LT7124B - FEED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY FROM PLANT BIOMASS - Google Patents

Abstract

The purpose of this invention is to apply a fractionation technology during the harvesting of biomass of plant crops in the fields, which helps to separate high nutritional value, easily digestible parts of the plant, specifically leaves, from poorly or not at all digestible, low nutritional value plant parts - stems. This technology is also applied to the fractionation of cereal crops, separating the grain from the chaff. During one pass through a field cut from grassy legumes or grain crops, the biomass of the leguminous plants or grain crops is collected in a rotary thresher - a separator that separates the leaves of grass crops from the stems or the grains of grain crops from straw during rotation. The invention is intended to solve the problems of emissions of greenhouse gases, specifically methane generated during the digestive processes of cattle, improving the efficiency of cattle breeding and fodder production, and improving the soil.

Description

The invention belongs to the field of agriculture, animal husbandry, specifically to the field of feed production, when fractionation technology with a rotor threshing separator is applied when harvesting plant crops. By applying the technology, concentrated protein products are prepared from leguminous herbaceous plants. The invention is intended to solve the problems of greenhouse gas emissions, specifically methane formed during cattle digestion processes, cattle breeding and improving the efficiency of feed production.

STATE OF THE ART

The use of herbaceous legumes - alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in the production of protein concentrate is known, when wet pressing technology of the plant leaves is applied. Patent FR2819685B1 describes the technology, which is applied to obtain three final products: residual fibre, whey and leaf protein concentrate. When applying this wet leaf pressing technology, all three products obtained have over 50 percent. moisture. This technology aims to obtain proteins used for human consumption, residual products to be used for the production of fertilizers and animal feed (pigs). This is described in the scientific literature M.N.G. Davys, F.-C. Richardier, D. Kennedy, O. de Mathan, S.M. Collin,J. Subtil, E. Bertin and M.J. Davys “ Leaf Concentrate and Other Benefits of Leaf Fractionation*“. Feeding trials conducted with pigs yielded positive productivity results.

The application of agricultural machinery to the separation of leaves and stems of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants is also known. Patent US20200221639A1 describes the process of leaf-stem separation, which occurs by cutting the leaves of the plant from the uncut stem. Using this technology, it is possible to perform seven different processes during grass cutting in one pass: leaf-stem separation in the fields, leaf maceration, fraction size identification, transfer of the leaf fraction to a transport trailer, cutting of the stem fraction remaining in the fields, placing the cut stem fraction into swaths after cutting for further pressing (Currence, H.D.; Buchele, W.F. Leaf-strip harvester for alfalfa. Agric. Eng. 1967, 48, 20-23.20; Grajewski, J.; Malmlof, K.; Bohm, J. New technology of harvest and preservation of lucerne leaves. Biul. Nauk. Przem. Pasz. 1994, 23, 30-36; Shinners, K.J.; Herzmann, M.E.; Binversie, B.N.; Digman, M.F.

Harvest fractionation of alfalfa. Trans. ASABE 2007, 50, 713-718).

It is known that nutrients accumulate unevenly in the parts of herbaceous plants, leaves and stems. Alfalfa leaves can contain 25-35 percent crude protein (CP), while the stems accumulate 10-15 percent CP, and on average the whole plant contains about 16-25 percent CP (Popovic S., Grljusic S., Cupic T., Tucak M., Stjepanovic M. “Protein and fiber contents in alfalfa leaves and stems“ (2001); D. N. Mowat, R. S. Fulkerson, W. E. Tossell, and J. E. Winch “The in vitro digestibility and protein content of leaf and stem portions of forages“ (1965)).

