Research Project

Desrciption of research project

Corn quality requirements as a guarantee of quality standards both in circulation and in its use, are based on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), namely SNI 8926: 2020 (National Standardization Agency, 2020). In SNI 8926: 2020 Corn, there are three levels of quality standards, namely premium, medium I, medium II. For premium, the quality is better than medium I, medium I is better than medium II. The minimum standard value of corn quality that must be met is in medium II. SNI has set standard requirements for corn quality as a feed ingredient which include water content, damaged seeds, moldy seeds, broken seeds, foreign objects, and nutritional quality. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the correlation between the physical properties of corn kernels and their characteristics as feed ingredients received by feed factories, in order to ensure the use of corn feed raw materials in accordance with quality standards in poultry feed production. This study will use a path analysis approach to understand the direct and indirect relationships between the physical properties of corn.

Livestock exposed to inappropriate environmental conditions, poor feed, and thermal stress can experience various health problems in addition to decreased production and growth disorders, this can also increase the risk of disease, and cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can damage cells in the body due to an imbalance between free radical production and the ability of the antioxidant system so that it can cause decreased immune function, affecting livestock growth, production and reproduction.
Solutions to overcome the negative effects of oxidative stress can be done by providing feed (proper nutrition), and implementing effective health management practices (use of antioxidants). Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals that can damage blood cells, and can help prevent damage caused by oxidative reactions.
Cashew nut skin is a major by-product of the cashew nut industry whose processing is still rarely done and has many uses in the fields of medicine and industry. Cashew fruit seed coat is reported to have antioxidant properties because the bioactive compounds contained are anacardic acid, cardol, cardanol, and methyl cardol which are natural phenol compounds that can protect blood cells from oxidative damage, by capturing free radicals that can damage cell membranes and can also control the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the blood that help stop the oxidation chain reaction.
One way to separate the desired antioxidant compounds is to extract the cashew fruit seed coat using the maceration method with 96% ethanol solvent. The use of ethanol as a solvent in the maceration process has the advantage of dissolving a wider range of compounds including nonpolar or polar compounds and can accelerate the extraction process because of its nature which can dissolve active substances efficiently.
Flavonoids and phenols as antioxidants have the ability to quickly provide hydrogen atoms to radical compounds or change them into a more stable form. Flavonoids can provide antioxidant effects by preventing the formation of free radicals, directly capturing free radicals, protecting lipophilic antioxidants and stimulating an increase in enzymatic antioxidants.
Antioxidants are compounds that slow down or prevent the oxidation process by stopping the chain reaction of free radicals. Antioxidants are compounds that in certain levels can inhibit or counteract the negative impacts of the oxidation process. Antioxidants control and reduce oxidative damage in feed by delaying or inhibiting oxidation caused by reactive oxygen species, which ultimately increases the shelf life and quality of feed.
The previously tested antioxidant products are then given to KUB chickens with parameters of antioxidant blood levels and blood biochemical tests such as glucose levels, cholesterol levels and proteins which aim to evaluate the effects of antioxidant products on the health and performance of KUB chickens. Analysis of the results will help determine whether the administration of antioxidant products has a positive effect on the health of KUB chickens, with the potential to improve the quality and productivity of KUB chicken farms as a whole.

Corn is the main component of the feed industry where 50% of corn production in Indonesia is used to meet the needs of the feed industry, while only around 30% is for consumption, and the rest is for other industrial needs. The composition of corn in poultry feed reaches 40-55 percent in rations, and is the main source of energy for poultry, especially which contributes more than 70% of the metabolic energy needs of poultry. As the main raw material for animal feed, the quality of corn is certainly a key parameter for producing quality animal feed that is safe for livestock health. Therefore, each feed producer (feed factory) has set acceptable corn quality standards supplied by farmers. This study evaluated the water content and physical quality of corn kernels supplied to feed factories for use as poultry feed ingredients, with a focus on identifying key quality parameters and their implications for feed safety. Measurement of water content and physical quality was carried out according to SNI--8926 2020, the assessment includes water content (Mc), and physical quality includes: damaged seeds (Dk), moldy seeds (Mk), broken seeds (Bk), and foreign objects (Fm).

The body naturally produces guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), an organic acid that serves as a precursor to creatine, an energy carrier in cells. An experiment was conducted to determine the response of native chickens to GAA. The GAA used is CreAMINO®, added to the feed during rearing up to 70 days of age. The native chicken was allotted to 4 treatments, each with 5 replicates of 6 chickens/pen. Four commercial diets were as control (without added GAA and Betaine): 0.06% GAA + 0.1% Betaine, 0.12% GAA + 0.1% Betaine, and 0.18% GAA + 0.1% Betaine. As a result, GAA provides additional energy for optimal growth. The criteria of responses were feed intake, feed efficiency, body weight gains, carcass weight, innards weight and length, intestinal morphology, histology on muscle, and meat quality. Supplementation of native chicken diets with 0.06 GAA resulted in the highest live weight gain, chicken wings, and chicken thighs. In 0.12 GAA, they resulted in the highest average daily gain, lowest feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, breast thighs, chicken back, and chicken lower leg. In 0.18 GAA, the lowest feed intake, feed efficiency, and meat cholesterol were found. Different GAA levels tend to give different results on native chicken performances.