• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2001

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the Pine Bark Spent Liquor (PBSL) inclusion, prepared by alkaline sulfite-anthraquinone cooking, on Pellet durability index (PDI) of practical diets and performance of broiler chicks and laying hens. Fourteen treatments with four replications were assigned for PDI test in Experiment 1. Control, 10% Wheat(W10), 20% Wheat(W20), 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00 and 3.00% PBSL, 0.1, 0.2% commercial pellet binder A(CPB A) or B(CPB B), W10 plus 0.1% CPB A or B were used for PDI test. PDI was measured by PDI tester (Oriental Motors, Japan). The control diet was based on corn and soybean meal with no wheat or pellet binders inclusion. The PDI of the PBSL or other commercial pellet binder treatments were significantly higher than control groups(P<0.05). It was shown 95.9, 95.9, 95.8, and 95.7 in W10, 0.5% PBSL, 0.2% CPB A or B treatments, respectively. Thus, those treatments were applied to Experiments 2 and 3. In experiment 2, 200 male broiler chicks (Cobb$\times$Cobb) were allocated to the control, W10, PBSL 0.5%, 0.2% CPB A and B with four replications. Starter diets contained 3,169, 3,149 kcal/kg ME and 21% CP, and finisher diets were fed at the level of 3,192, 3,172 kcal/kg ME and 19W% CP. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) were weekly measured for 5 wk and the number of intestinal anaerobes were examined at the end of experiment. The weight gain of chicks fed PBSL was not significantly greater than control groups, but was significant different compared to that of W10 or 0.2% CPB A treatments (P<0.05). FCR of chicks treated with PBSL or other pellet binders tended to improve compared to that of control.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2018

Purpose: Fermented feedstuffs have been found to improve productivity, reduce manure odor, and increase immunity. However, because there is not a commercialized pelletizing system for fermented total mixed ration (TMR) for pig feeding in Korea, a pelletizing system using TMR fermented feed was developed. Methods: The particle size, density, and volumetric density of the TMR feeds used in the test were measured. The pellet durability index (PDI, %) value of the pelletized TMR feed based on its moisture content, and the amount of pellet production based on the rotation speed of the compression roller were measured. Results: The test materials, TMR1 and TMR2, were approximately compressed to 387 kg/m3 with 18.2% (w.b.) and 544 kg/m3 with 22.2% (w.b.), respectively. Throughout this pellet molding test, the moisture content from 15 to 20% (w.b.) of mixture feedstuffs, including fermented forage, could be used for pellet molding. Based on the results, a small-scale pellet molding system of fermented TMR was designed and manufactured for pig farms. As rotation speed increased, the throughput increased, whereas the moisture content decreased by approximately 2% (w.b.) because of pellet molding. The best yield of pellets with 94.2% PDI was of 536 kg/h at 135 rpm rotation speed. Conclusions: Although the throughput of the prototype increased as the rotation speed increased, it was difficult to operate because of the greater noise and the lower PDI (%) at the higher rotation speed of the pellet molding rotor. It was found that the best production of pellets using the prototype was 536 kg/h having a PDI of 94.2% or more at a rotation speed of 135 rpm.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.623-633
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• 2020

Objective: Substituting starch with digestible fiber (dF) can improve digestive health of rabbits and reduce costs. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a criterion for dF and starch supply. Effects of the dietary dF-to-starch ratio on pellet quality, growth and cecal microbiota of Angora rabbits were evaluated. Methods: Five isoenergetic and isoproteic diets with increasing dF/starch ratios (0.59, 0.66, 0.71, 1.05, and 1.44) were formulated. A total of 120 Angora rabbits with an average live weight of 2.19 kg were randomly divided into five groups with four replicates. At the end of 40 day feeding trial, cecal digesta were collected to analyse microbiota. Results: The results showed that the dF/starch ratio had linear effects on pellet variables (p<0.01). When the dF/starch ratio was 1.44, the pellets had the lowest powder and highest durability. The dF/starch ratio had unfavorable linear effects on growth variables (p<0.001). When analyzed by quadratic regression, the optimal dF/starch ratios for average weight gain and feed/gain were 0.59 and 0.74, respectively. There were differences in wool yield, fiber length and fiber diameter caused by the dF/starch ratio (p<0.05), and the dF/starch ratios that ranged from 0.66 to 1.06 were appropriate for good results. The cecal microbiota operational taxonomic unit (OTU) number index in the 1.05 dF/starch treatment was higher than that in the 0.66 and 0.71 dF/starch treatments. The higher dF/starch ratio resulted in a higher cecal microbiota OTU number index (p<0.05). The proportion of Ruminococcus in the 0.71 dF/starch treatment was higher than that in the 0.59 dF/starch treatment (p<0.05) Conclusion: The most suitable dF/starch ratio for feed pellet quality is 1.44, and for rabbit growth the optimal range of ratios is from 0.59 to 0.74. With combination of the wool growth, output cost, and cecal microbiota, we suggest that a dietary dF/starch ratio ranging from 0.74 to 1.06 is optimal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2018