It is known that the uneven accumulation of nutrients, especially protein and fiber, in leaves and stems also determines the different digestibility and absorption of these plant parts in the diet of ruminants. Separated leaves of legumes are a high nutritional value, well digestible part of the plant, which is separated from the poorly or not at all digestible, low nutritional value part of the plant - the stems (D. N. Mowat, R. S. Fulkerson, W. E. Tossell, and J. E. Winch “The in vitro digestibility and protein content of leaf and stem portions of forages“ (1965); K. A. Albrecht, W. F. Wedin, D. R. Buxton “Leaf and stem dry matter digestibility and ruminal undegradable proteins of alfalfa cultivars“ (1987)).

In order to reduce methane produced during the digestive processes of ruminants, especially cattle, various feed additives are used in cattle nutrition (probiotics, tannins, saponins, ionophoric antibiotics, plant extracts and oils, seaweed and various synthetic products, e.g. 3-NOP (3-nitrooxypropanol)), which directly or indirectly improve the digestibility of cattle diets. Due to the efficiency of this process, the methane produced in the rumen (DP) of cattle and its amount per unit of production decreases Due to improved feed digestion and nutrient absorption. Also, highly digestible feeds contain more easily digestible carbohydrates, which leads to higher digestibility and faster peristalsis (FAO "Livestock's long shadow" (2006); Emilio M. Ungerfeld et al "Invited review: Current enteric methane mitigation options" (2022); Andeweg K, Reisinger A, Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform., Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases., New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre. "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock : best practice and emerging options" (2014)).

It is also known that the formation of hydrogen (H2) as one of the end products during the digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the DP is directly related to methanogenesis. During the decomposition of nutrients, methanogens utilize the formed hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), thus forming methane (CH4), which is periodically removed from the DP during fermentation. The formation of hydrogen during the decomposition of proteins in the DP could be optimized by using DP soluble and insoluble proteins in the feed. By partially changing the structure of proteins, they would not be available to rumen microbes, but would be utilized further in the intestine. One way to extract such proteins is to heat-treat feed materials, e.g. extrusion, dry or wet heating (Hydrogen production and hydrogen utilization in the rumen: key to mitigating enteric methane production (2024), Roderick I. Mackie et al; The extrusion-cooking process in animal feeding. Nutritional implications, (1997) Serrano X. et al, Effect of Heat Treating Alfalfa Hay on Chemical Composition and Ruminal In Vitro Protein Degradation, (1993), J.H. Yang et al).

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to apply fractionation technology during harvesting in plant biomass fields, which helps to separate plant parts, taking into account the nutritional value of the plant parts and the nature of their use. Specifically, high nutritional value, well-digestible plant parts - leaves are separated from poorly or not at all digestible, low nutritional value plant parts - stems.

This technology is also applied to the fractionation of grain crops, separating grain from straw.

In a single pass through a field cut by plant crops, plant biomass is collected into a rotary thresher - a separator that separates plant parts during rotation.

The separated, high-nutritional plant parts are collected in a hopper and are pressed and/or further processed, while the low-nutritional plant parts are collected and pressed.

One embodiment of the present invention is the application of feed production technology to leguminous grass biomass. Processing of cut leguminous and cereal biomass, carried out using agricultural machinery and implements with a rotary threshing

- separator. Legumes and cereals are cut with a swath cutter or a reaper. The moisture content of the crop biomass can be in the range of 7-50%, the optimal for legumes is 25%, for cereals - 20%.

Applying fractionation technology to legume biomass yields several products that, based on their structural and chemical properties, are used in cattle feeding and biogas production: (1) grass protein concentrated leaf feed - for cattle feeding and further processing, product production, (2) fermented stalk product - for cattle feeding and biogas production.

The crop is harvested 3-6 times during the mowing season (depending on the region and climate zone). By applying fractionation technology, a feed product is produced from legumes - a grassy protein-concentrated leaf product, which, due to its high dry matter digestibility, can be used as feed, reducing methane formation during cattle digestion processes and increasing cattle productivity.

