Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-209). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-219). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1953. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves ix-xii). Also available via the Internet.

Dried rumen microblota were isolated from fistulated steers. Proximate analyses were conducted and the amino acid composition and B-vitamin content were determined. Protein quality tests were carried out using the Bender-Miller method. The data obtained from the investigation indicated that the protein quality of dried rumen microbiota is comparable with that of dried defatted egg, dried milk, fish meal and meat meal, but it is better than that of a soy protein and wheat gluten. No amino acid deficiency appeared in the feeding trials even though the amino acid composition showed that the dried rumen microbiota might be deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids. / Master of Science

The goal of these experiments was to ensile combinations of shrimp or crab waste with perennial ryegrass straw and analyze it for silage quality and ruminal degradability. The rapid deterioration of seafood wastes required initial preservation prior to ensiling to minimize odor production and protein breakdown. Eight experiments were conducted to preserve, ensile and test the ruminal degradability of shrimp and crab waste. The first three experiments attempted to preserve crab waste with the addition of 0 to 15% molasses for 14 days or shrimp waste with molasses at 0 to 25% for 6 or 21 days. In all three experiments, the addition of molasses decreased crude protein, crude protein loss, and pH, and improved odors. Although a lactic acid fermentation began, the high pH and acetic and butyric acid concentrations indicate fermentation was not completed. The crude protein loss and odor production warrants a quicker method of preservation. In Experiments 4 and 5, shrimp or crab waste were combined with 6 levels of salt from 0 to 12.5% for 6 days. The addition of salt decreased crude protein percentage, crude protein loss and all volatile fatty acid concentrations while increasing the pH and improving the odors. The 7.5% salt-preserved shrimp and crab wastes had 29.9 and 30.7% crude protein, respectively. Experiments 6 and 7 ensiled the salt-preserved shrimp and crab waste with grass straw, molasses and an inoculant in 15 L mini-silos for 40 days. Shrimp waste was combined at 37, 47 or 52% dry matter while crab waste was combined at 43, 46 or 52% dry matter. Molasses at 0, 10, or 20% and an inoculant were added to both silages. The 47% dry matter, 20% molasses non-inoculated shrimp silage had the following analysis on a dry matter basis: crude protein, 16.1%, acid detergent fiber. 27.0%. acetic acid, 1.37%. butyric acid, .01%, lactic acid, 7.17%, and a pH of 7.0 and a good silage odor. The 46% dry matter, 10% molasses, inoculated crab silage had the following analysis on a dry matter basis: crude protein. 21.1%, acid detergent fiber, 19.6%, acetic acid, 1.68, butyric acid, .00%, lactic acid, 2.86% and a questionable odor score. In Experiment 8, the ruminal degradability of shrimp and crab waste and shrimp and crab silage were tested using two fistulated steers and sampled at nine time points ranging from 0 to 96 hr. Shrimp waste had a ruminally available DM%, CP%, ADF%, and %ADIN of 36.9, 43.0, 44.2, and 43.6% respectively. Crab waste had a ruminally available DM%, CP%, ADF%, and %ADIN of 38.9, 53.3, 41.0, and 33.0% respectively. Ensiling the shrimp and crab wastes improved the percentage of ruminally available DM and CP and lowered the percentage of ruminally available ADF and ADIN. This indicates that ensiling promotes the degradation of chitin and the release of nitrogen to the rumen. Effective preservation of shrimp and crab waste with salt and then adequate fermentation of the wastes with grass straw, molasses and inoculant has increased the ruminal degradability of the wastes and led to successful transformation of the waste into a dairy heifer feedstuff. / Graduation date: 1995

M. S.

A small silo study was conducted to determine the optimum combination of slurry and fresh dairy waste and crop residues to achieve good ensiling. Slurry waste that had been accumulated in slurry storage tanks and dairy waste scraped from the barn were ensiled with ground corn stover, with and without the addition of 5% molasses, to achieve two dry matter levels of 30 and 35%. Fermentation, as measured by pH, lactic acid and disappearance of soluble carbohydrates, occurred in all silage mixtures. Lactic acid levels indicated that a more desirable fermentation had occurred in the waste silages containing molasses. Total and fecal coliforms and salmonella, shigella and proteus organisms were either destroyed or essentially eliminated following ensiling. A large silo study was conducted with the mixtures containing molasses. The fresh waste was diluted with water to achieve the same dry matter levels as the slurry waste. The mixtures for the 30 and 40% dry matter levels were 71:39 and 64:36 cattle waste to wheat straw, wet basis. Active fermentation occurred in all silages and pH was lower and lactic acid levels were much higher than they were in the small silo. In a metabolism trial conducted with lambs, the following diets were fed: 1) 50% orchardgrass hay, 38.3% ground corn, 11.4% soybean meal and .3% limestone (basal diet); 2) 50% basal and 50% ground wheat straw ensiled at 50% dry matter (negative control); 3) 50% basal and 50% 71:29 slurry-wheat straw silage; 4) 50% basal and 50% 64:36 slurry-wheat straw silage; 5) 50% basal and 50% 71:29 fresh waste-wheat straw silage and 50% basal and 50% 64:36 fresh waste-wheat straw silage (proportions of basal and silages were on a dry basis). Apparent dry matter digestibility was higher (P < .01) for the basal diet than for the silage diets and was higher for the waste containing silages (P < .05) than for the wheat straw silage diet. Dry matter digestibility of the waste-containing silages, calculated by difference, was not different, but was higher (P < .01) than for the ensiled wheat straw alone. Nitrogen digestibility was higher (P < .05) for the waste containing silages, compared to the wheat straw silage but lower (P < .05) than the basal ration. All lambs were in positive nitrogen balance, with the lambs fed the 71:39 slurry waste silage slightly higher than for those fed the other diets. The lambs fed the basal and wheat straw silages had similar nitrogen retention. Ruminal ammonia levels were highest (P < .05) for the lambs fed the basal and lowest for those fed the wheat straw silage diet. There were no significant differences (P < .05) among the waste-containing silages. The palatability trial with lambs was conducted using 50% basal and 50% of the silages, dry basis. Dry matter intake was highest (P < .05) for the basal diet. Dry matter intake among the silage diets was lowest (P < .05) for the slurry waste silage diets. Among the waste-containing silage diets, dry matter intake tended to be higher for the fresh waste silages, compared to the slurry waste silages of similar dry matter. / M.S.