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of pelleted and expanded sorghum-based feeds prepared with different moisture levels and particle size of ingredients on metabolizable energy, ileal digestibility of amino acids and broiler performance. Methods: The experiment was performed with 720 male broiler chicks of the Cobb strain, with treatments of six replications, with 15 birds each; they were arranged in a completely randomized design and $2{\times}2{\times}2$ factorial scheme (pelleted or expanded feed processing, 0.8% or 1.6% moisture addition in the mixer, and particle size of 650 or 850 microns). Results: Higher pellet quality (pellets, % and pellet durability index [PDI]) was obtained in expanded diets and inclusion of 1.6% moisture. The particle size of 850 microns increased the PDI of final diet. All studied treatments had no significant effect on weight gain and broiler carcass and cut yields. Lower feed conversion occurred for birds fed pelleted feed at 42 d. The highest apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent metabolizable energy corrected to zero nitrogen balance (AMEn) values of feed in the initial rearing phase (10 to 13 days) were observed in birds fed pelleted feed or for feed prepared with 1.6% moisture. The highest ileal digestibility coefficients of amino acids were obtained with the consumption of pelleted feed prepared with a particle size of 650 microns and 1.6% moisture. Conclusion: Pelleted feed prepared with a milling particle size of 650 microns and 1.6% moisture provided increased ileal digestibility of amino acids and AMEn in the starter period. However, the expanded feed improved pellet quality and feed conversion of broilers at 42 days of age. We conclude that factors such as moisture, particle size and processing affect the pellet quality, and therefore should be considered when attempting to optimize broiler performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.565-572
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• 1999

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of conditioning (conventional vs expander) corn- and sorghum-based diets on production traits for lactating sows and finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, one hundred sixty-eight sows (parity 1-4, PIC line C15) were fed the corn or sorghum grain diets as a meal, standard (steam) conditioned pellets, or expanded pellets to give a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement of treatments. Pellet durability index (PDD was similar for the sorghum- vs corn-based diets, but increased when diets were expanded pellets for both corn- and sorghum-based diets. The corn-based meal diet supported 3.3% greater litter weight gain than the sorghum-based meal diet (44.0 kg vs 42.8 kg). However, the advantage for the corn-based diet disappeared with expander processing (ie., sows fed the sorghum-based diet responded more to diets processed with the alternative processing technology). Sow weight change during lactation was similar (p>0.15) among treatments, although average daily feed intake tended to be greater (p<0.09) for the sows fed sorghum. For Exp. 2, a total of 71 barrows (average initial weight of 58.0 kg) were used in a growth assay to determine the effects of feeding com- and sorghum-based diets, as meal or pellets, after processing with a conventional steam conditioner or an expander (high-shear) conditioner. PDI was not different for the sorghum- vs corn-based diets, but increased from 84 to 95% with expander conditioning compared to conventional steam conditioning. Rate and efficiency of gain, and carcass leanness were similar for pigs fed sorghum and corn (p>0.15). Efficiency of gain was greater (p<0.04) for pigs fed the pelleted (356 g/kg) diets compared to those given the meal (348 g/kg) diets. However, efficiencies of gain were similar (p>0.11) for pigs fed the conventional- and expander-conditioned diets. Pelleting increased (p<0.01) the incidence and severity of stomach lesions regardless of grain type. In conclusion, corn-based meal diet resulted in a greater litter weight gain than the sorghum-based meal diet. However, that advantage disappeared when the diets were expanded and pelleted. Finishing pigs fed pelleted diets were more efficient than those fed meal diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.558-564
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• 1999

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the effects of standard (ST), long-term (LT), and expander (EX) conditioners on nutritional value of phase-three nursery and finishing swine diets. In Exp. 1, 180 pigs (average initial BW of 11.7 kg) were fed com-soybean meal based diets (1.3% lysine) during a 28 d growth assay. Gain/feed was improved (p<0.004) with pelleting and pellet durability index (PDI) increased with degree of conditioning (LT>ST). However, there was no advantage for LT vs ST conditioning in rate or efficiency of gain (p>0.5). In Exp. 2, 180 pigs (average initial BW of 10.4 kg) were fed con-soybean meal based diets (0.9% lysine) during a 28 d growth assay, Pelleted diets tended to support greater ADG (p<0.08) and gain/feed (p<0.002) with no marked advantage from EX vs ST conditioning. In Exp 3, a total of 70 barrows (average initial BW of 54 kg) was used in a growth assay to determine the effects of feeding a com-soybean meal based diet processed with a standard (ST) steam conditioner, a long-term (LT) steam conditioner, and an expander (EX) conditioner. The conditioned diets were fed as mash (M) or pellets (P) to give a $2{\times}3$ factorial plus a meal control. PDI increased with degree of conditioning (EX>LT>ST). There was a trend (p<0.07) for greater ADG in pigs fed diets that had been thermally conditioned. Also, there was a general advantage in gain/feed with pelleting (p<0.04), but this advantage was pronounced only with standard conditioning. Indeed, the greatest gain/feed was observed for pigs fed the expander treatments (p<0.03) and the expander mash was used as efficiently as the expander pellets. There was no difference in backfat thickness among pigs fed the treatments (p>0.3). but the more extreme the processing technique. the greater the incidence and severity of stomach lesions (p<0.04). These results suggest maximum rate and efficiency of growth with pelleting after standard steam conditioning or simply feeding an expanded mash.