Recipient Organization
CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIV
3801 WEST TEMPLE AVENUE
POMONA,CA 91768
Performing Department
Animal & Veterinary Science
Non Technical Summary
The goal of this project is to build capacity in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Huntley College of Agriculture, needed to prepare students for careers in feed manufacturing or related fields. The department and college accord high priority to the proposed project because of its potential to increase the number of underrepresented students with job ready skills required in the feed manufacturing industry. The number of baccalaureate degree-holders joining the feed manufacturing industry is small with underrepresented graduates show affected the most (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) prides itself and is providing quality teaching premised on the learn-by-doing model, research and outreach services to clientele. Sixteen undergraduate students will directly benefit from summer training opportunities including feeding livestock on CPP farm on feeds produced in the feed mill. Furthermore, the placement of CPP graduates in competitive positions in the feed manufacturing industry will add diversity to availabe career opportunities and positively impact recruitment. The objectives of this project are: (i) enhance the skill set of sixteen underrepresented students in feed manufacturing technology; (ii) develop a minor in feed manufacturing technology; and (iii) research feed additives for nutritional and medicinal properties beneficial to chickens. This project will address the goal of USDA NIFA-NLGCA for the fiscal year 2020: focus on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
40%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to build capacity in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Huntley College of Agriculture, needed to prepare students for careers in feed manufacturing or related fields. Sixteen undergraduate students will directly benefit from summer training opportunities including feeding livestock on Cal Poly Pomona farm on feeds produced in the feed mill. Furthermore, the placement of CPP graduates in competitive positions in the feed manufacturing industry will add diversity to availabe career opportunities and positively impact recruitment. The objectives of this project are: (i) enhance the skill set of sixteen underrepresented students in feed manufacturing technology; (ii) develop a minor in feed manufacturing technology; and (iii) research feed additives for nutritional and medicinal properties beneficial to chickens.
Project Methods
Eight (8) juniors will be recruited in 2022 and a similar number in 2023, for a total of 16 Cal Poly Pomona students through the life of this project. Students majoring in animal and veterinary sciences at Cal Poly Pomona will form the core recruitment base although other majors including engineering will be encouraged to participate. The students will together be involved in all planned project activities to ensure harmony in the approach and implementation of 'learn-by-doing' lab activities (primarily working in the feed mill), to leverage on resources including time and usage of feed mill equipment.The feed mill equipment that the students will learn to operate including the grinder, mixer, augur system, pelleting equipment and bagger, will be installed during the first year of the project. Feed mixed in the feed mill will be fed primarily to Cal Poly Pomona livestock comprising 94 beef cattle, 192 sheep, 17 goats, 32 swine and 250 layer chickens. Barring any limiting government regulations, feed produced in this feed mill will also be sold to livestock producers in Los Angeles County and neighboring counties in southern California.We envisage the creation of a minor in feed manufacturing technology with relevant coursework within the Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department. The courses we are proposing to offer include Feed Processing Technology; Principles of Feed Milling; Feed Manufacturing Technology; Poultry Management Science; Applied Animal Feeding; Advanced Poultry Management Science. We will use the first year of this project to recieve institutional approval for the coursework, in time for the first cohort of students in summer 2022.In research involving chickens, birds will be put on experimental pastures on June 1, 2022 and remain on the test for eight weeks (Trial 1). Pastures will be re-established with Cleome gynandra by July 31. The same birds (layers) will be put on the pastures again on September 1, 2022 (Trial 2) to last for another eight weeks. The two feeding trials will be repeated in the year 2023. Birds will be weighed and sampled for feces and blood at the start and end of each feeding trial. Feeding and egg collection will be recorded daily through the duration of both trials. Parasite eggs will be determined using the McMaster technique; blood samples will be collected for determination of packed cell volume at the start and end of each period. Variables to be measured include laying performance and feed efficiency, fecal egg count and packed cell volume. Forage measurements will include pasture carrying capacity, botanical and chemical (nutrient content) composition, and concentration of plant secondary metabolites (phytochemicals). Bioactive compounds that may elicit anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties against enteric pathogens and common parasites of chicken gastrointestinal tract will also be determined. All experimental data (chicken study) will be subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) of SAS. Treatment differences will be significant at P<0.05 with trends considered at P<0.10 for all variables of interest.