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18 innovaciones para reducir nuestra huella ambiental

Submitted by ldobler on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 13:01

Por Tien Le 

Una mirada a la historia

“Para abordar los numerosos desafíos que enfrentamos en la actualidad, debemos tener una mentalidad de legado”, señaló el Dr. Mark Lyons (Presidente y CEO de Alltech) durante la Conferencia de Ideas de Alltech ONE en junio de este año. “Tenemos que mirar al pasado en busca de enfoques y conocimientos”.

Con esa idea en mente, el Dr. Lyons llevó a la audiencia al pasado: cuando los humanos comenzaron a llegar a América del Norte. Las personas trajeron y domesticaron a sus animales, comenzaron a utilizar los recursos naturales para la producción de alimentos, y necesitaron más tierra.

A medida que este desarrollo se llevaba a cabo, las economías y los continentes se conectaban a nivel global a través de los ferrocarriles, las carreteras y las rutas marítimas. El carbón se convirtió en el principal medio para impulsar a una economía en expansión y a un planeta en crecimiento. Como consecuencia, las emisiones de carbono empezaron a aumentar.

La industria agropecuaria estaba creciendo y las innovaciones científicas allanaron el camino hacia un sistema alimentario más eficiente. Esto creó las oportunidades para el nacimiento de marcas y empresas que –actualmente– son parte de la industria alimentaria.

La importancia de la productividad agrícola, así como de la eficiencia en la producción de los alimentos, ha dado lugar a nuevas innovaciones en el sector y a la toma de conciencia de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero generadas por la industria agropecuaria. En lo que respecta a la producción de carne, leche y huevos; los productores han comenzado a introducir mejoras para atender la influencia y las demandas del mercado.

Desde mediados del siglo 19, el volumen de combustibles fósiles que se consume ha crecido en 20 000%. Mientras que la población humana se ha incrementado en 1 329% –y los animales que se utilizan para alimentar a este creciente número de personas han aumentado mucho menos: 524%–. De hecho, hasta la fecha, en los Estados Unidos se produce un 50% más de ganado de carne que en 1960; pero este aumento de la producción se está logrando con un tercio del número de animales que se requería hace 60 años.

A pesar de que los avances científicos han permitido conocer mejor nuestro medio ambiente, no se ha podido llegar a un consenso sobre los responsables del cambio climático. Esto no solo ocurre en los Estados Unidos.

Se está produciendo un cambio

“Algo que estamos observando es que se ha iniciado un cambio, y que este va a continuar”, dijo el Dr. Lyons. “En realidad, hemos visto que la pandemia impulsó este cambio y la aceptación de otros que estaban sucediendo a nuestro alrededor”.

“Creemos que cada desafío representa una oportunidad y, de hecho, un regalo”, continuó el Dr. Lyons. “Cualquier cosa en la que tengamos fe puede hacerse realidad. Pero no haremos las cosas de manera diferente a menos que las veamos desde otra perspectiva”.

Veamos algunas de las innovaciones soñadas e implementadas en el mundo:

