Recipient Organization
ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
4900 MERIDIAN STREET
NORMAL,AL 35762
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
There is an ongoing need for up-to-date instrumentation and a Feed Processing and Formulation Facility at AAMU to enhance teaching and experiential learning for the Animal bio-health Science (ABHS) students. The facility will be equipped with the resources necessary to train students on identifying sustainable "Alternative Feed Ingredients" to use in manipulating animal diets that are fed to reduce feed costs, improve feed efficiency, enhance animal performance, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly to decrease methane emissions in ruminant animals. Additionally, the ABHS curriculum includes "FAS 352 - Feeds & Feeding". However, the course is underdeveloped and currently lacks the capacity to provide laboratory exercises to support the requisite experiential learning opportunities needed for student engagement and competitiveness. Thus, if the proposed project is funded, it will serve as a basic foundation for hands-on student learning with the following anticipated impacts: (i) Stimulate Experiential Learning on utilizing alternative feed ingredients to formulate animal feed; (ii) To augment faculty preparation in feed development and its impact on feed and nutrition teaching; (iii) Grow the capacity for collaboration with government agencies and the animal industry; and (iv) Increase retention in the ABHS program. Over 120 students will directly or indirectly benefit from curricular activities, and professional development and leadership training during the life span of the project. Ultimately, the proposed project will enable AAMU to graduate students who are prepared to address NIFA Strategic Goals. Data generated will be used to pursue competitive grants offered by USDA and other funding sources.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Major Goal: The goal of this project is to develop a collaborative program to enhance training of the (Animal Bio-Health Sciences(ABHS) students on animal nutrition and health with specific focus on feed processing, formulation, and utilization.Objective 1: To establish "Feed Processing and Formulation Facility" at AAMU to enhance teaching and experiential learning for the ABHS students: This objective is significant to the success of this project and hence addresses the lack of a feed facility at the AAMU Research Station to promote experiential learning experience in feed processing, feed ingredients evaluation, and utilizing computer software to formulate experimental diets. In addition to developing training activities that increase students' knowledge on using corn as a major feed ingredient, the "Feed Facility" will focus on evaluating and utilizing "Alternative Feed Ingredients" that could be fed to animals to partially replace corn and ultimately reduce feed costs without compromising animal performance. Currently feeding systems worldwide are increasingly utilizing alternative feed ingredients as substitute to corn. For instance, there has been an increasing interest in utilizing "Alternative Feed Ingredients" such as grain sorghum and whole peanuts. Grain sorghum is offering a unique opportunity in improving animal performance, as its extracts are considered source of secondary metabolites such as saponins, tannins, and polyphenolics, which have been extensively assessed for their role in the manipulation of rumen microbial fermentation.Objective 2: Faculty preparation to enhance and enrich faculty capacity in the effective teaching and management of "FAS 352 - Feeds and Feeding course": With feed representing the major cost of animal production, formulating feed in livestock operations to produce meat, milk, eggs, etc., and feeding a balanced diet are keys to having a successful animal production operation. Estimating dry matter intake and accurately determining feed efficiency by utilizing computer software to use of feeding and other available data on livestock operations could aid efforts to improve production of animal-based food products. Residual feed intake, the difference between predicted and observed feed intake, is also key to enhance estimate the efficiency of feed utilization and ultimately modify feeding systems to reduce feed costs and enhance animal performance. We will purchase and operate "Ration Evaluation and Formulation Software" that will be used to enrich faculty capacity in the effective teaching and management of feeding and nutrition courses in the ABHS curriculum. Additionally, we will train students to feed animals, monitor feed intake, and collect feed refusal. Objective 3: To provide student training on the analysis of the polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity and anti-nutrients contents in grain sorghum feed: A "Training Manual" will be developed on feed formulation and ration development on feed supplementation with polyphenols-rich feed ingredients. The manual will include training module focus on determining the influences feed on animal production, environmental challenges that may be results of utilizing grains and other concentrate feed ingredients to feed animals used to produce food.Objective 4: The main goal of a successful, profitable animal feeding programs is to convert feed into animal-based products. All feeding programs look for efficient growth of animals so that they can become profitable and motivate producers to contribute to USDA efforts feed the world. Among those feeding systems, utilizing grains, particularly corn, as supplement to complement forages and provide the nutrients which are not supplied by the forages. In this project, we will provide training on formulation and ration development of feed supplementation with polyphenols-rich feed ingredients, particularly grain sorghum to demonstrate the impact of feed on feed intake and growth.Objective 5: This project addresses NIFA Strategic sub-Goal 1.7: ensures the development of human capital, communities and a diverse workforce through research, education, extension and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agricultural system. Likewise, the USDA-REE activity goals: Goal 5 (provide science that informs decisions and policies that contributes to a safe food supply and the reduction of foodborne hazards) and Goal 6 (Recruit, cultivate, and develop the next generation of scientists, leaders, and a highly skilled workforces for food, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, and environmental systems, and human sciences to promote global prosperity and sustainability). Furthermore, this project also addresses NIFA Strategic GOAL 1: SCIENCE: Goal: SUB-GOAL 1.1: (Advance our nation's ability to fight hunger and ensure global food security, and strategic Goal 3: (Help America promote agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security and ensure U.S. agricultural resources contribute to enhanced global food security.In this project we willProvide leadership training on the animal science industry for the ABHS students.
