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WHAT CAN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY CONTRIBUTE IN AGRICULTURAL

SYSTEMS RESEARCH TOWARDS ACHIEVING PNG VISION 2050?

Conference Paper · October 2011

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
WHAT CAN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY CONTRIBUTE IN
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH TOWARDS
ACHIEVING PNG VISION 2050?

Michael Dom1 and Janet Pandi2

1
NARI Momase Regional Centre, Labu Station PO Box 1639 Lae 411, Morobe Province
Email: michael.dom@nari.org.pg
2
NARI High Altitude Highlands Research Centre, Tambul Station, PO Box 120, Mt Hagen
Western Highlands Province Email: janet.pandi@nari.org.pg

Abstract
In agricultural research for development, analytical chemistry provides the means to generate
essential technical data on soil, water, plant and animal material. Animal nutrition research at
NARI is aimed at developing improved feeding systems for livestock, so that smallholder farmers
can make gains in productivity and be economically viable. PNG Vision 2050 recognizes that
subsistence agriculture ventures play a critical role in enhancing rural livelihoods and the
cultural lives of many and that opportunities exist in food production for the domestic market. It is
a strategic direction of the Vision to grow the agricultural sector, but how to do this remains a
challenge. Two approved technology releases based on the use of local feed ingredients for
growing-out pigs and poultry provided a wealth of technical information with potential for
enhancing production of pork and chicken meat by smallholder farmers. A series of experimental
feeding trials revealed that replacing imported grain-based commercial feeds with sweet potato
and cassava by up to 50% was effective for both animal performance and economic benefits for
growing pigs and poultry, managed under small-scale farming systems, as practiced by about
580, 000 farmers in PNG. Basic animal nutrition experimental techniques combined with
analytical chemical testing of innovative feeds led to the development of new feeding systems that
promote extensive use of local feed resources. Apart from adding value to local produce and
generating gainful local employment, the technologies can facilitate commercialization of the
otherwise subsistent smallholder agriculture. These development outcomes contribute directly to
PNG Vision 2050’s core strategic development area in Research and Development. Keeping pigs
alone is a major farming activity and a conservative estimate of the potential economic value of
the small-scale pork industry is Kina 162 million.

Keywords: Animal nutrition, apparent metabolizable energy, digestibility, nitrogen balance,

PNG Vision 2050, proximate nutrients, pigs, poultry

1.0 Introduction
While PNG Vision 2050 recognizes that subsistence agriculture ventures play a critical
role in enhancing rural livelihoods and the cultural lives of many, and that opportunities
exist in food production, namely vegetables and fresh meat, for the domestic market, it also
admits that how to do this remains a challenge (NSPTF, 2009). It is our conviction that the
use of analytical techniques and chemical testing services provides the means of developing
innovative science and technology solutions to overcome some of the challenges which limit
development of the rural economy.

In agricultural research for development, analytical chemistry provides the essential

technical analysis tools upon which natural resources, namely, soil, water, plant and animal
material are evaluated and thereby innovative technologies adapted and tested for farmers to
use. Analytical chemistry applied in the study of animal nutrition can contribute to wealth
creation, one of the key pathways of achieving PNG Vision 2050, by (a) relieving the
dependency on a few imported grains as energy sources in commercial feeds and enabling

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
effective use of local feed resources as substitutes, (b) creating marketing opportunities for
the utilization of suitable local feed crops, (c) encouraging small-scale feed manufacturing
in community based feed mills, (d) diversifying income earning opportunities through sale
of local feed sources as well as livestock products and (e) contributing to value-adding
through post harvest and food processing. NARI addresses these development agenda
through its strategic plans which are focused on enhancing productivity, efficiency, stability
and sustainability of the smallholder agricultural sector (NARI, 2006).

The biggest segment of the agricultural sector in PNG is the subsistence and semi-
commercial smallholder farming. Subsistence farming, which is the livelihood of over five
million Papua New Guineans, faces many more challenges today than ever before.
Moreover, smallholder farmers who are poised to enter the growing domestic market for
meat and food produce are faced with the same local challenges, combined with global
changes in trade and commodity prices, international financial trends and climate change
scenarios that have a tangible domino effect into our rural economy. While the farming
challenges may appear complex there are small measures that have been advanced by
NARI, aimed at providing improved animal feeding systems for smallholders, so that they
can make gains in productivity and be economically viable.

