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Using nylon bag techniques, Cornell net carbohydrates and protein systems (CNCPS), and scanning electron microscopy, the authors examined the digestibility and structure of Vicia ervilia (ervil, bitter vetch) after steam flaking, roasting, and microwave processing. During the in situ technique, the samples were incubated at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, and 48 h. For the description of the ruminal DM (dry matter) and CP (crude protein) degradation kinetics of treated and untreated Vicia ervilia, different models were selected as the best fit for the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation parameters of steam flaked samples. The results showed that both the steam flaking and microwave treatment samples contained high levels of non-protein nitrogen and buffer soluble protein, respectively. In comparison with steam flaking and microwave treatment, roasting decreased and increased the buffer soluble protein and neutral detergent insoluble protein, respectively. The control treatments showed the highest levels of neutral detergent soluble protein and the lowest levels of acid detergent soluble protein. Moreover, steam flaking and roasting decreased and increased the amount of acid detergent insoluble protein, respectively. When using dry heat (microwave and roasting), the acid detergent soluble and insoluble protein fractions were increased. As a result of this experiment, the nitrogen fractions were altered using heat processing. Hence, protein fermented feed and ruminal fermentation conditions can be expressed using these results.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of Lavender Meal and Essential Oil for Dairy Cows
(2023)
This research aims to evaluate the potential of lavender meal (LM) and lavender essential oil (LEO) to mitigate methane emissions by dairy cows. Locally grown lavender was collected fresh for this purpose, and its oil was extracted using the cold-press method. The resultant LEO and LM and whole lavender (WL) were added to dairy cow concentrate feed at 0%, 0.05%, and 0.10%, and their effects on vitro gas production values and gas concentrations were subsequently assessed. Out of the 30 bioactive compounds isolated from LEO, linalool and linalyl acetate were the most common—accounting for 70.4% of the total. The lavender dose had a significant influence on gas production for up to 12 h. No significant variations were found across the lavender forms when gas kinetics, in vitro degradability, and predicted energy values were compared. The addition of WL to the concentrate feed of dairy cows produced the greatest quantities of methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, whereas LEO resulted in the lowest values. In contrast, no significant difference in ammonia content was found across the various lavender forms added into dairy cow concentrate feed. The results of this research suggest that adding 0.05–0.10% LM and LEO to concentrate feed may decrease greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cows.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different forms of Lentilactobacillus buchneri on the in vitro methane production, fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability of corn silage treated with or without urea. The following treatments were applied prior to ensiling: (1) no urea treatment and LB; (2) no urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (3) no urea treatment+preactivated LB; (4) with urea treatment+no LB; (5) with urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (6) with urea treatment+preactivated. LB was applied at a rate of 3 × 108 cfu/kg on a fresh basis, while urea was applied at a rate of 1% on the basis of dry matter. Data measured at different time points were analyzed according to a completely randomized design, with a 2 × 3 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments, while the others were analyzed with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Preactivated LB was more effective than freeze-dried LB in reducing silage pH, ammonia nitrogen, cell-wall components, yeast count, and carbon dioxide production, as well as increasing lactic acid and residual water-soluble carbohydrate and aerobic stability (p < 0.0001). A significant reduction in the methane ratio was observed after 24 h and 48 h incubation with preactivated forms of LB (p < 0.001). The results indicated that preactivated LB combined with urea improved fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability and reduced the methane ratio of corn silages.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age (young vs. old), muscle type (Longissimus dorsi (LD), Gluteus medius (GM)) and fat deposits (kidney knob and channel fat, subcutaneous fat, intramuscular fat) on chemical, organoleptic, textural characteristics and fatty acid composition of Holstein Friesian bull meat. For this purpose, the carcasses of 26 Holstein Friesian bulls that had been fattened on the same private farm were assigned to two experimental groups based on their age at slaughter: a young group (YG) (average age: 17.0 ± 1.0 months old) and an old group (OG) (average age: 22.0 ± 1.0 months old). The percentage of crude protein, panel tenderness score, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, the PUFA/SFA ratio and the hypocholesterolemic fatty acid (DFA)/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid (OFA) ratio of the bull carcasses decreased significantly with increasing slaughter age. By contrast, the OFA content of the carcasses significantly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing slaughter age. Advanced slaughter age resulted in lower panel tenderness scores. Additionally, the meat of the bulls in the OG was considered to be less healthy because of the less desirable fatty acid composition and nutritional indices, such as the PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios, compared to the meat from the bulls in the YG. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat and internal fat contained high percentages of PUFA and SFA and high PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios. Interestingly, the percentage of OFA content in the internal and intramuscular fat tissues decreased with increasing slaughter age. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that slaughter age and muscle and fat type are essential sources of variations in the textural characteristics, sensory panel attributes and fatty acid profile of meat from Holstein Friesian bulls.