Project Methods
MethodsActivity #1: We will utilize the "Feed Processing and Formulation Facility" to effectively train students on formulating feed, including alternative feedstuffs, that improve feed efficiency, increase microorganism's populations in the rumen, and ultimately enhance animal weight gain. We will use sheep and goats as animal models in training activities that will continue throughout the fall and spring of each academic year.Activity #2: Purchase and operate "Ration Evaluation and Formulation Software" that will be used to enrich faculty capacity in the effective teaching and management of feeding and nutrition courses in the ABHS curriculum. Additionally, we will train students to feed animals, monitor feed intake, and collect feed refusal. Activity #3: Train students on the analysis of the polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity and anti-nutrients contents in grain sorghum feed: A "Training Manual" will be developed on feed formulation and ration development on feed supplementation with polyphenols-rich feed ingredients. The manual will include training module focus on determining the influences feed on animal production, environmental challenges that may be results of utilizing grains and other concentrate feed ingredients to feed animals used to produce food. Experimental Learning Training Modules in the manual will include: (1) Polyphenolic extraction from grain sorghum enriched diets: Polyphenol extractions from basal and sorghum enriched diets will be performed, (2) Antioxidant activities: Antioxidants activities (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and Ferric reducing ability assay (FRAP), (3) Total phenolics and total flavonoids determinations: Determination of total phenolic content (TPC) in samples will be based on the Folin-Ciocalteu assay modified for the micro plate. Training on the development of standard curves for the quantification of the total flavonoid using catechin will be emphasized, (4) Polyphenolic Analysis with gas chromatograph. Students will be introduced and become familiar with the different component of the HPLC i.e., autosampler injector, degasser, pump and diode-array detector (DAD) interfaced to Star Chromatography Workstation v6.41, selection of columns 250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. Supercosil LC-18 reverse-phase column. This will include in the interpretation of peaks of the phenolics and flavonoid components (Luteolinidin, Apigeninidin; 5-Methoxyluteolinidin, 7-Methoxyapigeninidin, Caffeic, gallic, p-Coumaric, Cinnamic and ferulic acids, anthocyanins, phytosterols and policosanols, condensed tannins, quercetin and resveratrol). (5) Meat Quality Analysis: Proximate and qualitative analysis of meat: The physical characteristics of various meat samples will be determined shortly after they are prepared for analysis. Students will be introduced to the AOACs methods development. Activity #4: The following resources will be utilized as follows to conduct the activity: (i) The Ration Evaluation and Formulation Software" will be utilized for training students on entering feed ingredients analysis data and interpreting results, (ii) The outcome of training on utilizing the "Laboratory Manual" will be utilized in training them on feed formulation and ration development on feed.Activity #5: Currently the "AAMU Animal Nutrition Laboratory" is equipped with instruments that will be utilized for providing students with experiential learning. For instance, the laboratory training manual will include training modules on the following: (1) Prepare feed samples and using automated system for Soxhlet type extractions to measure fat contents in grains used in feed manufacturing. Students will learn to use Extractor Extraction System is designed to extract Crude (Free) Fat using conventional solvents, (2) Prepare feed samples and using ANKOM DELTA Automated Fiber Analyzer. The automated analyzer is capable of measuring acid detergent, neutral detergent and crude fiber in feed, (3) Feed ingredients In-Vitro True Digestibility, Apparent Digestibility, Rate studies, Neutral Cellulase Gamanase Digestibility, and other related studies for all feeds.Activity #6: Will organize a series of two-day leadership workshops during the lifespan of the project. These workshops will provide the ABHS students with the opportunity to meet presenters from the animal industry, government agency personnel. Feed production operations in Alabama and surrounding states will also be organized to provide an opportunity for the students to see real-life processing and operation management. The Annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge will also provide an opportunity for personal growth communications and networking among students, producers, and agribusiness and other university personnel.