According to the PNG agricultural census of 2000 nationwide about half of rural
households raise pigs for a living and on average one pig maintained for every three people
(NSO, 2002). In parts of Southern Highlands, Enga, Western Highlands and Simbu
Provinces, pig keeping is more widespread and significant, with up to three quarters of
households engaged in the enterprise. Pigs are therefore the most important smallholder
livestock in the country (Ayalew, 2011) and a conservative estimate of the potential
economic value of the small-scale pork industry is Kina 162 million (Dom, 2010). On the
other hand, Gwaiseuk (2001) reported that the PNG livestock commercial sector is
dominated by broiler chickens production due to a high demand for poultry meat.
Quartermain (2001) foresees growth at 5% per annum for production of meat for house hold
consumption commensurate with a population growth of 2.0-2.5% per year and continued
increasing affluence. Expansion and sustainability of this sub-sector is dependent on
encouraging more people to go into broiler production, by supporting with critical inputs
such as lowered feed cost, animal health services and regular extension contact, thereby
making it attractive and profitable.

Animal production is governed by two main factors, which are, the animal’s finite
genetic potential and the provision of suitable nutritional feed to achieve this potential.
Knowing the nutritive content of a feed ingredient is the first step to ensuring proper and
cost-efficient ration formulation for maintaining animals, which entails use of analytical
techniques and testing. Hence, feed evaluation is a problem of considerable scientific and
practical significance (Nehring and Haenlein, 1973). Animal feeding systems are directed
towards economical maintenance of breeding stock and profitable production of animal
products – meat, eggs, milk, fibre and traction. Farmers in different places keep different
types of livestock and operate under different bio-physical constraints. In effect the
formulated feed rations must be suited to nutritional requirements of the species, age or
class of the animal, local environmental conditions and resource availability, farmer
objectives and economic limitations. In animal nutrition research, feed ingredients and
formulated rations must be based on thorough chemical analysis of the nutritive content of

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
different ingredient components which will enable growth and maintenance of animals
within specifically defined performance parameters.

In general, the cost of feeding commercial livestock can account for 60 to 80 % of total
production costs, especially in grain importing countries like PNG (NSO, 2001).
Nutritionally the cost of energy is the major consideration in pig and poultry diets, given
that animals eat to satisfy their energy requirement. The relationship between energy
requirement and intake is the cornerstone of practical diet formulation. By combining
feedstuffs to formulate diets with predetermined nutrient and energy ratios the intakes of
nutrients can be regulated. The effectiveness of this method of diet formulation is
determined by the accuracy of analytical measurements and precision of estimates
describing the energy requirements of animals and the available energy concentration in
feeds. Cereals such as sorghum, maize or wheat are the major source of energy in stock-feed
while soy bean, a grain legume, is the major source of protein. Because most of these grains
are imported and hence the cost of commercial animal stock feed is a major impediment to
the expansion and sustainability of livestock industry, especially for small scale producers.

As a response to this challenge, in the last two years, NARI has approved the release of
two livestock feeding technology packages based on the use of local feed ingredients, sweet
potato and cassava, which partially replaced imported grains used for making commercial
feeds for growing-out pigs and poultry. The technologies are ensiling sweet potato for pig
feed and broiler concentrates that are blended with sweet potato and cassava to make
complete rations. In the process of this work a wealth of technical, economic and farming
information was compiled, which has the potential for enhancing local animal productivity
and production, and outcomes which contribute directly to PNG Vision 2050’s core
strategic development area in Research and Development (NSPTF, 2009). The research is
predicted to impact on the livelihoods of about 580,000 small-scale pig and poultry farmers.
This paper describes the technical means used in two livestock feeding systems projects
conducted at NARI, including description of the analytical chemistry inputs and limitations,
outlines the key research findings, project outputs, recommendations and their implications
with reference to the PNG Vision 2050.

