Biochar For Improvement of Animal Heath and Productivity

Summary of Research Findings

• Improve Quantity and Quality of Meat

• Reduce Disease in Animals

• Reduce or Eliminate Smells in Animal Housing

• Reduce External Inputs and Increase Profitability

• Increase Soil Quality

Summary of Research Findings

Feeding Biochar and Molasses to Cows (.33kg/day)

Adding Dung Beetles

Increases Pasture Productivity by 25%

S

Si

P K

Ca

Fe

N

Biochar Coated with nutrients and microbes

Data from Doug Pow and Kathy Dawson

S

Al

Mg

Biochar Increased Soil Properties (Available P and K, TOC,

Nitrate, Between 2011 and 2015

30 Soil samples across transect pooled

Beetles Mix Clayey Soil Around Dung and Biochar and Move

Through the Soil to a Depth of 40cm

Improved pH, C and N content

C= 5.7 N=.48 pH= 5.4

C= 6.0 N=.47 pH= 6.2

Soil Properties No BC Soil Properties With BC

C= 2.1 N=.13 pH= 5.0

C= 3.6 N=.24 pH= 6.1

C= .67 N=.03 pH= 5.3

C= 2.0 N=.11 pH= 5.8

Depth

0-5cm

25cm

40cm

Analysis NSW DPI

Image ad Analysis of Biochar Surface taken from Dung (A), 0-5cm

(B)10-15cm(C), 15-20cm(D)

B

A

C

D

Al

Si

P K S

Ca

Fe

Al P S Ca

Mg

Si

K

O

N

C

O

C

P S Ca N

O

C

Al

Na Ca Mg

Si

Fe

C

O

Aa

Bb

Cc

Dd

TEM Image and Analysis of Biochar Surface taken from 10-20cm

in the Ground. Image b) and c) indicate Fe nanoparticles. Image

d) shows the porous nature of the biochar

Indicative Benefits in Feeding BC to Cows and Adding Dung Beetles

No Drenching and Insecticide, No Purchase Hay and Fertilisers

Strategies CP1 CP2 $ CP3 Biochar Costs

Fertiliser $5,210 $5,210 $6,630

Drench $600 $600 $600

Insect Spray $500 $500 $500

Hay $15,600 $13,200 $7,000

Maintenance/Depreciation $3,000

Biochar/Molasses $1,000

Total Costs $21,910 $19,510 $17,730 $1,000

Income $54,000 $54,000 $54,000 $49,500 Income-Costs $32,090 $34,490 $36,270 $48,500

CP1= Buying hay CP2 = Growing hay. Contractor to harvest CP3 = Growing hay and harvesting oneself

Increase of $12,250/yr.

Oral Application of Biochar and Humic acids to Dairy Cows Influences Clostridium botulinum Blood Serum Antibody Level

• A total of 380 Schleswig Holstein cows suffering from chronic botulism were fed daily with 400 g/BC

for 4 weeks (1-4 weeks of study), 200 g/BC (5-10 weeks of study), 200g BC and 500 ml Sauerkraut

juice/animal (13-16 weeks of study), 200 g BC and 100 mL Aquahumin/animal (15-18s week of study),

100 g BC and 50 mL Aquahumin (19-22 weeks of study) followed by 4 weeks without any

supplementation.

• Bacteriological and immunological parameters investigated included C. botulinum and botulinum

neurotoxins (BoNT) in faeces, C. botulinum ABE and CD antibodies, positive acute phase proteins

(APPs) haptoglobin and LPS-binding protein (LBP) using serum ELISA, negative APP paraoxanase by

its enzymatic activity and glyphosate in urine by ELISA.

• Neither BoNT nor C. botulinum was detected in feacal samples. From week six until four weeks before

the end of the study, there was a significant reduction in antibody levels.

• All supplementation, except low doses of BC (200g / animal) alone, led to a significant reduction of C.

botulinum ABE and CD antibody levels.

• There also was a significant reduction of glyphosate in urine following supplementation with a

combination of 200g BC plus either 500 mL sauerkraut juice or humic acid.

• Haptoglobin, paraoxanase and LBP were significantly increased by the 24th week of the study.

• In conclusion, a charcoal-sauerkraut juice combination and humic acids could be used to control chronic

botulism and glyphosate damage in cattle.

Added biochar at different rates 25g/kg, 50g/kg and 100g/kg for the first 28 days and then at different periods during the final growth period. Found increase in carcass weight and yield and fat excretion and reduced excretion of minerals when only applied at 25g/kg for the first 28 days.

Biochar increases growth rate in

local “Yellow” cattle in Lao PDR”

80

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

0 14 28 42 56 70 84

Live

we

igh

t, k

g

Days on experiment

Biochar No biochar

Leng et al 2012

Reduces Emissions and Nutrient Run-Off

The Impact of Addition of Wheat Straw Biochar to Chicken Feed Feed

yield increase survival rate

Total

cholesterol Triglyceride Abdominal fat rate

Treatment g/day % mg/100g meat mg/100g meat mg/100g meat

CK 49.5±4.9b 96±8.9a 3.27±0.3a 0.69±0.17a 4.04±0.70a

BC rate 1% 52.8±2.7ab 100±0a 3.14±0.20ab 0.53±0.20b 3.37±0.75ab

BC rate 5% 54.5±5.1a 100±0a 2.92±0.4b 0.42±0.13b 2.77±0.84b

BC rate 10% 52.0±2.6ab 96±8.9a 3.13±0.3ab 0.47±0.09b 3.11±1.24b

1. Four random groups of 25 healthy broilers each of Rose 308 (22-day-old, body weight about 670 g each, in good health) were feed for 33 days with either 0, 1%, 5% and 10% wheat straw biochar to their basal diet.

2. At 5%BC weight increased 10.12% and the breast muscle rate by 23.42% broiler abdominal fat was reduced by 31.44%.

3. There was a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol and serum triacylglycerol

Charcoal application for Poultry

farming in Japan

Feed Mixture of Biochar and Wood Vinegar to Chicks who are ill

Introduce biochar into Feed after Chicks recover

Component of feed

55%

21%

6%

4%

4%3%2%2%2%1% corn powder

rice bran

fish meal

alfalfa

fossil

grinded sesami

gluten(corn)

oyster shell

CaCo3

Charcoal

Effects of biochar on slaughter performance of

breeding pigs

Item Control group Experimental group

carcass

weight(Kg) 65.33±3.06b 81.67±1.53a

carcass

length(cm) 122.40±3.65b 132.17±4.75a

dressing

percentage(%) 65.54±0.42a 65.72±0.96a

backfat

thickness(mm) 12.84±1.36a 13.86±2.65a

fat rate(%) 0.94±0.18a 1.11±0.16a

increase

Effects of biochar on tetracycline antibiotics residue of breeding pigs(μg/kg)

Control group Experimental group

Oxytetracycli

ne

pork 22.04±1.75a 15.84±4.32b

pig liver 161.97±22.93a 159.32±20.38a

pig kidney 245.70±69.19 —

Tetracycline

pork 23.28±2.58a 8.75±1.50b

pig liver 28.71±7.09a 23.99±3.70a

pig kidney 51.43±15.82a 37.23±4.55a

Aureomycin

pork 265.58±14.97a 233.66±12.88b

pig liver 2014.67±187.57a 1663.63±177.25b

pig kidney 2493.63±285.93a 2166.18±124.55b

28.13%

62.17%

12.05%

Biochar in Aquaponics; What are the economics

Nick Savidov & Mike Nichols Massey University, New Zealand Wednesday, August 27, 2008 Lima, Peru