Binderless Mombasa Grass (Panicum maximum) pellet feed for small ruminants
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Date
2024
Authors
Jamie Ann M. Chioco
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Abstract
One of the challenges during each harvest season of forage grasses are the shortage and surplus. Freshly harvested grass will be fed to ruminants and the surplus will be stored on the farm; however, the seasons affect the nutritional value of Mombasa grass. With this, the study aimed to produced binderless pellet feed to efficiently handle and store the surplus forages, specifically the Mombasa grass, using only moisture conditioning, coupled with proper machine operational parameters. The specific controlled variables are the moisture content of the Mombasa Grass, and the die diameter and roller-to-die clearance of single-die pelletizer machine.
The ANOVA indicates that within the parameters investigated, there is no significant difference (p>0.05) in binderless pellet physical properties as affected by variations in moisture content (A), roller-to-die clearance (B), the diameter (C) and its combinations. However, the die diameter (C) does exert a significant influence on the palatability score of produced pellets (p<0.05).
The optimal operational parameters for producing binderless Mombasa grass pellet feed are identified as 25%, moisture content, 2.5 mm roller-to=die clearance of, and a pellet die with a diameter of 6mm. In terms of palatability, the optimal contribution of factors for achieving high palatability was found to be a moisture content of 15% and a 4mm die diameter, with a roller-to-die clearance ranging between 2.5 mm and 3.5mm. Within the limit of the factors considered, the pelletization process demonstrated a strength in maintaining consistent hardness, impact resistance, moisture content and density of the produced binderless pellet. This stability in pellet formation across varying range of factors proved the effectiveness of the proposed production process for binderless pellet from Mombasa grass. This study lays the groundwork for a thorough understanding of the pelletization process and contributes valuable insights to the broader field of biomass utilization and sustainable manufacturing practices.