 hour to six. Hay was provided ad libitum for the rest of the day. The horses’ rejection behaviour towards Senecio jacobaea was observed. If a horse ingested two Senecio jacobaea plants twice at different timepoints, then the horse was excluded from the experiment. Results Two out of six horses had to be excluded from the study after three out of 12 observation periods due to repeated Senecio jacobaea intake. Two other horses had to be excluded after nine and 11 out of 12 observation periods. Only two horses were able to sort out the various amounts (5 and 10% contamination level) of Senecio jacobaea during the whole experiment. Conclusions Horses’ intake of Senecio jacobaea cannot be avoided despite being fed with hay ad libitum. Due to the risk of chronic intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids intake, feeding Senecio jacobaea contaminated hay must be avoided, and pastures with Senecio jacobaea growth are considered inappropriate for feed production.

Development and performance evaluation of a livestock feed chopper/pulverizer

Crop residues are bulky and low in nutrients. Their size reduction is imperative in order to compound them with other feed ingredients to achieve balanced feedstock for livestock. A chopping and pulverizing machine was designed and constructed to chop and pulverized feed materials. It comprises of chopping hopper, pulverizing hopper, metering device, chopping/ pulverizing chamber, screen and the processed feed outlet. The performance of the machine was evaluated on the basis of throughput capacity, pulverizing efficiency, scatter losses as dependent variables while moisture content was the independent variable. There were two level of speeds (1500 rpm and 2100 rpm) and five levels of moisture content (13 %, 16 %, 19 %, 21 %, 24 %, and 27 % dry basis). The throughput capacity, pulverizing efficiency had highest values of 222 kg/h and of 92.5 % respectively at moisture content level of 13 % (db) and 2100 rpm speed. However, the least scatter losses obtained was 2.5 % at moisture content level of 27 % (db) and 1500 rpm speed. As the moisture content increased, throughput capacity, pulverizing efficiency and scatter losses decreases at both speeds. The developed machine could enhance the use of crop residues in feeding livestock which could ultimately reduce the cost of livestock feed production.

DEVELOPMENT OF LIVESTOCK BASED ON MODERN FEED PRODUCTION

The state of animal husbandry in the country, directions of intensification of the industry, factors that restrain the growth of economic efficiency of animal husbandry, the influence of feed production on the development of animal husbandry are analyzed. The directions of increasing the economic efficiency of forage production by increasing the proportion of proteins in the feed used, improving their structure by expanding the crops of perennial legumes and legume-cereal grass mixtures are proposed.

FEED PRODUCTION IN AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES OF THE KIROV REGION

The state of the agro-industrial complex of the Kirov region, the factors hindering its development, key problems are analyzed, the main directions of intensification of the industry are proposed on the basis of the implementation of the achievements of modern agricultural science and practice, the use of innovative technologies in fodder production.

INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF FEED PRODUCTION

The functioning, growth and development of the agro-industrial complex economy is largely determined by the state of fodder production. The introduction and effective management of innovations in feed production is the most important factor in reducing high costs in feed production and expanding the feed base.

EVALUATION OF THE INITIAL MATERIAL OF THE FESTULOLIUM FOR THE STEPPE CONDITIONS OF THE CENTRAL CHERNOZEM REGION

In recent decades, a new feed crop, festulolium, has been widely used in the feed production of Russia. In this regard, an important task is the permanent creation of a line of festulolium varieties that ensure high efficiency of using this crop in various climatic and ecological conditions. The article presents the material on the assessment of the initial material of the festulolium in the steppe conditions of the Central Chernozem region.