2.0 Improved pig feeding system.

Smallholder and village farmers predominantly maintain their pigs on supplements of
sweet potato and cassava, both of which are very suitable source of dietary energy in animal
feed, provided that the starchy roots are cooked. But a considerable hindrance to improved
productivity for pigs kept in rural villages is the poor storability of the common root crops
and green forages used as feed. Ensiled sweet potato forage was tested as a feed
preservation technique that provided nutritious, highly digestible (fermented) feed,
maximized the use of tuber and vine, reduced the need for labour in daily pig feeding chores
(especially for women) and eliminated the use of cooking fuel (Dom and Ayalew, 2009a).
The technique of ensiling sweet potato for feeding pigs was adapted from work conducted in
Vietnam (Peters et al, 2001) and the fermentation parameters and keeping quality of ensiled
sweet potato tuber and vine tested on station at NARI Livestock Research Station, Labu
(Latitude 6o 40’ 27” S Longitude 146o 54’ 33” E). Analytical techniques were used to
evaluate palatability and digestibility to pigs of sweet potato tuber and vine ensiled with and
without urea additive and chemical testing was done at the National Analytical Laboratory
UDC, Lae.

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
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2.1 Materials and Methods
Experimental and pig feeding trials were conducted on the use of sweet potato silage as a
major supplement (at up to 50%) to commercial grower rations in on-station and on-farm
locations in the lowlands and highlands of PNG. The details of the experimental trials
conducted in Project 1 are available in the literature from Dom and Ayalew (2009a, b and
2010) and Dom et al (2010).

2.1.1 Palatability and digestibility

Palatability of feeds or how much of the feed is accepted by the animal and consumed
is determined by voluntary dry matter intake, whereas digestibility is the assumed
absorption of feed nutrients passing through the gastrointestinal tract. The simplified
rationale for experimenting on the fate of feed nutrients is summarized as:

1. Feed Intake = Feed Offer – Feed Refusal

2. Nutrient Intake = Nutrient in Feed Offer – Nutrient in Animal Waste
3. Nutrient in Animal Waste = Nutrient in Manure + Nutrient in Urine
4. Apparent Digestibility of Nutrient = (Nutrient Intake / Nutrient Offer) x 100%

A series of chemical proximate nutrient analyses is conducted at each stage of the

digestibility trial, where animals are maintained in specially adapted metabolic crates which
facilitate the collection of manure and urine for the evaluation of their nutrient contents.

2.2.2 Nitrogen balance testing

This involves a closer examination of the fate of protein supplied to animals in the feed.
The analysis distinguishes between protein nitrogen which has been digested by the animal
and the amount that is retained after losses in the manure and urine and is a critical
evaluation because of the importance of protein for normal animal growth and because
protein sources, although required in less volume, are also a major cost consideration where
other nutrients are satisfied in the balanced feed ration.

2.3 Results
Table 1 shows the nutrient composition of treatments for a feeding trial in a 4x4 Latin
Square experimental design with four exotic cross growing pigs and four test diets
interchanged over four ten week periods. Table 2 shows the apparent digestibility of
proximate nutrients as dry matter (DM), ash, fibre, crude protein (CP) and nitrogen free
extract (NFE). Table 3 shows the balance of nitrogen and in addition the growth
performances as body weight gain of the same four pigs are displayed in Table 4.

Table 5 is data from a separate feeding trial and provides a comparison of the estimated
value of pork meat derived from pigs kept on standard commercial feed (STD) and either sweet
potato silage (SPS) or cooked tubers and fresh vine (SPctfv) mixed with standard feed.

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
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Table 1.

Nutrient comparison of experimental diets on dry matter basis (Dom and Ayalew, 2009a)

Nutrients* Treatments** LSD

Overall mean s.e.m. P
(%) SPctfv SPnil SPwou SPwu (5%)

DM 64.69 57.69a*** 86.60b 57.55a 56.90c 0.114 0.395 <0.001

Ash 2.93 2.38a 4.42b 2.48a 2.43a 0.055 0.190 <0.001
Fibre 3.12 2.50a 4.71b 2.61c 2.66c 0.001 0.005 <0.001

CP 7.66 6.09a 11.74b 6.07a 6.72c 0.106 0.367 <0.001

NFE 50.98 46.72a 65.72b 46.38c 45.09c 0.058 0.202 <0.001

*Nutrients: DM= dry matter; CP= crude protein; NFE= nitrogen free extract.
**Treatment diets were fed as mixed rations with standard feed; these were sweet potato cooked
fresh vine (SPctfv), standard ration without sweet potato (SPnil), sweet potato silage without urea
addition (SPwou), sweet potato silage with urea addition (SPwu).
***
Treatment means with different superscripts are statistically different at 5% level of significance.

