• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.1018-1033
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• 2021

In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of flaking on the nutrient digestibility of corn grain in ruminants. In this regard, in vitro rumen fermentation, in situ rumen degradability, and in vivo metabolic experiments were performed. The automated gas production technique was used for the in vitro fermentation experiments. Six types of corn flakes with various degrees of gelatinization (32%, 41%, 48%, 66%, 86%, and 89%) were ground and incubated in rumen fluid to measure rumen fermentation characteristics and digestion rate. The in situ degradability of ground corn, whole corn, and corn flakes with 62% and 66% gelatinization was measured by incubation in the rumen of two cannulated Holstein cows. In vivo metabolic experiments were performed using 12 crossbred goats (29.8 ± 4.37 kg) using a 3 × 3 Latin square design. The dietary treatments consisted of ground corn and flaked corn with 48% or 62% gelatinization. In vitro experiments showed that as the degree of gelatinization increased, the digestion rate increased linearly, while the discrete lag time decreased linearly (p < 0.05). The effective rumen dry matter degradability, determined by in situ fermentation, was 37%p lower in corn flakes than ground corn, assuming a passage rate of 6%/h (p < 0.01), and there was no difference between the two flakes. In the in vivo experiment, there was no difference in dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, and nitrogen utilization among the treatment groups (p > 0.05); however, the crude fat digestibility was lower for corn flakes than for ground corn (p < 0.05). To summarize, the rate of fermentation of corn flakes increased as the degree of gelatinization increased. However, non-ground corn flakes had lower rumen digestibility and did not improve in vivo apparent nutrient digestibility, compared with ground corn. In contrast to the assumption that flaked corn provides more energy to ruminant animals than ground corn, we conclude that the digestibility and energy value of corn flakes are lower than those of ground corn if mastication does not sufficiently reduce the particle size of corn flakes.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.130-138
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• 1999

The feasibility of municipal sewage sludge digestion was investigated by using thermophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactor(ASBR). One-day settle time was enough for the high performance of solid-liquid separation. The conversion of semi-continuous mode to sequencing batch mode is easily achieved without any adverse effects, although the large amount of sludge equal to the volume ratio of 0.3~06 to reactor volume was added in the feed step of the start-up. The ASBRs had higher conversion capability of organics to biogas than the control reactor. Gas yields of the ASBRs were increased by the average of 50% over the control reactor across a range of hydraulic retention time(HRT)s from 10days to 5days. The thermophilic reactors showed higher gas production than mesophilic reactor. Removal efficiencies of organic matter exceeded 80% on the basis of supernatants, except that at the reactor. Solid-liquid separation was essential in the performance of the ASBR, especially, at the lower HFT. The ASBRs were highly efficient in the retention of activated biomass within the reactor. thus compensating for increased equivalent organic loading rate through increased solids retention times followed by the increased solids, while maintaining shorter HRTs.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2018

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the high-efficiency anaerobic digestion of organic wastes with high fat content. Specifically, the analysis focused on biogas production performance with a focus on carbon number and the double bond count of the long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), which are hydrolysis products of triglycerides. Methods: Experiments were performed under mesophilic anaerobic conditions with a feed-to-microorganism ratio (F/M) of 1.0. Biogas production performance was analyzed through biogas production patterns, lag-phase, and the time required for 90% biogas production (T90). Results: Biogas production increased when the content of unsaturated LCFAs (containing relatively large numbers of carbon atoms) increased. In substrate containing LCFAs with four or more double bonds, although the initial lag-phase in biogas production was shortened, development of a three-step lag-phase resulted in decreased biogas production. These results suggest that high rates of anaerobic digestion are possible when the LCFAs have high unsaturated fatty acid content with three or fewer double bonds. Conclusions: When various types of LCFAs are digested anaerobically, biogas production performance can be improved if the unsaturated fatty acid content and number of double bonds are optimized for maximum production.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1994