  1. Purificadores de aire gigantes: 9 de cada 10 personas de todo el mundo respiran aire contaminado. Y esta contaminación es responsable de casi 9 millones de muertes al año. Así, algunos ingenieros están pensando también en cómo se puede diseñar purificadores de aire gigantes que sean, además, obras de arte al aire libre. Tal vez la verdadera belleza es el aire puro y la energía limpia.
  2. Enfriar el planeta eliminando el exceso de dióxido de carbono del aire a escala industrial: Los depuradores de aire gigantes en Texas –que podrían ser comunes en el año 2050– utilizan algo puramente químico para capturar el CO₂ e inyectarlo a los pozos petroleros (que han estado secos en el último siglo). Algunos de los gases de efecto invernadero que están calentando nuestro planeta podrían eliminarse a través de este tipo de innovaciones, lo que ayudaría a reducir su efecto invernadero.
  3. Generadores de electricidad que aprovechan el calor del manto terrestre: Esta innovación ya se está llevando a cabo a pequeña escala en Kenia; y tiene un impacto importante futuro, ya que no emite en absoluto gases de efecto invernadero al aire.
  4. Uso de plástico reciclado como reemplazo del betún para la construcción de carreteras: Entre los combustibles fósiles que ya han sido extraídos del suelo, muchos de ellos se han transformado en plástico (el cual puede tardar hasta mil años en biodegradarse). Algunos plásticos pueden reciclarse y utilizarse para la construcción de carreteras –con lo que habría menos baches, se lograría un desplazamiento más suave y ofrecería una vida útil más larga a la carretera–.
  5. Carreteras solares: Tecnologías como las de Gorilla® Glass (un tipo de vidrio extremadamente resistente) pueden ser empleadas para la construcción de carreteras solares –revistiéndolas con los paneles solares que se utilizan para pavimentar caminos, calzadas o aceras–. Si estas carreteras cubrirían todo los Estados Unidos, generarían 3 veces la electricidad que necesita en la actualidad.
  6. Extintor de incendios sónico: Como consecuencia del cambio climático, hemos observado un número mayor de incendios forestales. Para hacer frente a este desafío, los científicos están trabajando en un extintor sónico, el cual puede colocarse en un dron y funciona a través del uso de ondas de sonido que desplazan el oxígeno de la fuente de combustible.
  7. El hidrógeno como combustible para la aviación: Desde 1990, las emisiones de dióxido de carbono por cada vuelo de pasajeros se han reducido en más de 50%. Aun así, la industria aeronáutica está evaluando nuevas fuentes de combustible –y el hidrógeno podría representar un nuevo combustible limpio para la aviación–. Un avión comercial de hidrógeno de Airbus ya ha volado en el Reino Unido.
  8. Un “ala mezclada” que sirva tanto como cabina de pasajeros como ala para aviones: Con todo el avión generando sustentación, esto podría ahorrar entre el 20 y 30% del combustible que actualmente se necesita para los vuelos de pasajeros.
  9. Algas verdes como purificador del medio ambiente y fuente de energía para el transporte: La capacidad de las algas verdes para comer bacterias es más frecuente de lo que se pensaba. Por lo que este hallazgo puede permitir importantes aplicaciones en la vida práctica –relacionadas con la ciencia ambiental y la ciencia del clima–. Además, las algas verdes también pueden ser una fuente de combustible para distintos tipos de transporte, tanto aéreo como terrestre.
  10. Los genes en el microbioma intestinal están relacionados con una serie de enfermedades humanas: Mucho de lo que sucede con nuestro microbioma está relacionado con las enfermedades de las personas. A medida que comprendamos más la ciencia, contaremos con nuevos métodos para superar los desafíos de la salud humana.
  11. Una alternativa a los antibióticos capaz de tratar las infecciones bacterianas resistentes: Los científicos de la Universidad de Durham, en Inglaterra, han perfeccionado la alternativa actual a los antibióticos –los denominados peptoides–; al alterar su estructura química para mejorar su penetración en las células y su eficacia contra las infecciones bacterianas. Este avance podría ayudar a solucionar el problema de la resistencia a los antibióticos.
  12. Con el metano procedente de los desechos de los animales puede obtenerse proteína unicelular para la producción de alimentos: No solo se está transformando el metano en energía a través de los biodigestores para biogás, sino que también se están aprovechando diferentes nutrientes y creando proteínas unicelulares que pueden volver a convertirse en alimento para los animales, e incluso para humanos.
  13. Un contenedor de basura inteligente que identifica los tipos de alimentos y fomenta el reciclaje: El desperdicio de alimentos es un área que tiene un potencial sin explotar. Este contenedor inteligente puede reducir una tercera parte de nuestros residuos alimentarios antes de que salgan de casa.
  14. Un artefacto de cocina que convierte los residuos orgánicos en compost: En la actualidad se están desarrollando dispositivos que nos permitirán transformar nuestros residuos alimentarios en compost, que podremos utilizar luego en nuestros jardines. Con un solo botón, el electrodoméstico Lomi tritura y calienta los desechos para descomponerlos sin olor; y así convertirlos en un compost rico en nutrientes –lo que reduce hasta en un 50% estos residuos, que de lo contrario terminarían en el basurero–.
  15. Las soluciones microbianas podrían mejorar la producción agropecuaria y mitigar su impacto ambiental: Existen nuevas herramientas que ayudan a desarrollar microbiomas específicos para el tracto gastrointestinal, para el suelo y para los sistemas de tratamiento de residuos. Como resultado, se están diseñando nuevas estrategias nutricionales y de suplementación dietética para mejorar la eficiencia en la producción y, a la vez, mitigar la intensidad de las emisiones.
  16. Herramientas de medición para determinar el impacto ambiental y las estrategias de mitigación: Tecnologías como el sistema de auditoria para granjas E-CO₂ de Alltech, o las pruebas en laboratorio y las evaluaciones de las dietas (Alltech IFM™ y la prueba de valor Yea-Sacc®) –así como la adopción de programas de suplementación y de manejo de pastos, para el control de las emisiones y del impacto de los minerales en el medio ambiente–; son fundamentales para reducir nuestro impacto ambiental en general.
  17. Tecnologías bióticas para mitigar las emisiones del sector agropecuario y su intensidad: Los nuevos sistemas de manejo utilizan la filtración para extraer el metano desde sus fuentes, para potencialmente emplearlo en los sistemas de producción agropecuaria. El manejo del estiércol y de los pastos, o la nutrición de pastos, nos llevan a los conocimientos sobre el microbioma y a la importancia de entender todas estas áreas relacionadas.
  18. Utilización de enzimas activadoras como catalizadores biológicos: Las enzimas pueden ayudarnos en muchos aspectos: como la mejora de la digestión y de la utilización del alimento; la modificación beneficiosa de los microbiomas de los animales y de los suelos; la alteración de los patrones de fermentación para descomponer los desechos; y la mitigación de las toxinas ambientales.

