It is an uncontested fact that feed nutrients are bio converted into animal products through the animal system. The conversion process depends on various factors. The genetic frame of the animal enables the conversion pragmatic; however the conversion efficiency of the feeds has a vital role in the process. Often it is alleged the fact that dairy cow is a poor converter of the feed nutrients to milk. The complex structure of digestive system in a cow causes significant nutrient loss while digesting, metabolising and converting into milk. The table below elucidates the nutrient conversion in a dairy cow (Dietary energy).
It could be further explained the Rough rumen out put studies.
A Rumen Model conversion of feeds
It is very evident that the above ration of concentrate:fodder 60:40 cannot support the milk production of 20 kg. Maximum it can accomplish 8 kg milk in cows and 5 kg in buffalos. The feeding of cattle feed is seen to be 8-9 kg and fodder 6-7 kg per day. In view of the latest developments in feed technology the above feeding regimen is felt obsolete. It is recommended to exploit the maximum out put of production in accordance with the animal’s genetic potential which would be economical and lucrative.
Amul Experience
The above technological model is based on the feeding regimen recommended in most of the developed countries. According to them the feeding regimen should comprise of green fodder, dry fodder (hay) and concentrates. Eventually the above system requires land availability and zero land is construed a stupidity in dairying. But in 1950 Dr. Kurien the father of dairying in India brought in a new model. The majority of Amul milk producers were landless laborers who kept one or two buffalos for support income for their family. According to Amul model the required nutrients were supplied through ‘balanced cattle feed’ a new concept evolved in animal nutrition. Along with BCF the buffalos were offered crop residues just a filler for rumination. In 1975 Dr Kurien used to say proudly that 300 MT BCF (Amuldan) is daily sent to 900 villages and 300,000 Lit. of milk is collected. Therefore 1 kg BCF is converted to 1 lit. milk. The system worked well and the same was duplicated in other districts of Gujarat. A Mechanical engineer Dr. Kurien milk production was feed conversion in animal body. Therefore he set up modern feed plants to support milk production.
But the western influence brought in their technologies of genetic improvement, fodder cultivation and feed milling.
The induction high producers cows (20 lit.) made the old concept of BCF to a feeding regimen with maximum 60% concentrates and minimum 40% roughage ( 20 kg green cultivated forage). Eventually the system required land a necessity for dairying. Bottom liner is land less milk producers had to vanish from the scene. The setting up of dairy farms, fodder cultivation, seed distribution etc became a part of the dairying. Ultimately the milk production cost started increasing.
Zero land dairying
It is felt necessary to revive the model established by Dr. Kurien in which landless milk producers could survive in rural India. IN view of the recent feed technology practices it is possible to accomplish animal production with out fodder cultivation. In fact feed nutrients are converted to animal products. The feed nutrients should be metabolisible protein and metabolisisble energy. The above nutrients could be supplied in the form of ‘Complete Feed’. The axiom shall be increase the digestibility and nutrient density in feeds and accomplish less nutrient loss in animal system. In order to achieve the above some of the feed technology process is given under.
The recent developments in feed science are given below:
1. Sugar treated protein meals: Several treatments are performed to protect protein meals from rumen degradation. Maximum work is done on soybean meal. E.g. Amino plus, Soya pass etc. Formaldehyde treatment is also advocated recently in India. Formaldehyde treated Guar meal is being used in some feed plants. The residual effect of formaldehyde is still in dispute. The treatment with sugar syrup would not only protect the protein meals in rumen but also increase the energy value of the protein meal. Therefore, the energy deficiency could be offset. The feeding of large quantity protected protein predisposes the elevation of BUN and creative in blood indicating the possible damage to liver and kidney. The sugar syrup could be sprayed onto the protein meals which would allow to coat feed particles uniformally. The formation of rumen inert sugar before coating would avoid the possible rumen acidosis too.
The treatment could be made on : Cotton seed meal, Coconut meal, Guar meal, rapeseed meal etc.
2. Sugar/molasses block licks: The advent of molasses urea block in eghtees was considered an invention. The hard blocks manufactured in special plants were popularized in India under Operation Flood program. The large proportion of UMMB is molasses (45 – 60). The high viscous molasses makes the mixing of brans, minerals and protein meals energy demanding. The poly saccharide/glu mixed with high ash content makes the hardening slower. The molasses with 59% organic matter has only 46-48% total sugar as invert. Therefore, the dietary energy availability from molasses is very low like brans. Again, the coupling of molasses with brans and high ash reduce the dry matter digestibility. The low efficiency of ‘solid to solid’ phenomenon of sucrose in molasses makes the block more hygroscopic. Eventually the molasses blocks remain as supplement feed to low yielding cattle, fattening sheep and goat and beef.
Sugar syrup has been developed as an animal feed at Al Khaleej Sugar Co, Dubai (PGK John, 2006).
Sugar Block Process.
