A Dynamic Tool to Describe Lamb Growth and Its Use as a Decision Support System.

A dynamic model has been developed to simulate aspects of feedlot lamb growth and body composition, including energy and protein requirements, growth rate, composition of gain, and body mass. Model inputs include initial body mass (kg), standard final mass (kg), age (days), and dietary energy concentration (Mcal·kg). The model was assessed as a decision support tool using a dataset of 564 individual measures of final body mass and diet energy.

Keggin-structure heteropolyacid supported on alumina to be used in trans/esterification of high-acid feedstocks.

Heteropolyacids (HPA) with Keggin structures, such as HPMoO (HPMo), have been described as efficient catalysts in trans/esterification reactions due to their tolerance to water and free fatty acids contents, with particularly well-suited characteristics of high proton mobility and stability. The versatile array of HPA is considerably increased when such catalysts are supported onto solid matrices. In this sense, AlO was assessed as support for HPMo to be used in trans/esterification reactions to produce biodiesel from high-acid feedstocks.

Sustainable enzymatic approaches in a fungal lipid biorefinery based in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate as carbon source.

Single cell oil (SCO) was produced from enzymatically hydrolysed sugarcane bagasse by Mucor circinelloides. The fungus was cultured in the hydrolysate medium rich in glucose and xylose being able to assimilate both sugars simultaneously, attaining satisfactory values of lipid accumulation (25 wt%). The main concepts addressed herein were the utilization of these lipids for the production of (i) ethyl esters of fuel grade, and (ii) concentrate of polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutraceutical applications.

Lipid accumulation by pelletized culture of Mucor circinelloides on corn stover hydrolysate.

Microbial oil accumulated by fungal cells is a potential feedstock for biodiesel production, and lignocellulosic materials can serve as the carbon source to support the fungal growth. The dilute acid pretreatment of corn stover can effectively break down its lignin structure, and this process generates a hydrolysate containing mostly xylose at very dilute concentration and numerous by-products that may significantly inhibit the cell growth. This study utilized corn stover hydrolysate as the culture media for the growth of Mucor circinelloides.