Table 2.

Comparison of average nutrient digestibility between experimental diets on dry matter basis
(Dom and Ayalew, 2009a)

Nutrients* Treatments* LSD

Overall mean s.e.m. P
(%) SPctfv SPnil SPwou SPwu (5%)
DM 88.02 90.60 86.55 87.53 87.40 1.01 3.495 0.111
Ash 69.0 72.4 68.8 68.3 66.6 2.75 9.53 0.542
Fibre 71.2 75.3 72.0 67.8 69.7 2.58 8.93 0.293
CP*** 77.52 80.30a 80.17a 73.97b 75.62a,b 1.485 5.14 0.052
a b a,b a,b
NFE 91.58 93.68 89.95 91.43 91.28 0.754 2.608 0.064

*Treatments were Sweet Potato cooked tuber & fresh vine (SPctfv), the sole fed commercial pig
grower ration (SPnil), Sweet potato silage without urea additive (SPwou), is Sweet Potato silage with
urea additive (SPwu).
** Means with the same superscript are not significantly different at the 5% level
*** Crude protein in the manure alone

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
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Table 3.

Comparison of the digestibility and N retention for the different diets (Dom and Ayalew,
2009a)

N balance Overall Treatments* LSD

s.e.m P
(g/day) mean SPctfv SPnil SPwou SPwu (5%)

Intake 31.50 33.5b 45.0a 24.0c 23.4c 3.270 8.010 0.002

Faeces 6.85 6.65ab 8.90a 6.27b 5.57b 1.272 1.781 0.017
Digested 24.6 26.8b 36.2a 17.7c 17.8c 20.03 7.19 0.002
Urine 7.06 6.52 7.60 5.90 8.22 1.567 4.402 0.598
b a c c
Retention 17.56 20.32 28.57 11.83 9.52 1.530 5.295 < 0.001
Retention as % of:
N intake 53.20 60.70 63.40 49.40 39.30 4.960 17.180 0.046
N digested† 67.8 75.3 78.9 65.8 51.0 5.79 20.03 0.053
a
Digestibility 75.60
77.51 80.27a 80.17a 73.99b 1.488 5.151 0.053
of N‡ % b

Treatment means with different superscripts are statistically different at 5% level of significance.
*
Abbreviations as defined in Table 1.
† Nitrogen digested = Total N of diet - Total N of manure - Urine N
‡ Nitrogen retention = Nitrogen digested / Total N of diet x 100%

Table 4.

Comparison of means of total live weight gain (LWG), average daily gain (ADG), average
daily feed intake (ADI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) between the test diets on dry matter
basis (Dom and Ayalew, 2009a)

Overall Treatments* LSD

Parameters s.e.m. P
mean SPctfv SPnil SPwou SPwu (5%)
LWG (kg)** 2.72 3.25 3.37 2.37 1.87 0.461 1.594 0.164
ADG (kg) 0.769 0.80 0.85 0.80 0.63 0.196 0.677 0.856
a a b b
ADI (g) 1680 1985 2076 1424 1235 120.4 416.5 0.006
FCR 2.01 1.92 2.12 1.85 2.14 0.371 1.285 0.924

Treatment means with different superscripts are statistically different at 5% level of significance.
*
Abbreviations as defined in Table 1.

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
**
LWG (live weight gain) values were the average of three days of consecutive observation
(collection) periods that followed seven days of adaptation as animals switched from one treatment to
the next.

Table 5.

Comparison of final live weight, carcass weight, back-fat thickness and sales value of three
sample pigs (Dom and Ayalew, 2009b).

Final live Carcass Dressing Sale value Unit price Back-fat

Diet
weight (kg) weight (kg) (%) (Kina) (Kina/kg) thickness (mm)

STD 68.0 48.0 70.6 322.00 4.74 22.28

SPS 59.0 45.0 76.3 315.00 5.34 10.20
SPctfv 51.0 37.0 72.5 259.00 5.08 13.19

3.0 Improved poultry feeding systems

Sweet potato and cassava were used as major energy sources for broiler finisher diets; a
high energy concentrate combined with cassava tubers, while the low energy concentrate
combined with sweet potato roots. The experimental technique for studying poultry feeds,
called Apparent Metabolizable Energy (AME), is similar to that of digestibility testing but
focuses on feed energy intake.