“Creemos que la industria agropecuaria producirá alimentos climáticamente neutros”, comentó el Dr. Lyons. “Seguiremos siendo uno de esos sectores clave que pueden secuestrar carbono y daremos una respuesta importante al cambio climático”.

Por último, el Dr. Lyons señaló que ninguna otra industria puede tener un impacto más positivo para el futuro del planeta, que el sector agropecuario.

“Es la industria que más me apasiona y es un gran honor trabajar en ella”, compartió el Dr. Lyons. “Podemos alimentar al mundo mientras lo enfriamos. No dejaremos una huella sino un legado. Qué extraordinaria oportunidad se nos presenta mientras estamos aquí reunidos, trabajando juntos por un Planeta de Abundancia™”.

Visite one.alltech.com para más información sobre la Conferencia de Ideas de Alltech ONE.

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La industria agropecuaria es uno de los principales sectores que puede secuestrar carbono y dar una respuesta importante al cambio climático.

David Butler — Climate Change: What the IPCC Report Means for Agriculture

Submitted by amarler on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 12:29

According to the latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying. As the agriculture industry takes a leadership role in reducing its carbon footprint, are there additional opportunities within the report? David Butler, head of sustainability at Alltech, joins the Ag Future podcast to unpack the implications of the IPCC's findings, explain how it may be used to guide policies, and explore the key takeaways for the agri-food sector. 

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with David Butler hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tom Martin:            Welcome to Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities facing the global food supply chain and speak with experts working to support a Planet of PlentyTM.

                                 I’m Tom Martin, and I’m joined by David Butler, head of sustainability at Alltech. David helps set the company’s commitments and goals to be more sustainable across the more than 120 countries in which the company operates.

                                 A global business must be on top of global dynamics, and among them, of course, is climate change. And recently, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change raised the alarm to a new and higher level with a report titled, “Climate Change: Widespread, Rapid and Intensifying”. And that’s our focus.

                                Welcome, David.

David Butler:           Thanks, Tom. It’s great to be here.

Tom Martin:            And so, basics first, David. What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?

David Butler:            Well, it’s an international organization that was set up by the United Nations way back in 1988. And it’s made up of representatives from 195 nations. And it’s their job to keep policymakers up to date on the science related to climate change so they have the information they need to make effective policies.

                                And the IPCC does not conduct climate science; they — the representatives enlist hundreds of scientists in the field who volunteer their time to review all of the existing scientific papers and produce these assessments.

Tom Martin:            Well, if you would, bring us up to speed on those assessment reports. What do they cover?

David Butler:            Well, the reports are designed to provide, you know, the scientific basis for governments to develop their policies, as I mentioned. And they’re also the foundation for negotiations at the U.N. Climate Conference. So, this will be central to the next conference, which is coming up in Glasgow in the fall. And they provide the information that the policymakers need, but they don’t tell policymakers what policies they need to put in place to accomplish the goals.

                                 So, the assessments have three parts, and the report that just came out a couple of weeks ago is the first of those three parts. It’s focused on the current science of climate change, which has advanced quite a bit since the last report came out.

                                 And then, the next two reports will be out early next year. The second one will deal with impacts, adaptation and vulnerability to climate change. And the third report will deal with mitigation, or how to combat climate change.

Tom Martin:            This most recent report that we’re talking about now notes changes in the earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system. How does this report differ from others that have come before it?

David Butler:            Well, first, I want to mention how amazing it is to me that they’re even able to produce this report, because there are hundreds of scientists that work on it, and they have to come to an agreement on all of the language in the report. And then, they have to agree with 195 representatives from the member countries. And so, that — it’s amazing that they can, you know, agree on such a massive document and all of the statements that come out in the report.

And I think, in the past, you know, that — the fact that they, they all had to be in agreement meant that the language in the report was very, very cautious. And so, you know, if there was a 90% likelihood of something happening, they would use words like “likely” or, you know, “somewhat certain”. They would use very cautious language. But in this report, they used words like “unequivocal”; you know, it is an established fact. They say things like that.

So, the science is much more defined than it was, and there’s really no doubt anymore that climate change is here, it’s happening now, (and) it’s caused by humans, primarily from burning fossil fuels.

Tom Martin:            What does this report tell us about our climate situation now (and) where we’re headed in the short term?

David Butler:           Well, let me read you the very first point in the summary. It kind of says it all:

                               “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.”

