Straw supplementation

Method of Preparation Either chopped or whole straw is adequate, although permeation is more rapid on the former. (See Chapter VI on preparation of straw as a fruiting substrate). Pasteurization is achieved through the submersion of straw into a hot water bath at a temperature of 160°F. for 20-30 minutes. The straw, once pasteurized and inoculated, should be compacted and filled to a depth of 6-12 inches. Gramss (1979) noted That wheat straw supplemented with 25% Fagus sawdust enhanced yields. Watling (1980) reported, without elaboration, that fruitbodies form on a sawdust based medium. This species also fruits on unpasteurized straw although problems with insect pests and competitor molds are more pronounced. 

Bechler s death is widely considered to be the final straw in an ongoing debate over the safety of ephedra. The drug was once commonly used (and heavily advertised) as a weight loss supplement. The FDA finally banned the ingredient altogether in the months following Bechler s death. But before that happened, the herb had been linked to several other deaths and additional cases of serious heart problems. In fact, it was already forbidden within the... 

Land Farming. Land treatment is the most common method of oily solids disposal. The process is frequently referred to as land farming, as the oily waste is spread thinly, worked into the soil, fertilized, and watered. Manure or straw is added to reduce erosion lime addition reduces alkalinity. Commercially available strains of biodegrading bacteria may also be added to supplement the activity of naturally occurring strains. Because prevention of groundwater contamination is a serious concern, the same regulatory requirements applicable to landfill sites must be satisfied. 

Conversely, there are many low nitrogen forages which do not respond to nitrogen supplementation. Under experimental conditions similar to those of Campling et al. (10) supplemental urea had no effect on the digestion ceilings or intake of wheat straw (0.64% N) or oat straw (0.52% N) fed to sheep and steers, respectively (28). 

Effect of Urea Supplementation on the Nutritive Value of NaOH-treated Oat Straw... 

The present experiments were undertaken to investigate modified NaOH-treatment procedures and to determine the effect of nitrogen supplementation on both the digestibility and voluntary intake of untreated and treated straw. 

Methods. Oat straw harvested in 1967 was treated with NaOH according to the method previously described. Eight female Cheviot lambs were used in this experiment which was designed to substantiate the results obtained in Experiments II and III, and to test in addition the effect of supplementation of straw with a soluble carbohydrate (sucrose) source. This experiment was designed as a 2 X 4 factorial with the effect of treatment (untreated vs. NaOH-treated) compared with four different supplementations (none, sucrose, urea, sucrose + urea). One sheep was fed each of the eight treatment combinations in each replicate, with six replicates constituting the experiment. As in the previous experiments, urea was added at a 2.5% level. Sucrose was added at a 3.5% level in three of the replicates, and an approximately equivalent amount of sucrose was supplied from a 7.0% level of molasses in the other three replicates. The percent of supplements added thus varied from 0-9.5% with the remainder of the ration (91.5-100%) consisting of treated or untreated straw. 

Variable results relating to urea supplementation of untreated straw have been reported with either increases (4, 10) or no effect (12) on voluntary intake and digestibility noted. As observed increases in energy intake were still too low to maintain body weight (10), this would suggest that the beneficial effects of nutrient supplementation of low-quality forages are limited unless accompanied by delignification procedures. 

According to Chang et al. [6], when some ligneous cellulosic materials are used as the carbon source (such as hay or straw), the reduction of sulfate with further production of sulfide can be improved with the supplementation of electron donors easily accessible by the microbes, such as sucrose, peptone, and lactate. This can explain the marked increase in the efficiency of metal removal observed in run II, where seaweed was mixed with a certain quantity of sugarcane bagasse. 

Tab. 5.6 Effect of supplements of 10 g and 20 g S kg diet (88% feed DM) on feed intake in pigs and goats, and straw intake in sheep (gday )...

In contrast to these claims about what is natural and what is not, Demain [16], considered antibiotic production in unsterilized soils supplemented with natural plant material as natural situation. Similarly, the confirmed production of gliotoxin by Trichoderma on wheat straw in the soil, and in the soil immediately adjacent to the straw, should also be considered natural , as well as patulin production in soils supplemented with alfalfa and clover or in contaminated apples and in fruit Juices [19]. 

Gliotoxin Trichoderma sp. Inoculated into wheat straw and then incubated in soil unautoclaved soil supplemented with clover... 

When horse manure is used as the basic starting ingredient, the compost is considered a "horse manure compost" whereas "synthetic compost" refers to a compost using no horse manure. Straw, sometimes mixed with hay, is the base ingredient in synthetic composts. Because straw is low in potassium and phosphorus, these elements must be provided by supplementation and for this reason chicken manure is the standard additive for synthetic composts. No composts are made exclusively of hay because of its high cost and small fiber. In fact, mushroom growers have traditionally used waste products because they are both cheap and readily available. 

These are inorganic compounds that supply a rapid burst of ammonia. They are frequently used for initial straw softening in synthetic composts. When used, care should be taken that they are applied evenly. If ammonium sulfate is used, oaloium carbonate must also be added at a rate of 3 parts CaC03 to 1, to neutralize sulfuric acid groups. These supplements are not reoommended for horse manure oomposts. 

After make-up, the mesophiles remain in the cool outer zones while The thermophilic fungi, ac-tlnomycetes and bacteria dominate the inside of the pile. The actinomycetes are clearly visible as whitish flecks forming a distinct ring around the hot center. Bacteria dominate this center area and continue to decompose the nitrogenous supplements, liberating more ammonia. At this point The carbohydrates in the straw are ready for microbial use. 

For synthetic composts Break the straw bales and water them thoroughly. Mix in group 1.4 or 5 supplements or chicken manure. Windrow. Start at day -5 if straw is short or has been chopped. 

Singer (1963) reported that mycelium implanted in beds of horse manure/straw compost for 7-14 months produced mushrooms directly after the appearance of rhizomorphs. J. Garbaye etal. (1 979) published data indicating that the supplementation of natural patches with a NPKCa mineral fertilization induced large fruitings of L nuda as well as Boletus edulis and Lepiota rachodes. two unrelated species of culinary distinction. 

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