3.1 Materials and Methods

The details of the experimental trials conducted in Project 2 are available in the
literature from Glatz (2007) and Pandi et al (2011).

3.1.1 AME Bioassay

192 Ross 308 strain of day old broiler chicks which were raised on litter from day-old
to 20 days and fed the standard broiler starter rations. At the start of the bioassay, the
experimental birds at 21 days of age weighing within ± 200g of the average weight of the
flock were randomly allocated to metabolism cages. Pooled sample of each experimental
diet and excreta were pelleted and used for gross energy measurement with a Parr isoperibol
bomb calorimeter (Parr 1266 model).

3.1.2 Dry matter analysis

Samples to be tested were removed from the refrigerator and allowed to reach room
temperature before the test was conducted. Each crucible was weighed, and then
approximately 2g of the test diet or ingredient were placed into the empty crucible and the
total weight taken. After weighing, the crucibles containing the sample were dried
overnight in an oven at 1050C. The crucibles and the sample were weighed the next day.
All analysis of ingredients and diets samples was done in duplicate. Dry matter (DM) was
calculated as:

5. DM = (W1-W2)/ (W3-W2), where, W1 is the dry weight of crucible and sample;

W2 is the weight of crucible; and W3 is the wet weight of crucible and sample.

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
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3.1.3 Gross energy analysis
Bomb calorimetric analysis was performed to estimate the energy of feed and manure
samples in mega joules per kilogram (MJ/kg). Gross energy (MJ/kg) is defined as the heat
of combustion that is given off when a sample is completely oxidised in the bomb
calorimeter. All bomb calorimeters were standardised using benzoic acid according to the
manufacturer’s specifications before analysis of any samples was done. The AME of an
experimental diet on a dry matter basis was calculated as:

6. AME of test diet = (GED x FI) – (GEE x DE) / FI / DMP

7. AME (n) of test diet = {[(GED x FI) – (GEE x DE) / FI / DMP)] – NR} x K

Where, GED is the Gross Energy of diet; GEE is the Gross energy of Excreta; FI is the
Feed Intake over the trial period; DE is the total Dry Excreta collected; DMP is Dry matter of
Pellet diet; NR is a correction factor of 20% body weight gain; and K is the constant 36.52kJ/g
or 0.03652MJ/Kg.

3.2 Results
Table 6 provides a summary of apparent metobolizable energy values tested in PNG
local feed ingredients. Table 7 displays the growth performances in broiler finisher birds
when fed on mixed rations of the local ingredients and a formulated concentrate feed.

Table 6.

Summary of AME values of feed produced from local ingredients in PNG (Glatz, 2007).

AME of feed AME (n) of feed

Feed sources
(MJ/Kg) (MJ/Kg)

Sweet potato tuber 15.39 15.08

Cassava root 15.87 15.53
Sago 15.02 14.74
Wheat 12.63 12.20
Mill run 11.944 11.57
Palm kernel cake 11.335 10.96
Rice bran 11.628 11.27
Sorghum 12.76 12.37
Soya bean 10.82 10.38
Copra meal 15.01 14.71
Pyrethrum marc 13.63 13.34
Flame broiler starter 11.06 10.74
Flame broiler finisher 11.30 10.94

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011

Table 7.

Summary of production of broiler birds from day 21 to 28 collated from three AME
bioassay in 2003 (Glatz, 2007).

Feed
Daily
Feed sources Weight gain/bird/day (g) conversion
intake/bird (g)
ratio (FCR)
Sweet potato tuber 38.1d 82.4bc 2.2c
Cassava root 41.4cd 79.5c 2.0cd
Sago 34.1d 76.1c 2.3c
bc b
Wheat 53.0 87.6 1.7d
Sorghum 48.0c 85.0b 1.8d
Soya bean 54.0bc 83.3bc 1.5dc
Copra meal 36.5d 76.6c 2.2c
d c
Pyrethrum marc 35.5 75.4 2.2c
Flame broiler starter 39.0d 92.6b 2.0cd
Flame broiler finisher 44.3cd 85.4b 1.7d

Means with the same superscript are not significantly different (P>0.05) from each other.

