Exogenous Enzymes in Animal Nutrition- Benefits and Limitations

The use of exogenous enzymes in animal nutrition dates back to the mid-1920s, however, nowadays the development of interdisciplinary sciences exploiting molecular methods create new opportunities and deliver new tools to assess effectiveness of their utilization. The proper use of enzymes in animal nutrition allows to obtain maximum benefit from their action not only for the animals, but also for the environment

Housing microfinance and the empowerment of low-income households in Kenya

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Public Policy,2018It has been reported that only 10.2% of all Kenyan urban households can afford the cheapest newly built house constructed by formal developers. Majority of Kenyans have limited access to adequate housing and cannot afford an average loan to finance a decent house; this has pushed many low-income households into the slums. The country is left to grapple with an annual deficit of an approximate 200,000 housing units for its urban areas. With the affordability issue rife, credit reform has become a critical discussion point in Kenya and most other developing countries. In light of this, housing microfinance has emerged as an effective and sustainable solution responsive to the needs of the poor. Many sub-Saharan African countries including South Africa, Uganda, Angola, and Ghana have made significant policy efforts to exploit the HMF market. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of HMF among low-income households (LIHs) in Kenya. And the aim is to draw attention to the effectiveness of HMF in addressing housing needs for the poor, thereby calling for government intervention in the housing microfinance sub-sector. To gather information about borrowers, microfinance institutions, and HMF portfolios, this study conducted a literature review of current research, surveys and databases. Data gathered was described and explored qualitatively to establish the socio-economic impact of housing microfinance on the borrowers. The results show that housing microfinance contributes to affordable housing through relatively cheaper credit; empowers home owners with dweller-control of the construction process; and improves the quality of homes of low income households. The study also finds that HMF enhances household empowerment measured in terms of financial inclusion (more opportunities to access savings and credit services), social inclusion and economic security. Finally, the paper advocates for a government-led integrated support structure for the HMF subsector as a means to address challenges faced by the poor in financing development. This support takes two forms; a housing microfinance loan guarantee system and institutional capacity building for HMF institutions. The housing microfinance loan guarantee scheme seeks to provide lenders with guarantees of loan repayment to assist in financing housing construction/ rehabilitation for the more risky and less profitable lower income households. HMF institutional capacity building seeks to assist HMF institutions in the areas of risk management and underwriting to minimize non-performing loans and remain profitable while providing a social good – housing.1 INTRODUCTION 2 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE 3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK. 4 DISCUSSION 5 CONCLUSIONmasterpublishedNicholas Ouma ODONGO

Effects of exogenous cellulase and xylanase enzyme preparations on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth, and economics of rearing Mongolian lambs

In a completely randomised design, twenty four 12-months old Mongolian breed male lambs averaging 21.6 ± 0.48 kg of body weight (BW) were used to evaluate the effects of exogenous cellulase and xylanase enzyme preparations on feed intake, digestibility of nutrients, growth and economics of rearing lambs. The lambs were randomly assigned to six treatment groups with four animals per treatment. The treatment combinations comprised: i) two enzyme preparations, i.e. cellulase vs. xylanase (ENZc, ENZx), ii) two ration types, i.e. wheat straw + wheat bran (diet W) vs. barley straw + wheat bran (diet B) and iii) two control diets (diet W and diet B without enzyme preparations, –ENZ). Lambs were fed the cellulase and xylanase treated wheat and barley straws ad libitum whereas the wheat bran was offered at 400 g DM per day. Significant effects were observed for nutrient intake of diet B+ENZc, and for crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility of diet W+ENZc. The average daily gain (ADG) increased in all enzyme treated groups with highest values found in diet B+ENZc, but without significant differences found between the two enzyme preparations. Both enzyme preparations had positive effects on feed conversion ratio (FCR) of both diets, where by the highest values were found for diet B +ENZc. Enzyme preparation had no effect on the total feed cost for both diet types and showed positive effects on other economic parameters, where by cellulase yielded better results than xylanase. These results suggest that cellulase addition is effective for improving digestibility of nutrients, growth performance and net revenue ingrowing lambs

Use of poultry pre-cooked slaughterhouse waste as ruminant feed to prevent environmental pollution