                                So, basically that’s saying there is no time left to wait, unless — and they go on to say, “unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5 degrees (Celsius) or even 2 degrees (Celsius) will be beyond reach.”

Tom Martin:            What, according to the scientists who’ve contributed to the IPCC report, needs to happen in agriculture to help put the brakes on these climate changes?

David Butler:            Well, certainly, agriculture, like every other industry, has its own environmental footprint. The thing about agriculture is that a lot of our footprint is related to methane emissions. And the report goes into great detail about the impact of methane. And that’s really the first time that one of these reports has taken such a close look at methane.

                                 Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. And it’s also very short-lived in the atmosphere; it only lasts about ten years, as opposed to potentially thousands of years for CO2. So, that means that, if we reduce it, then we can get a pretty quick impact on climate change. So, it’s a big problem, because it’s a very big greenhouse gas, but it’s also a part of the solution.

                                 And although the report doesn’t make specific recommendations and it doesn’t tell agriculture what to do, it does highlight the importance of dealing with methane as soon as possible.

Tom Martin:            Well, agriculture has been taking a lot of the blame as a significant source of methane. I think the IPCC report found that atmospheric concentrations of methane are at their highest level in 800,000 years and that lowering methane emissions is the best option to fight climate change. But how do you see that influencing ag policy?

David Butler:            That’s a great question, Tom. And right now, in Congress, they’re working on budget reconciliation, and in the proposal, there are a lot of climate policies. And there is possibly a methane polluter fee. And as far as I can tell, that is focused on leakage from the natural gas industry and should not affect agriculture.

But certainly, agriculture is a source of methane, and we need to think about what happens down the road at some point — if there are methane policies that impact agriculture, what would those be, how would that affect the industry, and would they work or not?

Tom Martin:            Speaking, David, of legislation before Congress, earlier this summer, the U.S. Senate passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act. And it’s now before the House, where it’s been since about June; (it) seems to be kind of stalled there at the moment. But the bill is supposed to make it easier for farmers, ranchers and other rural landowners to generate carbon credits by reducing their carbon footprint and, then, to sell those credits to companies interested in offsetting their emissions.

And this ag carbon credit market is kind of in its beginnings and is in its developmental stages, but as we await some clarity there, for things to shake out, for it to form fully, what are some of the ways that agriculture could reduce emissions and sequester carbon?

David Butler:            You know, like all industries, agriculture needs to start out by reducing our own emissions. And so, at the most basic level, that means that we need to switch over to renewable energy and get off of fossil fuels. And every industry needs to do that.

                                 But we also have an opportunity to reduce methane emissions from livestock, and we can go into more detail about the possible methods for doing that, but there is a lot of research going on there, there is a lot of potential for doing that. I think that’s very exciting.

                                 And then, some methane emissions come from manure, so we can put into place technologies to help with manure management. There are different ways to store manure, separate it and run it through anaerobic digestion, a big — sometimes they’re called biogas reactor methane digesters. And those allow you to produce as much methane as possible and then take that methane and use it as renewable natural gas or, in fact, burn it to generate electricity. So, that’s much better than releasing the methane into the atmosphere.

And then, we also need to explore agri-voltaics. And that’s simply just putting solar panels on agricultural land in such a way that it can still be useful farmlands. So, if you — if you put the panels on racks that are high enough, you can grow crops or graze animals underneath them, and they might be a little more spaced out than they would be if you have a solar farm, but you’re still getting the agricultural value out of that land instead of converting it into a solar farm. And I think that’s really important, especially as we need to feed more people.

Tom Martin:            So, this implies a lot of gearing up, a lot of retrofitting — changes that will have to be made to accommodate carbon sequestration and, as you say, renewable energy. All that costs money. What might be some sources of funding for all these changes?

David Butler:            Well, as you mentioned, you know, carbon markets are going to mature, probably over the next decade. And that could certainly be a big source of income, because there are industries — like the fossil fuel industry and the airline industry and some heavy-manufacturing industries — where it’s going to be really hard and take a very long time for them to come up with technologies to reduce their emissions. And in fact, the fossil fuel industry, they can never reduce the emissions of their products. You know, they’re going to have to reinvent themselves.

                                So, in the meantime, those industries will need to buy carbon offsets so that they can reduce the impact of what they’re doing. So, a lot of money will be flowing out of those industries, and hopefully, a lot of that money will go into agriculture to help farmers be part of the solution for climate change.

Tom Martin:            I don’t know that this is necessarily on the horizon in this country — maybe it is — but what, David, is likely to happen if governments take actions to reduce livestock numbers to reduce methane emissions?

David Butler:           That is an excellent question. I think it’s kind of, you know, that’s what’s on everybody’s minds: Will we come up with caps for livestock?

                                I don’t think that that would work. And the reason is that, you know, it would have to be on a country-by-country basis if there were limits on livestock. We don’t have a world government, so nobody can say, “This is how many livestock are going to be produced in the world.”