4.0 Discussion
Animal agriculture research into improved feeding systems, by using analytical
techniques and chemical testing, has produced valuable scientific and technical evidence
that may lead to reducing the dependence on commercial grain-based feeds for growing pigs
and poultry in PNG. Supplementation of imported commercial feeds with locally available
sweet potato and cassava by up to 50% in nutritionally balanced diets for pigs and poultry
resulted in animal production performances that were proven effective and efficient in both
growth and return on costs. The implications of the research findings abound and contribute
directly to addressing PNG Vision 2050’s second development pillar of wealth creation, by
enabling effective use of natural resources and greater participation of indigenous people in
the rural economy.

4.1 Research outcomes for improved pig feeding systems

Sweet potato silage mixed with a commercial grower pig ration at 50 percent of the
total daily feed offer resulted in similar average daily weight gain (ADG) and a more
efficient feed conversion ratio (FCR) to the commercial feed, from a lower dry matter intake
(Table 4), and this was due to an overall improved digestibility of all dietary nutrients
(Tables 2 and 3). The experimental results of Dom and Ayalew (2009a and b) were then
verified in further testing on-station, in the lowlands of Morobe Province, and on-farm in the
high attitude highlands of Western Highlands Province (Dom and Ayalew, 2010 and Dom et

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
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al, 2010). Moreover, there was an indication that not only was the economic return
competitive in terms of unit price or Kina per kilogram of carcass, but also in terms of the
commercially important qualitative assessments of dressing percentage and back-fat
thickness (Table 5). The same results have been found in later trials. Importantly the natural
silage fermentation process results in a very palatable and highly digestible feed that can be
stored for up to seven months before feeding to pigs. By sourcing available sweet potato
forage which is either grown in local gardens or sourced from the surplus or rejects of local
food markets there are manifold benefits of ensiling sweet potato on-farm. Firstly, the
production of sweet potato silage makes efficient use of underutilized forage in the form of
unwanted or unmarketable tubers as well as fresh green vine and leaves. As many pig
farmers have commented there is no longer a need for gathering fuel wood or fetching water
for cooking the tubers and daily trips to gardens are no longer necessary with a feed store on
hand. By providing the option of longer term storage of a large amount of feed, ensiling also
creates a demand for fresh sweet potato forage as tubers, vine and leaf and thereby adds
value to the whole forage crop as a possible feed ingredient for sale by non-commercially
oriented subsistence farmers. Secondly, in the pig feeding trials that were conducted bags of
sweet potato tubers were regularly sourced from local markets in Lae and Mt Hagen towns,
and paid for at the very competitive prices of the fresh food produce. This demonstrates the
prospect of developing local feed marketing as an alternative avenue for sweet potato
grower-sellers to off-load perishable stock, since they are often at the mercy of very wide
price fluctuations related to uncontrolled surfeit and deficit. The cost of sweet potato bags,
weighing on average 80 kilograms, were noted to sell at a mere Kina 20 or Kina 0.25 per
kilogram at Mt Hagen Market during a seasonal high, while during a seasonal low climbed
to Kina 180 or Kina 2.25 per kilogram at Lae Main Market. It is expected that village or
small-scale pig farmers making use of their own home-grown crops for ensiling sweet
potato at household or farm level, would experience a negligible cost component to their pig
farming ventures. While, more capable semi-commercial smallholder pig farmers using the
ensiling technology may in addition need to source their fresh forage from nearby farms,
thereby providing a mutually beneficial add-on effect within the rural community in which
they operate.