Another object of this invention is that one of the products is a grass protein concentrated leaf product, a proteinaceous and highly digestible stable quality raw material. This obtained raw material can be used for further production of feed products. Further processing of the grass protein concentrated leaf product is carried out (can be extrusion, dry or wet heating) at a temperature of 100-130 °C. Such processing of the protein raw material in the final feed product partially changes the protein structure and DP such proteins become partially or completely inaccessible to microbes. As a result, the formation of excess hydrogen (H2) is limited and methane formed during digestion processes can be reduced. This highly digestible feed raw material can ensure the protein needs of cattle - become an environmentally friendly protein alternative to soil-depleting soy in animal diets.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a fermented stalk product obtained from plant stems, which is a stable quality raw material suitable for silage, which can be used for animal feeding according to the productivity stage and for biogas production.

Another embodiment of the present invention is the application of feed production technology to the separation of plant parts of cereal crops. Cereal crops are fractionated from cut, dried biomass, when the separated grains are collected in a bunker, and the separated straw is pressed.

Another object of this invention is an agricultural machinery implement (Fig. 1) for fractionating crops, which is used with a tractor or other agricultural machinery. This multifunctional implement performs fractionation of leguminous plants and grain crops from cut and dried biomass in the fields: leaves and stems are separated from grass biomass, and grains and straw are separated from grain crops.

Using this technology, the expansion of legume areas is encouraged, as high-value-added products for cattle feed and biogas are produced. Plant biomass (legumes) having formed symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, as well as with sufficient soil air permeability and mineral content, does not require additional nitrogen fertilizers, unlike bellflowers. In this way, increased use of legumes in cattle feed can reduce the total carbon footprint of livestock activities (in CO2 equivalent), when indirect emissions - feed production - are also assessed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Agricultural machinery implement with a rotary threshing-separator (Fig. 1-2), which is used with a tractor or other agricultural machinery (Fig. 1-5), is used for fractionating plant crops into plant parts, specifically into leaves and stems from cut dried legume biomass or for fractionating grain crops into grains and straw from cut dried grain biomass.

Fig. The principle of operation of agricultural machinery with a fractionation technology implement - during one pass through the cut and dried plant biomass, it performs the fractionation of plant biomass into plant parts (Fig. 2), specifically (1) fractionation of plant biomass into leaves and stems, (2) loading the leaf fraction into the bunker, (3) collection and pressing of the stem fraction and/or: (1) fractionation of grain crops into grains and straw, (2) loading the grain fraction into the bunker, (3) collection and pressing of the straw fraction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The stage of the feed technological process takes place in the fields of plant crops. The plants are cut with a swath cutter or a scythe cutter. The moisture content of the cut plant biomass is within 7-50%. After assessing the moisture content of the plant biomass, the biomass fractionation technology continues, when plant parts are separated during one pass through the dried plant biomass. A tractor (5) with an implement equipped with a rotary thresher-separator (2), a collection hopper (3) and a press (4) drives through the cut dried plant biomass. With the help of a collector (1), the cut dried plant biomass is collected into the rotary thresher-separator (2), and during the rotation of the rotary thresher-separator (2), the dry parts of the plant are separated from the wet parts. The dry separated plant parts are collected in a hopper (3), while the wet parts are thrown into the swath or are collected and pressed by a baler (4) during the same run (Fig. 2).

The course of application of the technology of fractionation of herbaceous legumes in the fields The first stage of the production technological process takes place in the fields of herbaceous legumes. The cutting of legumes is carried out with a swath cutter or a scythe cutter, preferably when the vegetation stage of the plants is before the beginning of flowering (budding), however, stable and best quality fractionation products are obtained when the harvest is also harvested at other stages of plant vegetation. The moisture of legumes is within 14-50%, the optimal is 25%. After assessing the moisture of the plant biomass, the biomass fractionation technology continues, when during one pass through the dried biomass of legumes, a tractor (5) drives with an implement that has a rotary threshing-separator (2), a collection bunker (3) and a press (4). The harvested legume biomass is collected by the picker (1) into the rotary threshing separator (2), and during the rotation of the rotary threshing separator (2), the dry leaves are separated from the wet stems. The separated leaves are collected into the hopper (3), and the stems are thrown into the swath or are collected and pressed by the press (4) during the same run (Fig. 2).