                                So, let’s say that the U.S. put a limit on the number of cattle. Well, that’s not going to change the demand for beef or dairy, so you would have to import those animals, and they would most likely come from Brazil, which could involve further deforestation of the Amazon or conversion of other ecosystems in Brazil. And that, combined with the transportation, could actually create a bigger carbon footprint than you had before.

Tom Martin:            Lots of complications in this issue. Is there already evidence that the agriculture industry is taking on a leadership role on climate change?

David Butler:            Absolutely. The U.S. dairy industry has a net-zero initiative with the goal of achieving that, zero emissions, by 2050. And there are many companies that are signed up to support that.

                                 And the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association recently came out with the carbon neutrality announcement, also for 2050. So, more and more companies are working in this direction, and the industry, as a whole, is moving in that direction.

Tom Martin:            Well, David, as I mentioned in the introduction, you are the head of sustainability at Alltech, and so you must have a very large plate (of responsibilities), I would imagine. And I’m just wondering: What sorts of projects related to climate change are currently on that plate?

David Butler:            Well, I work with several teams across the company. So, I want to mention a couple of their projects first.

Alltech E-CO2 is a subsidiary that Alltech has that works with farmers to help measure and reduce their carbon footprint. And so, they’re growing and getting projects all over the world. There’s more and more demand for that. And they help farmers, in a lot of different ways, identify how they can reduce that carbon footprint. So, that’s really important.

                                 And then, our research and technical teams are working on a lot of exciting projects right now to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts from livestock production in general, but especially from ruminants. And some of those other environmental impacts include nutrient pollution, like nitrogen and phosphorus runoff in water or mineral contamination in soil and water. And so, I think that’s really exciting.

                                 But my team’s main focus, right at the moment, is working on our transition to renewable energy. And we began installing solar at some of our facilities. The first facility to have a solar ray is our plant in Serdán, Mexico. And those panels will be operating very soon.

                                 And we’re looking at energy efficiency improvements in our facilities, and we’re looking at purchasing renewable energy from solar developers through power purchase agreements as well.

Tom Martin:           What are some various ways to reduce the carbon footprint of cattle?

David Butler:             As you probably know, the big problem with cattle is that they produce methane when they digest grass and other kinds of fiber. And that happens because in their rumen, there are a number of different types of microbes that help to break down the cellulose in that plant matter. And some of those microbes produce methane. And interestingly, the same thing happens when termites eat wood.

So, that methane, when it’s produced by cattle, that’s not a good thing for the farmer. It’s actually kind of a waste product; it’s lost energy. It would be better if the cow was not producing methane and if the rest of that energy from, from the carbon and hydrogen bonds went into helping the cow grow.

                                So, agriculture is working on a lot of different ways to try to combat this problem. And it can help farmers be more profitable at the same time that it reduces the amount of methane that we produce. So, one way to do that is (to) improve the efficiency of ruminants by making them — making them healthier and giving them better nutrition. And, you know, the more milk that they produce from the same number of cattle, or the more meat they produce, then you have less methane per gallon of milk or per pound of meat.

Many of our products do just that. They improve the performance and productivity of livestock, which means it takes fewer animals to produce the same amount of food. So, that reduces the overall environmental footprint of livestock, including greenhouse gas emissions.

And beyond that, there’s a lot of work being done on feed additives and ingredients that show promise for reducing methane emissions from cattle and other ruminants. And people are looking into breeding cattle that can produce less methane.

                                So, at Alltech, we’re doing all kinds of research in this area and making great progress on finding solutions. And I think that it’s probably comforting for people to know that this is a problem for agriculture, too, just from a productivity standpoint, and that we want to solve that, and there are a lot of people working on that.

Tom Martin:            You’ve touched on solutions that are in discussion, research and development, and in practice at Alltech. What else could agriculture do, in general, to combat climate change?

David Butler:            Well, you know, farmers have been recycling biomass for thousands of years, right? Nothing is wasted on the farm. Manure is used as fertilizer and, you know, crop waste, like corn stalks, (is) used as food for animals.

So, farmers are kind of like recyclers within the carbon cycle, right? They — everything they do revolves around the carbon cycle. I would like to see the agriculture industry take leadership of that and kind of help to transition us to a circular carbon economy.

And right now, an incredible amount of biomass goes into landfills or gets incinerated every year, and that’s a huge waste of nutrients and carbon. So, I’m talking about food waste, yard waste, wood waste and sewage sludge that all end up in landfills or are incinerated.

                                 And if you can imagine, we could take all of that organic matter, that biomass, and reuse it or recycle it in some way. Some things can become animal feed, some things can become compost, and other things can go into anaerobic digesters to produce natural gas or renewable electricity.