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of digestion temperature on the settleability and dewaterability of anaerobically digested sludge. The digesters were operated at a hydraulic retention time of 20 days with a loading rate of 0.63~0.66kg volatile solids per cubic meter per day at the temperature of $35^{\circ}C$ and $55^{\circ}C$. A mixed primary and secondary municipal sludge was used as a feed. The interface height of the sludge during settling test was recorded to identify settleability. As a measure of dewaterability of the sludge, specific resistance and capillary suction time were also measured with and without chemical conditioning. Higher digestion efficiency was obtained at $55^{\circ}C$ than $35^{\circ}C$. However, the settleability and dewaterability of the sludge at $35^{\circ}C$ were quite higher than those of the sludge digested at $55^{\circ}C$. The optimum dosages of ferric chloride for sludge conditioning were 0.4% and 0.6% at $35^{\circ}C$ and $55^{\circ}C$, respectively. The filtrate COD of the sludge digested at $55^{\circ}C$ was higher than at $35^{\circ}C$, which means that poor dewaterability of the sludge result in high filtrate COD.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.10 no.S_1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2001

Effect of the addition of an enzyme/microbial additive(EMA) to enhance anaerobic digestion of the primary sludge was investigated. Two laboratory scale anaerobic digester were operated with primary sludge taken from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The digester receiving EMA with the sludge feed performed better than the control digester, when both were operated at 10-days and 15-days Solid Retention Time(SRT). Addition of EMA to the experimental digester provided 7%(10-days SRT) and 16%(15-days SRT) higher gas production compared to the control digester when both were fed with the same amount of volatile solids. The reduction in volatile solids was 24% better in the experimental digester compared to the control ar 10-days SRT, and the improvement 10% at 15-day SRT. Improvement in COD reduction, and fecal coliform density reduction were also seen in the experimental digester due to EMA addition compared to the control both ar 10-days SRT and 15-day SRT operation. Preliminary cost benefit analysis for a wastewater treatment plant showed that approximately $115/day in gas production improvements can be realized upon addition of EMA to primary sludge anaerobic digesters operating at 10-day SRT. The value of increased gas production was $172/day if the same digesters are operated with EMA addition at 15-day SRT.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.329-335
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• 1992

Degradation of rice straw was observed to be higher (p<0.01) in the buffaloes than in cattle. At 48 h, the dry matter (DM) loss of straw for buffaloes was 53.6 0.8% and that for cattle was 48.7 2.6%. Palm press fibre (PPF) was poorly degraded in the rumen of both animal species. A loss of about 21% DM was observed in both cattle and buffaloes after 48 h of incubation in the rumen. The pattern of bacterial and fungal colonization of straw and PPF seemed to be similar in both cattle and buffaloes. Microbial colonization was restricted by plant structures like the silica crystals in both straw and PPF. The predominant bacteria colonizing both straw and PPF fragments were the rods. Eroded zones and digestion pits were pronounced in straw fragments after 1 h of incubation. The PPF fragments appeared undegraded even after 6 h of incubation. Fungal colonization of straw was rapid and extensive in both cattle and buffaloes. The sporangia observed in straw were mainly spherical or oval in shape, but fusiform sporangia with acuminate tip were predominantly seen in PPF fragments.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2016

Biogas is a renewable fuel from anaerobic digestion of organic matters such as sewage sludge, manure and food waste. Raw biogas consists mainly of methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and water. Biogas may also contain other impurities such as siloxanes, halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons. Efficient power technologies such as fuel cell demand ultra-low concentration of containments in the biogas feed, imposing stringent requirements on fuel purification technology. Biogas is upgraded from pressure swing adsorption after biogas purification process which consists of water, $H_2S$ and siloxane removal. A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell power plant is designed to operate on reformate produced from upgraded biogas by steam reformer.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.525-532
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• 2011

