Clinoptilolite is a zeolite and an aluminosilicate that can be fed to swine in order to reduce nutrients being excreted because of their molecular sieving properties, high cation exchange capacities, and a high affinity for the ammonium ion (NH4+). Preliminary research has been carried out on utilizing zeolite's unique characteristics for dietary supplementation for livestock, however much of this research is limited and is still in its infancy. / The results from this study show that the zeolite with a particle size distribution either >250 mum or mixed (50% particles greater and smaller than 250 mum) adsorbed the most NH4+. Macro mineral and heavy metal release was similar among all particle size distributions tested, but varied between sources of zeolite. Handling properties of zeolite were not affected by moisture content or particle size. The feed trial indicated that zeolite supplementation, combined with a low crude protein and energy diet and at an inclusion level of 4%, showed potential as a feed additive in swine diets for the purposes of nutrient reduction. Nevertheless, zeolite seemed to have a greater impact on energy ingestion, as compared to crude protein. Even at 6% zeolite inclusion in the feed, hog muscle, kidney and liver tissues showed no significant increase in heavy metal contents, as compared to those fed any zeolite.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.82276 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Leung, Stanley |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Bioresource Engineering.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002210880, proquestno: AAIMR12487, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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