                                 And then, at the end of that cycle, everything else can go into biochar. And that’s a big topic, maybe for another day: What is biochar? We could talk about that for two hours.

Tom Martin:            Can you just give us a quick definition of that?

David Butler:            Yeah, sure. So, if you take organic matter — it could be wood chips, it could be straw, it could be manure — and you heat it without oxygen, you’re essentially baking it. It’s called paralysis. And (if) you drive off almost all the hydrogen and the oxygen, and you’re just left with this kind of crystalline carbon. And if you put that carbon in the soil, or if you use it in manufacturing of some other product, like roadways or plastics or concrete, then you’re pulling that carbon out of the carbon cycle, and so, you’re sequestering it. And it can last in the soil for hundreds and thousands of years. And that’s a great way to draw down carbon from the atmosphere.

Tom Martin:            It’s all so interesting, and we’ll revisit (this topic) over time. David Butler, head of sustainability at Alltech. We thank you so much, David.

David Butler:           Yeah. Thank you, Tom.

Tom Martin:            I’m Tom Martin. Thanks for listening. This has been Ag Future, presented by Alltech.

                                Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

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The latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.

VanDenAkker Farms: Gene expression is boosting corn silage feed efficiency

Submitted by aledford on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 10:13

While your average person is still snuggled underneath their blankets in the early morning, Corne VanDenAkker can be found in his barn, tending to the task of milking his herd of cows. There, he reflects on his relationship with farming, which is rooted in a tradition going back almost forty years, beginning when his family made the move from their homeland in Holland to their current homestead in Canada. Upon making the choice to continue this farming tradition, VanDenAkker began farming full-time on his own land and tending his herd after earning a degree from the University of Guelph. Since then, he has grown his herd to over 100 head, added milking robots to modernize his operation, and is continuously seeking how to become a better, more efficient and sustainable farmer.

Through his years of experience, VanDenAkker knows the importance of being cognizant of what goes into his dairy cows in terms of what they eat and the balance of nutrients required to maintain his herd health and optimal milk production. However, he was unsure if he would be able to support his herd with the yields from his own fields. 

Everything we grow goes into our cows

“Everything we grow goes into our cows,” VanDenAkker noted when discussing the 250 acres of corn that is farmed and destined for his own silage. “I didn’t know if I could feed them enough to support the milk.”

VanDenAkker has long used Alltech products such as Yea-Sacc and Optigen in his livestock feed, and five years ago, he was introduced to Grain-Set, an Alltech Crop Science product geared toward grain crops. He began applying it on 40 of his silage corn acres, and over the years since, he has seen consistent results at every harvest. 

“Year after year, we are seeing improved cob fill and an increase in the number of bushels we are getting from those fields when compared to the untreated area,” VanDerAkken said, adding that his average increase is more than 10 bushels per acre.

This crop yield increase is formidable, but the data that really impressed VanDenAkker came after he began feeding his Grain-Set-treated corn silage to his cows. 

“They increased their milk production when we switched,” he said. “I saw a trend in the increase but couldn’t be sure (that it was totally related to Grain-Set).” 

Backed by Science

VanDenAkker’s curiosity about the results prompted him to dig deeper into what he was seeing, and he decided to send samples of both his treated and untreated corn silage for analytical testing. The results spoke for themselves: The Alltech Crop Science-treated corn silage showed a 5.8% increase in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. This meant that the dairy cows were getting more energy and taking in more nutrients from the feed, allowing them to not only increase their milk production but to also have more balanced rumen health. These improvements help increase farmers’ profitability and make their systems more efficient.       

What is the science behind these results? Simply put: nutrigenomics. Gene expression helps corn silage crops better withstand environmentally stressful conditions, like drought or overly wet soils, and both biotic and abiotic stress. The plants respond by inducing their own resistance to these stressors and improving their own performance.  

Based on these results, VanDenAkker is enthusiastic about his plans to continue using Grain-Set on his silage corn. When asked about the difference he has seen in his cows, VanDenAkker smiled pragmatically and said, “I feed the cows myself, and I can see the results for myself. They are eating better and getting what they need from the feed. I always had good cows, but they are very decent now.”

What is Grain-Set?

Grain-Set is a unique blend of micronutrients and fermentation products and is specifically formulated for cereal, grain, forage and oil crop production.

  • Provides nutrients essential for plant metabolic processes
  • Increases grain weight and yield
  • Optimizes crop uniformity
  • Improves grain fill and quality
  • OMRI-listed for use in organic production

 

Have a question? Contact us!

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IMPRO-GRAIN®

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:24

Το IMPRO-GRAIN® είναι ένα ειδικά σχεδιασμένο ανόργανο λίπασμα με κατάλληλη ηλεκτρική αγωγιμότητα για καλλιέργειες δημητριακών και σιτηρών. Παρέχει τα απαραίτητα θρεπτικά συστατικά για τις μεταβολικές διεργασίες του φυτού, όπως η φωτοσύνθεση, βελτιώνοντας έτσι την ευρωστία και την ανθεκτικότητά του σε στρεσογόνες καταστάσεις.

