Biochar enhances animal growth

Effect of biochar on growth performance of local “Yellow” cattle fed ensiled cassava roots, fresh brewers’ grains and rice straw

Bounthavy Vongkhamchanh, T R Preston[1], R A Leng[2], Le Van An[3] and Duong Thanh Hai[3]

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Champasack University, Champasak, Lao PDR vongkhamchanhd@yahoo.com
1 Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria (CIPAV), Carrera 25 No 6-62 Cali, Colombia
2 University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia
3 Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Vietnam

Abstract

In a 56-day experiment with 6 local Yellow cattle fed ensiled cassava root-urea, brewers’ grains and rice straw, there were indications (p=0.08) that after an initial 4-week adaptation to the diet, the cattle were growing faster when 1% of biochar (derived from rice husk) was incorporated in the diet.

Biochar as a animal feed supplement - Cambodia

 The work of Preston and Leng continues in Cambodia. I first reported their work back in 2012 from a publication from Lao (shortcut here). There are plenty of other related reports on feed trials which can be found via the 'feed supplement' label.

Rice distillers’ byproduct and molasses-urea blocks containing biochar improved the growth performance of local Yellow cattle fed ensiled cassava roots, cassava foliage and rice straw

Kong Saroeun, T R Preston¹ and R A Leng²

Faculty of Agriculture, Svay Rieng University, Cambodia
kong.saroeun@sru.edu.kh
¹ Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria (CIPAV), Carrera 25 No 6-62 Cali, Colombia
² University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia

Abstract

Twenty male cattle of local Yellow breed with an average body weight of 92.6 kg were allocated in individual stalls to a 2*5 factorial arrangement of treatments with two replicates. The two factors were: biochar inclusion in urea-molasses blocks at levels of: 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%; and rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB) at zero or 4% in diet DM. The basal diet was ensiled cassava root, dried cassava foliage, rice straw and molasses-urea blocks.
Growth rates of local Yellow cattle were increased when the molasses-urea blocks contained from 2 to 8% biochar (intakes of biochar ranged from 0.05 to 0.33% of diet DM); and when rice distillers’ byproduct was fed at 4% of diet DM. There were related improvements in feed conversion with both additives. There were no additional benefits from combining the two additives.

Feeding Biochar to Cows

IBI EDUCATIONAL WEBINAR SERIES: FEEDING BIOCHAR TO COWS TO IMPROVE SOIL FERTILITY AND FARM PRODUCTIVITY

September 20, 2017 • 5:00 - 6:30 pm ET

Feeding biochar to livestock has been a growing area of interest due to the many potential benefits which have been highlighted by various studies around the world.  This webinar features Doug Pow, a farmer from Western Australia, who has taken the research out of the labs and into the fields.  In one of the longest studies on biochar used as livestock feed, Doug has collaborated with Dr. Stephen Joseph, a long-time biochar researcher as well as a number of other researchers to document the benefits so that other farmers in Australia and around the world can learn from his experiences.

This webinar will discuss how and how much biochar is fed to cattle, the beetles that help to deliver the biochar deeper into the soil profile and the benefits that livestock farmers can derive from feeding biochar to livestock.  Stephen will provide an overview of rumen processes and how biochar interacts with the rumen.  He will discuss previous biochar research involving cows, poultry, pigs and goats including feed lot trials and he will talk about detailed science around development of new 'fit for purpose' biochars for feeding to animals.

BBF newsletter - soil remediation

The latest newsletter features the following articles:  David Werner (Newcastle University) and Sarah Hale (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) on ‘Biochar applications in sediment and soil pollution remediation’  and Richard Copley (livestock farmer from Lincolnshire) on ‘Climate mitigating cattle?’
http://www.britishbiocharfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-September-2016.pdf

Biochar and dung beetles with Doug Pow

This video rolls straight into a more detailed 2nd video.



Also check out the 'feed supplement' label for other biochar animal feed stories.

GeoTherapy - chapter 15

I have permission from Prof. Reg Preston to circulate a chapter of this book which he authored. Please follow this link for your copy.

“The bottom line

The potential role of biochar as a means of sequestering atmospheric carbon has so far been the main focus of attention. However, its virtues are much wider with potential impacts on soil fertility, plant yield and quality and as an additive in livestock feed, biodigesters and other liquid waste disposal systems. More important is the emphasis that biochar has given to the overall concept of the systems approach to utilization of renewable resources and recycling of wastes with maintenance or improvement in soil fertility. Biochar makes most sense when it is derived from a process that aims to optimize the varied characteristics of biomass, to satisfy the major needs of humanity which are food, energy, shelter and a healthy environment. It needs to be produced and used locally for maximum benefits.”