Progress of applying grain crop fractionation technology in the fields

The next stage of the technological process takes place in the grain crop fields.

Grain crops are cut with a swath cutter or a reaper, preferably when the grains are already fully ripe (milky-waxy maturity stage). The moisture content of the cut grain crops biomass is within 7-50%, the optimal moisture content is 20%, and it is dried in the swath up to 14%. After assessing the grain moisture, the technology of fractionation of grain crops biomass continues, when during one pass through the dried grain biomass, a tractor (5) with a rotary threshing separator (2), a collection hopper (3) and a press (4) drives. During the process, the grain crops biomass is collected in a rotary threshing separator (2), and during the rotation of the rotary threshing separator (2), the grains are separated from the straw. The separated grain is collected in a bunker (3), and the straw is thrown into the swath or is collected and pressed by a baler (4) during the same drive (Fig. 2).

Final product manufacturing processes Herbal protein concentrated leaf product

The separated leaves are collected in a hopper (3). The moisture content of the collected leaves is 15-20%, the optimum moisture content is 15%. From the hopper, the leaves are transferred to the press (4). During the pressing, two fully mechanized stages of rolling into bales are performed: (a) pressing, rolling and wrapping with a net; (b) wrapping the rolled bales with film.

The produced bales are collected and stored in a designated place. The produced bales are used for feeding immediately, if the leaf moisture content during pressing was up to 20%. If the leaf moisture content during pressing was above 20% - they can be used for feeding 21 days from the date of production, the optimal time to start using for feeding is after 30 days.

Herbal whole protein concentrated leaf product

Compressed leaves can be used for feeding or further processing. The processing stages performed during processing are: (a) breaking the compressed bale, removing impurities, grinding; (b) processing the prepared raw material at a temperature of 100-130 °C (can be extrusion, dry or wet heating) (c) cooling the product, storage. The produced loose product can be packaged, pressed, granulated or stored loose. The produced product can be used for feeding immediately.

Fermented stalk product

The stalks from the swath can be collected and pressed during the same drive (Fig. 3). The moisture content of the stalks is 15-60%, the optimum moisture content is 40-60%. During pressing, two fully mechanized baling stages are carried out: (a) pressing, twisting and wrapping with netting; (b) wrapping the twisted bales with film; (c) fermentation of the stalks pressed into bales takes place under anaerobic conditions for about 21 days.

The produced bales are collected and stored in a designated place. The produced bales are used for feeding no less than 21 days after the date of production, the optimal time to start using in feeding is after 30 days.

Results

A high-value herbal legume product for cattle feeding - a product that reduces methane generated during digestive processes - has been tested under laboratory and production conditions. The expert assessment was conducted by the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Veterinary Academy (Appendix No. 1 Expert assessment conclusion of the technical research report of the “AUGA Tech” feed prototype).

Chemical composition of feed Research conducted by AUGA Tech has shown that the inventive technology for fractionating herbaceous legumes allows for at least 13 percent better digestibility of the plant leaf product and has almost twice the protein concentration compared to unfractionated grass or stem products (Tables 1 and 2).

Table 1. Results of chemical analysis of feed samples

Fractionation products of herbaceous legumes Dry matter, % Crude protein (N x 6.25), % DM Crude fiber, % DM Herbal Protein Concentrate Leaf Product 84.7 21.7 16.7 Fermented stalk product 59.3 12.8 34.4

In vitro feed digestibility test

The results of the study of the dry matter digestibility of three different feed samples are presented in Table 2. The results obtained show that already in the first incubation periods in the rumen of cows: 0 h. and 4 h. the digestibility of all three feeds differed by about 6-10 percent. However, from the 24th hour of incubation, the dry matter digestibility of the grass protein concentrated leaf feed increased to 80.59 percent, when the other samples were 76.79 percent. and 73.79 percent. At the end of the in vitro study, 48 hours after incubation in the rumen of cows, the digestibility of the grass protein concentrated leaf feed was 87.29 percent, and that of raw alfalfa and alfalfa-clover silage was 76.79 percent. and 73.79 percent. The differences in the dry matter of the final incubation period are statistically significant and reach 10.5 percent from fractionated alfalfa. (raw alfalfa) and 13.5 percent (alfalfa-clover silage) (p<0.05).