  • Αυξάνει την παραγωγή.
  • Βελτιώνει την ομοιομορφία του καρπού και την πρωιμότητα.

 

 

 

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PROCROP ISR

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:24

Το PROCROP ISR είναι ένα προϊόν φυτικής ενίσχυσης. Η τεχνολογία του παρέχει στο φυτό τα θρεπτικά συστατικά που είναι απαραίτητα για τη θωράκισή του έναντι του περιβαλλοντικού στρες, το οποίο επηρεάζει την παραγωγικότητα. Η σωστή θρέψη ενισχύει την αποτελεσματικότητα του μηχανισμού άμυνας.

  • Μείγμα δραστικών συστατικών σχεδιασμένο για την ενίσχυση του φυτού.
  • Θρεπτική εναλλακτική που μπορεί να ενταχθεί σε ένα ολοκληρωμένο πρόγραμμα διαχείρισης των ασθενειών.
  • Δεν αφήνει συνθετικά χημικά κατάλοιπα.
  • Υγιέστερα φυτά που ανθίστανται καλύτερα στο στρες.
  • Εγκεκριμένο για βιολογικές καλλιέργειες σύμφωνα με τον κανονισμό (ΕΚ) αριθ. 834/2007.
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SOIL-SET® AID

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:23

Το SOIL-SET® AID είναι ένα ανόργανο λίπασμα με κατάλληλη ηλεκτρική αγωγιμότητα, το οποίο ενισχύει την ανάπτυξη και προάγει την υγεία του ριζικού συστήματος ενεργοποιώντας τη μικροχλωρίδα του εδάφους.

• Αυξάνει τη διαθεσιμότητα ανόργανων θρεπτικών στοιχείων.

• Συμβάλλει στην υγεία του μικροβιώματος του εδάφους.

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PROCROP SHIELD EU

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:22

Το PROCROP SHIELD EU είναι μια σύνθεση με εξαιρετική αποτελεσματικότητα χάρη στον μοναδικό συνδυασμό των κατιόντων που περιέχει. Η τεχνολογία του παρέχει στο φυτό τα θρεπτικά συστατικά που είναι απαραίτητα για τη θωράκισή του έναντι του περιβαλλοντικού στρες, το οποίο επηρεάζει την παραγωγικότητα. Εφαρμόζεται διαφυλλικά και συνδυάζεται αρμονικά με τα περισσότερα παραδοσιακά προγράμματα μυκητοκτονίας.

 

  • Μοναδικός συνδυασμός κατιόντων.
  • Δεν αφήνει συνθετικά χημικά κατάλοιπα.
  • Εναρμονίζεται με προγράμματα φυτοπροστασίας.
  • Εγκεκριμένο για βιολογικές καλλιέργειες σύμφωνα με τον κανονισμό (ΕΚ) αριθ. 834/2007.
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IMPRO-TURF

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:21

Το IMPRO-TURF είναι ένας βιοδιεγερτικός συνδυασμός θρεπτικών συστατικών προοριζόμενος για την ανάπτυξη και την αποκατάσταση της τύρφης. Με μοναδική τεχνολογία ζύμωσης, το IMPRO-TURF συμβάλλει στη βελτίωση της πυκνότητας, του χρώματος και της συνολικής ποιότητας της τύρφης.

  • Προσδίδει ζωντάνια.
  • Συμβάλλει στην ανάπτυξη ενός υγιέστερου ριζικού συστήματος.
  • Ενεργοποιεί τις μεταβολικές διεργασίες του φυτού για βέλτιστη ανάπτυξη.
  • Αναζωογονεί.
  • Εγκεκριμένο για βιολογικές καλλιέργειες σύμφωνα με τον κανονισμό (ΕΚ) αριθ. 834/2007.

 

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IMPRO-SET

Submitted by eivantsova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 09:20

Το IMPRO-SET είναι ένα διαφυλλικό λίπασμα με κατάλληλη ηλεκτρική αγωγιμότητα, το οποίο αυξάνει την απόδοση των φυτών και βελτιώνει τη συνολική του ποιότητα, προσφέροντας στο φυτό στοιχεία απαραίτητα για τη βελτιστοποίηση της μεταβολικής του λειτουργίας.

• Αυξάνει την εμπορεύσιμη παραγωγή.

• Βελτιώνει ποιοτικές παραμέτρους της καλλιέργειας όπως το χρώμα, τα σάκχαρα (BRIX), τη μεστότητα και την ποιότητα μετά τη συγκομιδή.

• Βελτιστοποιεί την ομοιομορφία του καρπού.