New biochar related article from Paul Olivier in Vietnam

Biochar is frequently discussed in this broad ranging, entertaining and enlightening article.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Paper/Summaries/Alternative%20to%20Biodigestion.pdf

An Unconventional Way Of Raising Pigs, Chickens and Cows

Four levels of waste transformation are adapted and applied to the raising of pigs, chickens and cows. Farmers ferment waste into feed (Level 1). They feed fecal matter to the larvae of the black soldier fly, they feed larval residue to red worms, and they fertilize their crops primarily with vermicompost (Level 2). They house pigs, chickens and cows on a soft mesophilic bedding (Level 3) sprayed each day with probiotic liquids. They add biochar from top-lit, updraft gasifiers to the fermented feed and to the bedding, and they use syngas for household cooking (Level 4). The bedding has no odor. There are no flies. At no point in their lives are antibiotics or any other pharmaceuticals administered to pigs, chickens and cows raised in this unconventional way. Just about all of the behavioral and physiological needs of animals and poultry are met. Instead of inhumane confinement or free-range, we propose a third way: confinement in a clean, spacious and odorless setting that accords comfort and dignity to animals. High levels of productivity are achieved, not by means by over-crowding, antibiotics, growth hormones or chemical fertilizers - but by lining up multiple, interdependent waste transformation cycles that all reduce cost and generate income. These waste transformation technologies can even be extended to include the recycling of bone, human waste and biodegradable household waste. Through the wise and efficient transformation of waste, farmers buy nothing from feed, fertilizer, pharmaceutical, and fuel companies. Strong and self-reliant, farmers no longer depend on the fragile infrastructure of global trade. Large international corporations that enslave small farmers through the sale of unsustainable inputs are shut out, along with traders peddling cheap subsidized products that devastate local economies. In this way a lot more jobs are created and a lot more money is made at the local level. The social upheaval caused by the migration of young people to large cities is eliminated. Poor people, especially poor women, are empowered as never before. Food production increases. Food security, along with national security, is enhanced. Trade figures improve. Human health is not endangered. The environment does not suffer. And neither do pigs, chickens and cows.

Dr. Paul A. Olivier and Dr. Nguyen Van Ket and Todd Hyman
Empowering the Poor Through Waste Transformation
9/3/2014

Paul Olivier's work in Vietnam with TLUD stoves has been covered previously in this website...

Dr Paul Olivier visits Malaysia - regional TLUD development

10 Aug 2013

Dr Paul Olivier visits Malaysia - regional TLUD development. The following comments are Co/ Dr Paul Olivier, cut from a recent post to the "Improved Biomass Cooking Stoves" discussion list (you may need to sign up to ...

Biochar Interest Group - South East Asia (BIG-SEA ...

04 Mar 2012

If you are interested in biomass stoves (TLUD) or the multiple applications for small scale biomass gasification then I highly recommend a review of Dr Paul Olivier's work in Vietnam with rice husk biomass. His 10 page report ...

Stephen Joseph - Biochar R&D in Asia and Australia

This is a followup to my earlier post on the British Biochar Foundation conference video coverage. This keynote address has a lot of interesting information on biochar activity in Asia - highly recommended...

Exciting new research from Lao PDR - benefits of biochar as animal feed

Biochar reduces enteric methane and improves growth and feed conversion in local “Yellow” cattle fed cassava root chips and fresh cassava foliage (http://www.lrrd.org/public-lrrd/proofs/lrrd2411/leng24199.htm)

Abstract 

Twelve local “Yellow” cattle with initial live weight ranging from 80 to 100 kg were assigned in a completely randomized block design to a 2*2 factorial arrangement of four treatments with three replications. The factors were: biochar at 0.6% of diet DM or none; and potassium nitrate at 6% of diet DM or urea at 1.83% of diet DM. The basal diet was cassava root chips fed ad libitum and fresh cassava foliage at 1% of LW (DM basis). Sodium sulphate and sodium chloride were added to the diet at the rate of 0.4% and 0.5% in the DM. The trial lasted 98 days following a 21 day adaptation to the diets.

Live weight gain was increased 25% by adding biochar to the diet DM and tended to be decreased when nitrate replaced urea as the source of NPN. DM feed conversion was improved by biochar and by urea replacing nitrate. DM feed intake was not affected by supplementation with biochar nor by the NPN source. Both biochar and nitrate reduced methane production by 22 and 29%, respectively, the effects being additive (41% reduction) for the combination of biochar and nitrate. 

R A Leng*, T R Preston** and Sangkhom Inthapanya

Faculty of Agriculture and Forest Resources, Souphanouvong University,
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
inthapanyasangkhom@yahoo.com
*University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia
**Finca Ecologica TOSOLY, AA48 Socorro, Colombia