Table 1. In vitro digestibility test of feed samples

Feed Incubation time in rumen contents/SM ¹ feed digestibility, % 0 hours 4 hours 24 hours 48 hours Unprocessed alfalfa (control 1) 66.21 66.68 69.17 76.79 Herbal protein concentrate leaf feed 72.56 73.50 80.59 87.29 Alfalfa-clover silage (control 2) 53.14 53.75 65.64 74.55

¹ SM - dry matter

Feeding study

A 4-month feeding trial was conducted/during the entire trial, the average daily milk production of the trial group was higher by 3.8 l/d or 13%, when the trial group had 33.2 l/d and the control group had 29.4 l/d (p<0.001). During the entire trial, the average dry matter intake in the trial group was 0.4 kg/d or 2% higher, when the trial dry matter intake was 24.9 kg/d and the control group had 24.4 kg/d (p>0.05). During the entire trial, the average absolute methane concentration in the trial group was lower by 23.4 ppm or 17%, when the average methane concentration in the trial group was 138.0 ppm and the control group had 161.4 ppm (p<0.001). The methane concentration per unit of production in the test group was lower by 1.3 ppm/l or 32%, when it reached 4.2 ppm/l in the test group and 5.5 ppm/l in the control.

Using feed production technology, natural resources (sun, wind) are used purposefully and no additional energy resources are required for drying the final products, leaves and grains.

Multifunctionality. One implement is used to harvest grass forage and grain crops. Now separate implements and separate agricultural machinery are used to harvest grass and grain crops.

Products are made from cut, dried biomass, with drier leaves and wetter stems. The leaves are further processed by temperature. Otherwise, a lot of additional energy would be required for drying or such raw materials would have to be ensiled-fermented, resulting in nutrient losses.

Claims (12)

1. A method for producing feed from plant biomass by separating plant parts, characterized in that the said method comprises the following steps: (a) the plants are cut down; (b) the biomass of the cut plants is dried; (c) during a single pass through the biomass of the cultivated plants, the plants are fractionated, separating the plant parts; (d) the separated plant parts are collected and further processed; where the fractionation of plant biomass is carried out with agricultural machinery equipped with a multifunctional implement with a rotary threshing-separator. 2. A method for producing feed from plant biomass according to claim 1, characterized in that the cut plant biomass is dried to a moisture content of 7-50%, preferably to a moisture content of 20-25%. 3. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the plant parts fractionated in step (c) are leaves and stems. 4. A method for producing feed from plant biomass according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the moisture content of the leaves collected in step (d) is within the range of 15-20%, preferably 15%. 5. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the leaves collected in step (d) are collected in a bunker and pressed, obtaining a grassy protein-concentrated leaf feed. 6. A method for producing feed from plant biomass according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the herbaceous protein-concentrated leaf product is additionally processed at a temperature of 100-130 °C. 7. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the stems separated in step (d) are collected and pressed to obtain a fermented stem product. 8. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to any one of claims 1-3 and 7, characterized in that the moisture content of the collected stems is in the range of 15-60%, preferably in the range of 40-60%. 9. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the plant crop is a leguminous plant. 10. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the plant parts fractionated in step (c) are grains and straw. 11. A method for producing feed from plant biomass according to claim 10, characterized in that the grains collected in step (d) are collected in a bunker, and the straw is pressed. 12. A method for producing feed from plant crop biomass according to any one of claims 1-2, 10, 11, characterized in that the plant crop is a grain crop.