Sugar syrup could be sprayed at 70 deg C as a mist into the mixer chamber where in the other ingrediants could be mixed using a tulip shaped paddle mixer. This would coat the sugar syrup evenly onto the feed particles. The process would evaporate moisture from sugar syrup. In case higher percentage of sugar syrup is added, the hot air could be passed through the mixer. The mixed material coming out of the mixer would be almost dry ( 12-14%) moisture. The mixture could be pressed into solid blocks in hydraulic press. The pressed blocks are packed in cardboard boxes of 5, 10 or 20kg sizes and shrink packed.
3. Sweeat halage: The development of haylage is practiced every where when excess green fodder is available converting it haylage of 55% moisture and bale and pack air tight preserve the grass for long time. Coating sugar syrup with probiotics on the haylage and cure it airtight for one month would increase the dry matter digestibility of the fodder, increase the ME value and also helps the formation of bacterial protein with VFA. The treated haylage is very aromatic, palatable and become good fodder.
The possibilities are using forest grass, straws, stovers, alfalfa hay etc in different proportion and treating it with sugar syrup and probiotics would make an energy dense fibre to make it highy digestible and convertible. The treated fodder could be stored for long time and could be transported to long distances.
4. Bypass energy Feed. Dietary energy is the important nutrient for animal production. It is more complex in case of ruminant nutrition wherein glucogenic and lipogenic nutrient energy constitute the major dietary energy for ruminants. The glucogenic nutrients are mostly propionate from rumen fermentation end products, gulcogenic amino acids and rumen bypass starch. The lipogenic nutrient is largely acetate and butyrate from rumen out put as well as rumen bypass fat. Supplemental fat continues to be a practical means of sustaining energy intake in high producing cows. Bypass starch has not developed itself as a feed supplement rather a feed process effect of starch gelatinization. In view of the above, the development of a new feed that bypasses the rumen significantly and supply energy in the form of glucose and fatty acids to support the animal production is envisaged to innovate through the project. The innovative approach to develop such a novel product is the objective of this project.
Rumen Bypass Fat
Rumen bypass or “protected” fats are essentially dry fats that are processed to be easily handled and mixed into all animal feeds. Because dry fats naturally have high melting points, they are mostly insoluble at rumen body temperature. In essence, dry fats are not as much “protected” as insoluble in the rumen such that they have little impact on rumen fermentation. Today, there are only three methods of producing dry fats for animal feeds. The method that produces the least desirable product for the cow, partial hydrogenation of tallow, is seldom used for dairy rations. One acceptable method for producing a bypass fat is to hydrolyze the fatty acids from tallow, partially hydrogenate them, and then prill them in a spray-chilling tower (e.g., Energy Booster®* 100, Milk Specialties Dundee, IL). The most widely used and effective method for producing a rumen bypass fat is to react vegetable fatty acids with calcium oxide to form insoluble calcium soaps (Enertia®, ADM; Megalac®*, Church and Dwight Co., Inc.). Within the feed industry, these calcium soaps, or salts, appear on feed labels as “calcium salts of long chain fatty acids.” Because large amounts of dietary fat will eventually reduce feed intake of any animal species, feeding guidelines for feeding bypass fats are generally in the range of 0.5 to 1kg per cow daily. Performance goals and ration cost will generally be the dominant factors in determining how much bypass fat to feed. In GCC countries, the feeding of bypass fat has been reached 1 kg per cow per day. The fatty acids mostly contained in it are palmetic and sterric acids and none of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The use of C18 fatty acids along with C20 omega 3 acids will modify the milk fat with more PUFA and omega acids, which will make the milk, fat healthier avoiding the formation of cholesterol. The possibility of such fatty acids incorporation into the milk fat globules in the alveoli of cow’s udder will further strengthen the acceptance of the new product.
The sugar syrup that will provide glucose in the animal system may be fermented in the rumen, which will result in the production of propionate. This would reduce the energy availability. The technology to bypass glucose from rumen fermentation would supply energy with out any loss. The approach suggested in the project is to the conversion of sucrose/glucose into carboxilates/sacharates of calcium or sodium salts. The above salts are insoluble in rumen therefore could be bypassed.
Fatty acid- Glucose Complex (Bypass Energy Feed)
In view of the above, the feeding advantages of fatty acids and glucose have been well documented. Considering the higher requirement of glucose for milk synthesis ( lacto genesis and milk fat synthesis de novo NADPH) the role of sugar becomes vital. The possibilities of direct incorporation of long chain fatty acids into milk fat globules encourage the use of inert fat. Eventually a combination of both important nutrients would go a long way in supporting the energy need for animal production. The supply of glucose at the intestinal part would provide more metabolisible energy. The new product would revolutionise the feeding regimen for dairy cows and would support healthy milk production.
The new feed would be chemically the metallic salts (Ca, K,Na) of long chain fatty acids (PUFA) and carboxilates/sacharites
Ca
K _ / PUFA
Na \ C12 H22O11
Conclusion
The proven technology of Amul concept could be well modified by modern feed technology so that land will not be a requirement for dairying any more. The Govt of India should look into the above and support the dairy cooperatives to go back to the Dr Kurien’s model of ‘ white revolution’.
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