Two experiments were conducted to study: 1) the different methods of processing broiler litter for use as a feed ingredient; and 2) preservation, fermentation and nutrient utilization of rumen contents and blood. Broiler litter was deep stacked in 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.2 m bins at 15, 25 and 35% moisture, and ensiled at 40% moisture, alone or with 5% added molasses. Litter was also ensiled with rumen contents at ratios of 60:40 and 50:50, wet basis. For digestion and palatability trials, wethers were allotted to five diets: 1) basal alone, or basal and broiler litter (1:1, dry basis) processed by; 2) deep stacking at 15% moisture; 3) ensiling; 4) ensiling with 5% molasses; and 5) basal and ensiled rumen contents and litter (50:50, wet basis). Freshly collected rumen contents and blood, mixed in proportions of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1, wet basis, were ensiled with wheat straw (60:40) untreated or treated with 5% urea, with or without 7.5% molasses. Formic/propionic acid (1% w/w) and 10% dried sugar cane molasses were tested as preservatives for blood and rumen contents. Formic/propionic acids preserved rumen contents and blood were ensiled with wheat straw (45:15:40, wet basis) for use in a metabolism trial with sheep. Sheep were fed a basal diet and the silage at ratios of 100:0, 75:25, and 50:50, dry basis. Litter deep stacked at 15% moisture showed a lower rise in temperature than litter stacked at 25 and 35% moisture. Desirable fermentation was achieved for litter ensiled alone or with molasses or rumen contents. Deep stacked broiler litter and silages were devoid of coliforms. Apparent digestibilities of OM and CP were lowest for the deep stacked broiler litter diets. Dry matter intake was similar among waste-containing diets. Formic/propionic acids were the only preservatives which were effective for both blood and rumen contents. Desirable fermentation was achieved in rumen contents-blood-straw in Silages containing untreated wheat straw. Apparent digestibility of CP of the ensiled slaughterhouse wastestraw was similar to that of the basal. The calculated digestibilities of OM and DM of the silage were 46% and that of CP was 69%. The results indicated that fresh rumen contents and blood can be ensiled successfully with wheat straw for use as roughage and protein source for ruminants. / Ph. D.

Using ruminally, abomasally and ileally cannulated wethers, an in vivo experiment was conducted to compare supplementing ensiled, deepstacked and composted broiler litter as N sources with soybean meal. Sheep were fed isonitrogenous (10.3% CP) and isocaloric (56% TDN) corn cob-based diets. Apparent digestibility of CP was somewhat depressed by feeding deepstacked and composted litters; however, N retention was affected by N sources. Nitrogen source did not alter flow and partial digestion of DM, OM and ADF through the digestive tract of sheep, with the exception of higher OM digestion in the large intestine of sheep fed deepstacked and composted litters than ensiled litter. Diets containing soybean meal, and ensiled, deepstacked and composted litter had 12.2, 25.2, 29.1, and 25.5% protein undegradability, respectively. Feeding litter increased dietary undegraded N flow and decreased microbial N flOw, compared to feeding soybean meal. Efficiency of microbial protein synthesis was not affected by N source. Available N (g/d) in the small intestine was similar among all diets. An in situ bag experiment showed that CP of ensiled, deepstacked and composted litter consisted of 80 to 89% of soluble A fraction, 8 to 13% of degradable B fraction, and 3 to 6% of undegradable C fraction. The ruminal degradability of CP was approximately 89 to 94% for processed litters, and 75% for soybean meal. Nitrogen solubilities of ensiled, deepstacked and composted broiler litter, determined in autoclaved ruminal fluid, were 62, 59, and 41%, respectively, when that of soybean meal was 12%. Another in situ experiment was conducted to determine ruminal DM and CP characteristics of broiler litter from surface and charred areas in the deepstacks. The low DM content in charred litter reflected more susceptibility of the locally high moisture litter for charring. Surface litter contained less CP than normal litter. Charred litter had higher undegradable protein fractions and lower CP degradability than normal litter. These studies illustrated that broiler litter processed by ensiling, deepstacking and composting could be efficiently utilized as a protein source for ruminants. / Ph. D.

Master of Science