• Προσφέρει τα απαραίτητα θρεπτικά συστατικά για τη διαδικασία της φωτοσύνθεσης και για τις μεταβολικές διεργασίες του φυτού.

• Περιορίζει τις επιπτώσεις στρεσογόνων καταστάσεων και ευνοεί την υγιή ανάπτυξη του φυτού.

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Identificer skimmelvækst og beskyt din foderkvalitet i høstmånederne

Submitted by hmygind on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 06:51

Skimmelsvampe og gær kan vokse meget hurtigt, når vejret bliver varmere i foråret og i varmen i de tidlige sommermåneder. Men hvad med slutningen af sommeren og det tidlige efterår? Vejret i Danmark var ekstremt varierende denne sommer - fra ekstremt varme temperaturer til tørke og kraftigt nedbør, uge efter uge. Hvordan påvirker disse vejrmønstre afgrøderne, og hvad skal du kigge efter i dit foder til efteråret?


Mykotoksiner i tørkeperioder?

Det er almindeligt kendt, at marker, der er udsat for tørke, ikke giver et godt udbytte. Fordøjeligheden og den generelle kvalitet af foder, der dyrkes i tørkebelastede områder, vil være dårlig. Kan levende organismer som f.eks. skimmelsvampe vokse under tørke?

Svaret er ja: Mange arter af skimmelsvampe vil stadig vokse under tørke, eller de går i dvale og venter på, at det rette vækstmiljø vender tilbage. Et eksempel på en tørketolerant skimmel er Aspergillus. Mange gange vil Aspergillus-skimmelsvampe fremstå olivengrønne til gullige i farven på inficerede planter. Aflatoksiner stammer fra skimmelarterne Aspergillus.


Hvad med områder der er udsat for kraftig regn?

Der findes typisk flere skimmelsvampe i løbet af somre med kraftig regn, herunder Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus (Løbenål) osv. Fusarium findes almindeligvis både under normale vækstbetingelser og i vådere måneder. Mange gange fremstår denne skimmel først hvid og skifter til en rødlig-rosa farve. Under stress, både i marken og under opbevaring, kan denne skimmel danne mange mykotoksiner, herunder trichothecenerne (DON eller Vomitoxin, T-2 osv.), fusarsyre, fumonisiner og zearalenoner. Kliniske tegn på, at disse er til stede, omfatter immunundertrykkelse, tarmblødning, nedsat foderindtag, dårlig mælkeproduktion, nedsat tilvækst, aborter, problemer med undfangelsen, vasodilation (udvidede blodkar) og endog dødelighed.


Penicillium-skimmelsvampene vil typisk have en blå til grønlig farve, eller potentielt hvid, afhængigt af værtsafgrøden. Penicillium-skimmelsvampe inficerer typisk foder under opbevaring, men unormale vejrmønstre - f.eks. kraftig regn eller undertiden køligere temperaturer - kan medføre, at der dannes flere skimmelsvampe. Visse jordbearbejdningsmetoder kan også påvirke skimmelvæksten. Under stress kan Penicillium-skimmelsvampe danne patulin, penicillinsyre og ochratoksin. Kliniske tegn på, at disse stoffer er til stede, er bl.a. ødemer, forstyrrelser i vommen, løs gødning, blødning i tarmene og øget dødelighed.


Dette er et lille udsnit af de mykotoksin udfordringer, der kan forekomme under høst på dine marker. Hvis du ønsker at være særlig omhyggelig med at mindske de potentielle mykotoksin udfordringer, kan du med en Alltech 37+®-mykotoksintest kontrollere dit foder for eventuelle problemer. 
 

 

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Maren Skare Rullestad

+47 48 21 67 99

maren.skare@alltech.com

 

Maren Skare Rullestad har en mastergrad innen akvakultur fra Universitetet i Bergen. Hun har skrevet både bachelor og masteroppgave i samarbeid med Nofima og HavLine. Oppgavene omhandlet superkjøling, slakteprosedyrer, fiskevelferd, kvalitet og holdbarhet på laks. 

Maren har en lidenskapelig interesse for havbruksnæringen. Hun har en vid forståelse og erfaring innenfor biologi, forskning og prosjektarbeid, og har med sin ekspertise og organisatoriske ferdigheter ledet EINVU prosjektet til Alltech.

 

 

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Использование низких уровней микроэлементов в органической форме (Биоплекс) улучшает продуктивность бройлеров и снижает выведение минералов с пометом

Submitted by Ssemenova on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 03:53

Форма источников микроэлементов (неорганическая или органическая — Биоплекс) в рационах бройлеров оказывает достоверное влияние на зоотехнические показатели продуктивности, минерализацию большеберцовых костей и качество мяса птицы; при этом некоторые положительные эффекты начинают проявляться уже при скармливании органической формы в концентрации всего 12,5% от современных стандартов.

Полный текст статьи

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