The ERA-Net SES project Regional Renewable Energy Cells (R2EC) [1] aims at developing a scalable system for decentralized, interacting ‘energy cells’ with a high concentration of locally generated renewable energy. ‘Energy cells’ are essentially Renewable Energy Communities (ECs) in the European context. The system aims at maximizing the utilization of locally generated renewable energy through Electrical Storage (ES) as well as high-electric applications like e‑heating, Heat Pumps (HPs), and E‑Vehicles (EVs). The system is also designed to interact with other energy cells locally, thus, improving the utilization of locally generated energy.
A variety of different adjacent energy cells in three countries, Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), and Norway (NO), are analyzed, and the results are used for the development of regional and renewable energy cell systems. This approach aims at developing tailor-made solutions that meet the different local and regional requirements and the electrical energy demand of the observed energy cells. A unique opportunity is created, as the three countries are at varying levels of regional development in the field of energy communities, and the regional requirements and conditions differ significantly. A comprehensive investigation of the technical and economic viability of the ECs in the three regions is conducted on a simulation level. The technical simulation results show an increased self-consumption of individual users and the overall cell in all of the observed testbeds, while the economic analysis shows economic benefits at varying levels in each of the observed testbeds. The implemented R2EC system ascertains both technical and economic viability in the observed testbeds.
A system is invariant with respect to an input transformation if we can transform any dynamic input by this function and obtain the same output dynamics after adjusting the initial conditions appropriately. Often, the set of all such input transformations forms a Lie group, the most prominent examples being scale-invariant (, ) and translational-invariant () systems, the latter comprising linear systems with transfer function zeros at the origin. Here, we derive a necessary and sufficient normal form for invariant systems and, by analyzing this normal form, provide a complete characterization of the mechanism by which invariance can be achieved. In this normal form, all invariant systems (i) estimate the applied input transformation by means of an integral feedback, and (ii) then apply the inverse of this estimate to the input before processing it in any other way. We demonstrate our results based on three examples: a scale-invariant “feed-forward loop”, a bistable switch, and a system resembling the core of the mammalian circadian network.
Bidirectional electric vehicle supply equipment and charging stations (EVSE) offer new business models and can provide services to the electrical grid. The smart grid lab in Vienna gives unique testing possibilities of future smart grids, as different type of electrical equipment can be operated at a reconstructed, well-known distribution grid. In this work the harmonic and supraharmonic emissions of a bidirectional EVSE are measured according to IEC61000-4-7 and IEC61000-4-30 Ed3 standard as well as the high-frequency grid impedance. In addition, the efficiency and the power factor are determined at various operating points. Although THDi at nominal power (10 kW) is very low and the efficiency and power factor is very high, at low power levels the opposite situation arise. Supraharmonic emissions remain stable independent of the charging/discharging power, and both wideband and narrowband emissions occur. The additional capacitance when connecting the EVSE impacts the high-frequency grid impedance substantially and generates resonance points.
Methane emission from enteric fermentation in ruminants is the single most relevant greenhouse gas source in agriculture, and it is amongst the largest anthropogenic ones. As ruminants are needed globally for meat, milk and other goods production on a huge scale, feed additives could offer an interesting solution to reduce CH4 emissions. Methane emission strategies are investigated to maintaining productivity and the overall health of the animal. Some strategies have shown to reduce the propagation and/or eliminate ruminal flora affecting the health and productivity of the animal. Therefore, identifying beneficial strategies leads to improving productivity and the health of the animal and environment.
Quail is used in cookery, but mainly for its egg production around the globe, and sustainable poultry farming practices have been searched. The use of colostrum (beestings or first milk from cows) in quails’ diet can play an important role in providing probiotics and reducing the need for antibiotics, which, in addition to better quail performance, is effective in reducing environmental impacts. The results of the current research show that the continuous use of bovine colostrum (BC) in laying quails’ diets has beneficial effects on their performance, egg traits, blood indexes and antioxidant status.
The traditional methods of fighting metal fires are not always safe for firefighters. The sand and salts that are thrown onto the fire to suffocate the flames can lead to splashes of molten metal, putting the firefighters and the surroundings at risk. A novel process is described where magnesium fires are brought under control using a simple two-step process. First, coated cellulose flakes, which contain approx. 30% inorganic salts, are blown onto the fire from a distance of several meters. Due to its low bulk density, the material settles smoothly on the fire and immediately covers the flames for several seconds. Before the hot metal can break through this cover, a fine water spray is applied to the fire. The water spray wets the top layer of the cellulose flakes, which will begin to char from the bottom. The water evaporates from within the cellulose flake layer and withdraws heat. It was observed that no hydrogen is formed and that this technique can safely control fires. It is judged that 90 kg of flakes could safely bring a pile of 75 kg of burning Mg flakes under control. By using a pneumatic conveying unit for the flakes, firefighters can effectively and efficiently cover the flames from a safe distance. This novel method could be recommended to firefighters in industrial magnesium processing plants, as well as local firefighters in the vicinity of such plants.