4.2 Research outcomes for improved poultry feeding systems

The use of sweet potato and cassava in poultry feeding systems has led to similar
benefits for smallholder farmers and development options to benefit PNG’s rural economy.
Based on the results (Table 6), diets made from sweet potato and cassava have ME values of
15.39 MJ/Kg and 15.87 MJ/kg respectively which is higher than the standard commercial
finisher diet which in this case was 11.30 MJ/Kg. The nutritional specification for the
ROSS 308 strain as specified in the breed guideline for finishing broilers is 13.40 MJ/Kg,
which makes these two staples very promising to use as alternates energy sources to replace
cereal grains for finishing broilers. As the broiler performance on the sweet potato and
cassava diets (Table 7) showed daily weight gains of birds at 38.1g and 41.4g respectively
which were not significantly different to those on the standard finisher ration which had a
daily weight gain of 44.3g. Farmer evaluation trials showed that overall performance of
broilers on the cassava/high energy diet and sweet potato/low energy diet were very good as
birds were able to attain target market weight of over 2 kg from week 5 (Pandi et al, 2011).
The sweet potato/low energy diet compared very well with the commercial finisher pellet
produced from Nuigini Tablebirds Company. The finding that daily weight gain per bird and
feed conversion ratio were comparable to a locally manufactured commercial grain-based

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
feed has led to the promotion of two new broiler finisher diets. A series of on-station broiler
grow-out trials led to the identification of the following best-bet diet formulations, namely,
50% sweet potato plus 50% low energy concentrate; and 50% cassava plus 50% high energy
concentrate (Glatz, 2007). It is proposed that when broiler farmers provide their own sweet
potato or cassava tubers then using the energy concentrates affords a major cost saving
amounting to a 30% reduction in input costs, particularly for small-scale broiler bird farmers
both in the lowlands and highland region of PNG. Importantly, the improved poultry
feeding systems research has now included the participation of Niugini Tablebirds to
manufacture two protein concentrate mixtures for blending with either sweet potato or
cassava to provide an energetically and nutritionally effective finisher ration.

4.3 Requirements for the application of analytical chemistry in agricultural research

for development
While the preceding discussion places agricultural R&D in a favourable light with
respect to the successful application of analytical chemistry techniques there is an important
question that should be posed, and that is, what else is required for our continued efforts at
achieving PNG Vision 2050?

The statements of intent concerning this sector are encouraging as PNG Vision 2050
declares a five percent financial commitment to research and development in its Public
Investment Budget Strategy.1 Research must expand to include studies of natural resources,
the processing and the downstream treatment of agricultural and natural resource products,
new areas such as medicinal biota research and a range of relevant applied research that may
yield attractive returns to PNG (NSPTF, 2009). A few related agenda should be raised as
recommendations for moving forward. Firstly, although analytical chemistry has provided
essential testing services to research outputs there is need for strategic investment in its
advancement and application for educational as well as research needs. The two examples of
animal feeding systems research provided here overcame technical barriers during their
implementation related to analytical testing, where finance was sourced from collaborating
research agencies, equipment was challenging to deliver and training was obtained from
overseas. On the other hand the achievements also proved that with a minimum of capital
input and key personnel and technical services from in-country agencies, crucial agricultural
technologies can be adapted and tested for the direct benefit of PNG’s farmers, and these
outcomes should provide the needed encouragement to planning and policy makers.
Secondly, more collaboration is needed from appropriately aligned agencies in the pursuit of
converging agricultural and natural resource challenges that require science, research and
technology interventions. A very relevant emerging issue is that of climate change and its
implications on all sectors including agriculture, where sustainable natural resource
management becomes a critical concern. Thirdly, the necessary support to organizations and
companies that provide technical analytical services in PNG should be maintained and
improved which may include issues related to accreditation, standards, auditing, linkages
with sister organizations. Two key organizations in this capacity are the PNG University of
Technology (PNGUOT) National Analytical Laboratory (NAL) and NARI Chemistry
Laboratory, where the proximate nutrient analyses for these research trials were conducted.
The provision of vitally needed technical information that may be suggested as a worthwhile
project for analytical chemistry services is the development of a PNG feed ingredient
database that can be created through profiling of potential feed and food ingredients. Such a
project would have a nationwide scope and may involve laboratories at the Chemistry

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 UNESCO International Year of Chemistry, Conference at the University of Papua New
Guinea, 6th October 2011
Discipline of the University of Papua New Guinea, the Agriculture Department of
PNGUOT, NAL and NARI Chemistry laboratory. Our recent research work has shown that
science and technology innovations for improving agricultural systems in PNG, developed
by using analytical chemistry techniques in research, needs to be streamlined as essential
stepping stones for rural prosperity and enhanced contribution of the agriculture sector to
the national economy.

Acknowledgements
Drs Pikah Kohun and Workneh Ayalew provided very prompt and astute input on this
paper for which the authors are sincerely grateful.

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