The generation of poultry slaughterhouse waste from poultry production is not only unavoidable but the amount and kinds of waste can cause environmental problems. In the present study, the potential rumen digestion of poultry slaughterhouse waste which consists of protein-rich organic residues was evaluated. The chemical composition, amino acid profile and Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System fractions of these wastes was determined. Rumen digestion of poultry slaughterhouse waste was compared with two common protein sources (fish meal and roasted soybean). Three poultry slaughterhouse waste samples were collected from industrial poultry slaughter-houses and the in situ degradation was done using rumen cannulated sheep. The protein (50e63%), ether extracts (18e27%) and ash (9e15.5%) contents of different poultry slaughterhouse waste samples were different (P < 0.05). Methionine and lysine contents were similar among different poultry slaughterhouse waste sources. Difference were observed for cystine (1.2e1.7%), threonine (1.9e2.2%), arginine (3e3.5%), leucine (3.5e4.1%) and valine (2.8e3.3%) (P < 0.05). Ruminal degradation rate for dry matter, organic matter and protein were different among poultry slaughterhouse waste, fish meal and roasted soybean. The degradation parameter for protein degradation was 76% for poultry slaughterhouse waste, 79% for fish meal and 98% for roasted soybean (P < 0.05). Results revealed that there was great variation in chemical composition, protein fractioning, and amino acid profiles of different poultry slaughterhouse waste sources. Poultry slaughterhouse waste is slowly-degraded protein in the rumen and thus can be an economical and rich source of rumen undegradable protein in ruminant nutrition. This implies that the use of poultry slaughterhouse waste in ruminant nutrition has a huge potential as a cleaner product of animal feeding and prevention environmental pollution. However, further studies are warranted to evaluate the digestibility of poultry slaughterhouse waste amino acids escaping the rumen into the intestine in ruminants and to compare the biological values for the amino acids in these waste material with common ruminant feedstuffs

Use of poultry pre-cooked slaughterhouse waste as ruminant feed to prevent environmental pollution

The nine samples from each slaughterhouse were pooled and sub-sampled to make three samples per slaughterhouse. Dried PSW samples were ground through a 1 mm screen (Wiley mill, Arthur H. Thomas, Philadelphia, PA), and samples analyzed for amino acids, total nitrogen, fat, ash and organic matter (AOAC, 1990). The CNCPS protein fractions of the PSW was determined according to standardized procedure of Licitra et al. (1996) at the University of Bahonar, Kerman. The B2 fraction was calculated by difference and results are reported as CP percentage. Phosphate buffer soluble nitrogen (PBSN) was determined using the phosphate buffer. Neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen (NDIN) and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) were determined as the nitrogen content of the residual after neutral and acid detergent procedures. The analysis of 11 amino acids i.e. arginine, cysteine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine in three different PSW samples was performed using NIRS, FOSS 5000 Denmark at the Paya Amin Mehr Company (Tehran, Iran).The generation of poultry slaughterhouse waste from poultry production is not only unavoidable but the amount and kinds of waste can cause environmental problems. In the present study, the potential rumen digestion of poultry slaughterhouse waste which consists of protein-rich organic residues was evaluated. The chemical composition, amino acid profile and Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System fractions of these wastes was determined. Rumen digestion of poultry slaughterhouse waste was compared with two common protein sources (fish meal and roasted soybean). Three poultry slaughterhouse waste samples were collected from industrial poultry slaughter-houses and the in situ degradation was done using rumen cannulated sheep. The protein (50e63%), ether extracts (18e27%) and ash (9e15.5%) contents of different poultry slaughterhouse waste samples were different (P < 0.05). Methionine and lysine contents were similar among different poultry slaughterhouse waste sources. Difference were observed for cystine (1.2e1.7%), threonine (1.9e2.2%), arginine (3e3.5%), leucine (3.5e4.1%) and valine (2.8e3.3%) (P < 0.05). Ruminal degradation rate for dry matter, organic matter and protein were different among poultry slaughterhouse waste, fish meal and roasted soybean. The degradation parameter for protein degradation was 76% for poultry slaughterhouse waste, 79% for fish meal and 98% for roasted soybean (P < 0.05). Results revealed that there was great variation in chemical composition, protein fractioning, and amino acid profiles of different poultry slaughterhouse waste sources. Poultry slaughterhouse waste is slowly-degraded protein in the rumen and thus can be an economical and rich source of rumen undegradable protein in ruminant nutrition. This implies that the use of poultry slaughterhouse waste in ruminant nutrition has a huge potential as a cleaner product of animal feeding and prevention environmental pollution. However, further studies are warranted to evaluate the digestibility of poultry slaughterhouse waste amino acids escaping the rumen into the intestine in ruminants and to compare the biological values for the amino acids in these waste material with common ruminant feedstuffs

Rumen degradation and nutritive utilization of wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse ensiled with multienzymes

