USSEC recently conducted a feed manufacture short course in the Dominican Republic.
USSEC consultants Pedro Lora and Carlos Campabadal organized the event, which was attended by 44 technicians from different Dominican feed mills.  Mr. Campabadal presented conferences titled “Practical Feed Manufacture Problems in a Feed Mill” and “The Effect of Unprocessed Soybean Meal in Animal Performance.”  During the first presentation, the participants asked many questions related to feed formulation; the effect of high levels of nutrients in swine and poultry performance; mycotoxins problems and how to reduce the negative effect of these toxins; the effect of calcium solubility in eggshell quality; along with many other questions.  During the second conference, the main questions were related to the use of undercooked soybean meal and its effect in rapid transit problems and optimum urease activity values according to the animal species.  Participants also asked questions related to overcooked soybean meal and its effect on amino acids digestibility and animal performance.
Mr. Campabadal reviewed several diets and recommended using the Near Infrared (NIR) technique to analyze ingredients prior to formulating the animals’ diets.  Dr. Keith Behnke and Dr. Carlos Alberto Campabadal from the Grain Science Department of Kansas State University also participated as professors in this short course.