Insufficient pre-slaughter fasting leaves serious amount of feed-like contents (designated here as un-fasted stomach spent feed, USSF) in the eviscerated pig stomach. This study was intended to evoke economical and environmental seriousness of USSF discharge by estimating its value as pig feed. For finishing pigs feeding trial, three levels (0, 5, and 10%) of USSF were blended with pig feed to prepare control and two treatment diets, respectively. A total of 42 (21 males, 21 females) crossbred (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc) finishing pigs weighing $81.5{\pm}8.0$ kg were employed to 28d feeding trial and in vivo digestibility trial by $Cr_2O_3$ indicator method with 7 males and 7 female pigs per treatment. In vitro total tract digestion of USSF showed 70.5% and 57.6% of DM and OM digestibilities, respectively which were poorer (p<0.05) than those of pig diet. There were no differences in body weight gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio among treatments although 10% USSF substitution exerted relatively poor performance. In vivo apparent digestibilities of diets containing USSF 5% and 10% were lower (p<0.05) than that of 100% pig feed. There were no differences (p>0.05) in dressing percentage and carcass grade among treatments. Results of this study showed that 5% USSF substitution in finishing pigs diet did not exert any disadvantage in terms of production performance and carcass grade. This study implied that un-fasted slaughter causing excessive excretion of USSF should be avoided. If not avoidable, the USSF should not be wasted in abattoir but could be recycled as pig feed.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.260-271
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• 2022

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effect of the differing amino acid (AA) release dynamics of two protein sources on the growth performance, nitrogen deposition, plasma biochemical parameters, and muscle synthesis and degradation of piglets when included in their diets at normal and low concentrations. Methods: Forty-eight piglets (Duroc×Landrace×Large White) with initial body weight of 7.45±0.58 kg were assigned to six groups and fed one of 6 diets. The 6 dietary treatments were arranged by 3×2 factorial with 3 protein sources and 2 dietary protein levels. They are NCAS (a normal protein content with casein), NBlend (a normal protein content with blend of casein and corn gluten meal), NCGM (a normal protein content with corn gluten meal), LCAS (a low protein content with casein), LBlend (a low protein content with blend of casein and corn gluten meal), LCGM (a low protein content with corn gluten meal). The release dynamics of AA in these diets were determined by in vitro digestion. The digestibility, utilization and biological value of nitrogen in piglets were determined by micro Kjeldahl method. Plasma insulin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The protein expression of mediators of muscle synthesis and degradation was determined by western blotting. Results: Although the consumption of a low-protein diet supplemented with crystalline AA was associated with greater nitrogen digestion and utilization (p<0.05), the final body weight, growth performance, nitrogen deposition, and phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 and eIF4E binding protein 1 in the muscle of pigs in the low-protein diet-fed groups were lower than those of the normal-protein diet-fed groups (p<0.05) because of the absence of non-essential AA. Because of the more balanced release of AA, the casein (CAS) and Blend-fed groups showed superior growth performance, final body weight and nitrogen deposition, and lower expression of muscle ring finger 1 and muscle atrophy F-box than the CGM-fed groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that the balanced release of AA from CAS containing diets and mixed diets could reduce muscle degradation, favor nitrogen retention, % intake and improve growth performance in pigs consuming either a normal- or low-protein diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1152-1159
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• 2013

Four male lambs (Katahdin; average live weight $25.9{\pm}2.9$ kg) with "T" type cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square experiment to evaluate the influence of supplemental dry distillers grain with solubles (DDGS) levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%, dry matter basis) in substitution for dry-rolled (DR) corn on characteristics of digestive function and digestible energy (DE) of diet. Treatments did not influence ruminal pH. Substitution of DR corn with DDGS increased ruminal neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion (quadratic effect, p<0.01), but decreased ruminal organic matter (OM) digestion (linear effect, p<0.01). Replacing corn with DDGS increased (linear, $p{\leq}0.02$) duodenal flow of lipids, NDF and feed N. But there were no treatment effects on flow to the small intestine of microbial nitrogen (MN) or microbial N efficiency. The estimated UIP value of DDGS was 44%. Postruminal digestion of OM, starch, lipids and nitrogen (N) were not affected by treatments. Total tract digestion of N increased (linear, p = 0.04) as the DDGS level increased, but DDGS substitution tended to decrease total tract digestion of OM (p = 0.06) and digestion of gross energy (p = 0.08). However, it did not affect the dietary digestible energy (DE, MJ/kg), reflecting the greater gross energy content of DDGS versus DR corn in the replacements. The comparative DE value of DDGS may be considered similar to the DE value of the DR corn it replaced up to 30% in the finishing diets fed to lambs.