Agricultural wastes such as wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse are carbohydrate-rich materials with a large potential as a source of dietary energy for ruminants. However, such feeds have poor nutritional value with low nitrogen and high fibre content (Tang et al. 2013; Ghorbani et al. 2014; Kholif et al. 2014). Although ruminant production systems depend mainly on forages as the main nutritional components, the digestion of these fibrous forages in the rumen is limited by their high content of fibre and inefficient fibre degradation (Krause et al. 2003; Khattab et al. 2013), thus limiting their use as the sole feed for actively growing or high-performing ruminants (Dean et al. 2013). The high fibre content also prevents the access of ruminal hydrolytic enzymes to cellulose and hemicellulose (Chesson 1984).The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anaerobic ensiling of raw agricultural wastes with a fibrolytic enzyme cocktail (EZ) as a cleaner and sustainable biological product for animal feed. Ten 1-kg samples of wheat straw, corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse were chopped at 5 cm length and mixed with EZ at three levels of 0, 1 or 3 L enzyme/ton of feed, moistened to a relative humidity of approximately 50% and ensiled in plastic bales for 30 days. Additionally, fibrous samples were incubated for 72 h with rumen liquor to determine the digestion of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre. Increasing enzyme level lowered ether extract and nitrogen-free extract contents of fibrous feeds and increased the biodegradation of acid detergent lignin of wheat straw. Anaerobic ensiled corn stalks and sugarcane bagasse with EZ improved the biodegradation of DM and fibre fractions. It could be concluded that ensiling fibres of the three wastes with EZ improved and enhanced their ruminal digestion with the biodegradation rate at 3 L/ton and subsequently produced a cleaner product for animal feed from agriculture wastes

The effects of three total mixed rations with different concentrate to maize silage ratios and different levels of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris on in vitro total gas, methane and carbon dioxide production

The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of adding Chlorella vulgaris algae at different levels on in vitro gas production (GP) of three total mixed rations (TMR) with different concentrate (C): maize silage (S) ratios (25C : 75S, 50C : 50S, 75C : 25S). Chlorella vulgaris was added at 0, 20, 40 and 80 mg/g dry matter (DM) of the TMR and total gas, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production were recorded after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24 and 48 h of incubation in three runs. Increasing concentrate portion in the TMR linearly increased the asymptotic GP and decreased the rate of GP without affecting the lag time. Addition of C. vulgaris at 20 mg/ g DM to the 25C : 75S TMR increased the asymptotic GP, CH4, CO2 and GP at 48 h. Addition of C. vulgaris to the 50C : 50S TMR decreased the asymptotic GP and GP at 48 h. Higher CH4 production was observed at 48 h of incubation when C. vulgaris was included at (per g DM): 20 mg for the 25C : 75S ration, 40 mg for the 50C : 50S ration and 80 mg for the 75C : 25S ration. Inclusion of C. vulgaris linearly increased CH4 production for the 50C : 50S ration and increased CO2 production at 10 and 12 h of incubation for the 50C : 50S ration, whereas 20 and 40 mg C. vulgaris/g DM of the 75C : 25S TMR decreased CO2 production. The 25C : 75S TMR had the highest in vitro DM disappearance with C. vulgaris addition. Chlorella vulgaris addition was more effective with rations high in fibre content than those high in concentrates. It can be concluded that the optimal level of C. vulgaris addition was 20 mg/g DM for improved ruminal fermentation of the 25C : 75S TMR

Effects of organic acid salts on ruminal biogas production and fermentation kinetics of total mixed rations with different maize silage to concentrate ratios

Methane is a major greenhouse gas (GHG) produced during the normal digestive process in ruminant animals (Blaxter and Clapperton, 1965) with a global warming potential, 25-fold that of carbon dioxide (IPCC, 2007). In addition to environmental implications, ruminant methanogenesis represents a loss of 2e12% of the gross energy intake (Johnson and Johnson, 1995; Soltanali et al., 2015) with a greater environmental impact from the confinement system compared with pasture-based system (O'Brien et al., 2012). A cow can produce 250 to 500 L of methane (CH4) per day depending on the quantity and quality of the feed which affects rate of digestion and rate of passage in the fermentation process (Johnson and Johnson, 1995). Furthermore, cattle consuming high fibre diets typically lose about 6% of gross dietary energy as methane (CH4), whereas those on high concentrate rations generally lose about 3% of dietary gross energy as CH4 (Mc Geough et al., 2012). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the livestock sector is responsible for about 18% of total global anthropogenic GHG emissionsRuminants are one of the major generators of methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) with a global warming potential, 25-fold that of carbon dioxide. Methane production by ruminants also reduces the gross feed energy intake utilization by about 2e12%. The present study aimed to test the effects of different levels of a ruminal fermentation modulator (RFM) on in vitro ruminal fermentation and GHG production of five total mixed rations (TMR) with different silage (S) to-concentrate (C) ratios (0S:100C, 25S:75C, 50S:50C, 75S:25C, and 100S:0C). The RFM contained mainly calcium propionate and malate, and monopropylene glycol. The rumen inoculum was collected from a Brown Swiss cow fed a TMR of concentrate and alfalfa hay (1:1 dry matter (DM)) ad libitum. Gas production (GP) measurements were recorded up to 72 h of incubation. There were interactions (P 0.05) on methane production. The DM digestibility increased (linear effect; P ¼ 0.003) as silage level increased. Overall, increasing silage in the TMR lowered the asymptotic GP and DM digestibility. The asymptotic GP was higher with the addition of the RFM without any effect on fermentation kinetics. These results suggest that the RFM can be used as an environmental cleaner product in animal farming due to its ability to improve ruminal fermentation of feedstuffs and to reduce methane emission