Research Article:"Developing densified products to reduce transportation costs and to improve the quality of rice straw feedstocks for cattle feeding"

Published article:

"Developing densified products to reduce transportation costs and to improve the quality of rice straw feedstocks for cattle feed"

Nguyen Van Hieu¹*; Nguyen Thanh Nghi², Le Quang Vinh²; Le Minh Anh³ ;
Nguyen Van Hung⁴, Martin Gummert⁴

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¹Tien Giang University, #119, Ap Bac St., Ward 5, My Tho City, Tien Giang Province, Vietnam;

²Nong Lam University, 6^th Quarter, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam;

³Binh Minh Group, #784, National Highway 50, Cho Gao District, Tien Giang Province; &

⁴International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines.

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Journal of Vietnamese Environment, Vol. 10, No. 1 (2018), pp. 11-15, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.

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An applied research regarding to management and use of rice straw more effectively was done by a research team of the NLU Center for Agricultural Energy and Machinery coordinating with other institutions such as Tien Giang University, Binh Minh Group, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). This research belongs to the BMZ-funded IRRI rice straw Management Project that is being conducted consurrently in Vietnam and other Southest Asia countries. Results of the research were summarized into a scientific paper, was sent for reviewing and then accepted for publishing on the Scientific Journal of the Technical University of Dresden (Germany).

Abstract. Densification of rice straw such as compacting and pelletizing is an important process to increase the density of rice straw resulting in a reduction of transportation cost. Within this research, we conducted a techno-economic investigation of rice straw densification to produce compressed bales and pellets, which are later used for animal feed. In line with the main deliverable of the performance of rice straw compacting and pelletizing processes, we also looked into the quality of the product in terms of uptake and digestibility of the cattle feed which could be improved by adding amendments such as urea during the compacting process. The compacting technology resulted in a 400% increase of bale density (from 94 to 390 kg.m-3). This could reduce transportation costs by about 60% for a 60 km driving distance using trucks. The net profit that resulted from compacted bales was USD 0.0062 kg-1. Although the pelletizing technology increased the cost of the densified product by 40–50%, its density increases by 700%, from 94 to 666 kg.m-3. The enriched-rice straw pellets contained 12.1% Protein, 2.8% Lipid, 32.7% raw fibre, and 11.2% ash. In addition, a test of this product for cattle feeding illustrated an increase in its eating desirability for cows. Findings from this study contribute to reducing feedstock cost and developing densified rice straw products. These, therefore, provide more alternative options to increase the benefits from rice production and thus, reduce the unsustainable burning of rice straw in the field.

Key words: Rice straw, densification, pellet, cattle feed, greenhouse gas emission.

Please see here: Full-paper

"Developing densified products to reduce transportation costs and to improve the quality of rice straw feedstocks for cattle feed"

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