[Terrapreta] methane, cowfarts and charcoal in the feedlot

[Tom Miles]

Again from Bob Massengale's book, Black Gold, charcoal was use as a feed
ingredient in the US but later abandoned. At one time apparently is was a
common additive for swine and poultry concentrated feeds.   

A 1953 study at purdue considers, "THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF WOOD CHARCOAL FOR
PIGS"
ROBERT TOZUSEX and W. M. BEESON  Purdue University Agricultural Experiment
Station
http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/12/2/271.pdf

A 2001 study investigated " Effects of providing dietary wood (oak) charcoal
to broiler chicks and laying hens,"
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/els/03778401/2001/00000090/00000003/ar
t00205

See " Use of Bamboo Charcoal to Remove the Bad Smell of Manure"
http://www.agnet.org/library/pt/2002013/


It's apparently also good for goats. "Some animal and feed factors affecting
feed intake, behaviour and performance of small ruminants"

"Adding bamboo charcoal to the diet increased dry matter (DM), organic
matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility and nitrogen retention. The
highest DM, OM, CP digestibility and N retention were obtained in goats fed
0.5 or 1.0 g charcoal/kg body weight /day. The goats given the diet with
bamboo charcoal grew faster than those given the diet without bamboo
charcoal."
http://diss-epsilon.slu.se/archive/00001108/

In Nigeria 5% wood charcoal was shown to increase intake and gain in
broilers. 
"Response of Broiler Chickens to Wood Charcoal and Vegetable Oil Based
Diets" 
Body Weight Gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly
better (p<0.05) on birds
fed without WC compared to those fed on WC based diets."
http://www.idosi.org/wjas/wjas3(5)/3.pdf



Tom