@article{cabanas-ojeda_mejia-abaunza_lozano-cruz_aragao-netto_brown_rubio_fahrenholz_oviedo-rondon_2023, title={Corn kernel hardness and drying temperature affect particle size post-hammer-milling and pellet quality in broiler and swine diets}, volume={304}, ISSN={["1873-2216"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2023.115744}, abstractNote={The particle size (PS) of ground corn affects the live performance, nutrient digestibility, energy utilization, and gut health of poultry and swine. Endosperm hardness influences kernel breakability. The interactive effects of corn moisture content at harvest and drying temperature (DT) can also affect starch-protein matrix structure, breakage susceptibility, and pellet durability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of drying temperature (35 or 120 °C) in two yellow-dent corn hybrids with different kernel hardness (average and hard) on the geometric mean diameter (dgw) and standard deviation by weight (Sgw) when hammermilled, and pellet quality. Four different settings combinations of tip speeds (4213, 3862, 3335, and 2458 m/min) and screen of 8/64", 3.18 mm (8 −8); 20/64", 7.94 mm (20 −20); 24/64", 9.53 mm (24 −24); and 24/64", 9.53 mm (24 −24) respectively were used to target four dgw (400, 700, 925, and 1250 µm). After grinding, the 400 and 700 µm corn were included in broiler and sow diets to assess the impact of these treatments on the pellet durability index (PDI). Grinding and pelleting data were analyzed using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of two corn varieties (CV) and two DT in a randomized complete block design with blocks by grinding or pelleting event. The average hardness CV generally had the lowest dgw. The hard CV had the biggest dgw when kernels were dried at 35 °C, and the tip speed setting was 3335 m/min. Drying at 120 °C increased dgw for the average hardness CV when the target PS were 700, 925, and 1250 µm, but caused no increase in dgw at the lowest target PS. In contrast, the dgw of hard CV was not affected by DT when ground to target 700 and 1250 µm and increased at 400 µm with the high DT. The average hardness CV had higher Sgw, especially when dried at 35 °C. Higher particle uniformity (lower Sgw) was observed with hard CV. Diets containing the hard CV presented better PDI than diets with the average CV. Better broiler feed PDI was observed with corn dried at 120 °C than at 35 °C. However, this effect was the opposite when grinding at a lower PS target for sow gestation diets. The PS distribution and damaged starch of corn affected PDI. Higher corn DT affected dgw and Sgw differently depending on CV and improved PDI in broiler diets, while 35 °C DT improved PDI in sow diets.}, journal={ANIMAL FEED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY}, author={Cabanas-Ojeda, Joaquin A. and Mejia-Abaunza, Nicolas J. J. and Lozano-Cruz, Paula A. and Aragao-Netto, Valmiro and Brown, Sam and Rubio, Andrea and Fahrenholz, Adam and Oviedo-Rondon, Edgar O.}, year={2023}, month={Oct} }
 @article{rubio_conrad_juzaitis-boelter_wishon_fahrenholz_2023, title={The impact of marker selection, in-line near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), and feed mix time on the coefficient of variation (mix uniformity), body weight uniformity and broiler growth performance during the starter, grower, and finisher periods}, volume={102}, ISSN={["1525-3171"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.psj.2023.103109}, abstractNote={Most feed manufacturers in the United States use the same mixing time (and thus mix uniformity) throughout the growing period regardless of age and consumption patterns. However, research evaluating the optimum mixing time requirements and novel analysis methods, such as in-line near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, on the coefficient of variation (CV) and growth performance of broilers throughout the production phases is sparse. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of marker selection, in-line NIR, and varying mix times on mix uniformity, broiler growth performance, and body weight uniformity from 1 to 42 d of age. Feed was manufactured utilizing a 1815-kg counterpoise ribbon mixer. In both experiments, feed was mixed for 4.5 min (3 min dry mix and 90 s of wet mix) and 30 s (0 s dry mix and 30 s wet mix) to obtain a standard mix (SM) and an abbreviated mix (AM), respectively. Experiment 1 constituted a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of 2 mix times, (4.5 and 0.5 min), 2 batch sizes (908 and 1815 kg), and 4 methodologies to evaluate mixer performance (sodium chloride, Microtracers (Red#40 and Blue#40), and In-line NIR). In experiment 2, broilers received different mix time combinations: 1) SM from 1-42 d, 2) SM from 1-28 d and AM from 28-42 d, 3) SM from 1-14 d and AM from 14-42 d, and 4) AM from 1-42 d. In both experiments, selecting a single source marker provided a more accurate estimation of mixer CV in SM and AM diets (P< 0.05). In experiment 2, mix time did not influence BW, feed intake (FI), FCR, or individual bird BW CV from 1 to 42 d of age (P> 0.05). These data indicated that mixer CV differed depending on total mix time and methodology used and diets with a reduced mix time may not necessarily influence growth performance and BW uniformity during the starter, grower, and finisher periods of broilers.}, number={12}, journal={POULTRY SCIENCE}, author={Rubio, A. A. and Conrad, S. and Juzaitis-Boelter, C. and Wishon, C. R. and Fahrenholz, A. C.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{pope_walker_rubio_brake_jendza_fahrenholzy_2022, title={Effects of corn particle size distributions and formic acid on productive and processing performance of broilers}, volume={31}, ISSN={["1537-0437"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.japr.2022.100288}, abstractNote={Formic acid (FA) decreases the pH of feed, which could create a less favorable environment for bacteria and improve the efficacy of digestive enzymes. However, research evaluating the effects of feeding coarse corn (CC) particle size distributions and FA to broilers is sparse. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding varying corn particle size distributions and FA on broiler live performance as well as prevalence of cecal Salmonella spp. upon slaughter. A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of 3 corn particle size distributions (all 395 µm fine corn [FC], 1,642 µm CC blended at a greater inclusion with fine corn to generate a corn particle size of 850 µm (CC-Hi), or 2,290 µm CC blended at a lesser inclusion when compared to CC-Hi to generate a corn particle size of 850 µm (CC-Lo) and 2 dietary levels (0.0 and 0.4%) of partially buffered FA provided by Amasil NA (ANA) were provided from 11 to 48 d of age (32 birds/pen; 12 replicate pens/treatment). CC-Lo and CC-Hi had the same particle size, but different particle size distributions. Birds fed diets with CC and ANA improved their FCR compared with those fed diets with FC and without ANA at 48 d (P ≤ 0.05). Dietary inclusion of FA increased pectoralis minor yield at 43 d (P ≤ 0.05) but did not affect cecal Salmonella carriage. These data indicated that diets with FA and with a CC particle size distribution can be fed during the whole production period of broilers.}, number={4}, journal={JOURNAL OF APPLIED POULTRY RESEARCH}, author={Pope, J. T. and Walker, G. K. and Rubio, A. A. and Brake, J. and Jendza, J. A. and Fahrenholzy, A. C.}, year={2022}, month={Dec} }