Utilization of agricultural waste for animal feed in Panama

SURVEY OF AGRICULTURAL BY-PRODUCTS AND WASTES. THE SURVEY IS MEANT TO BE QUALITATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, AND QUANTITATIVE SO THAT EACH WASTE OR BY-PRODUCT IS PLACED IN THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE AS TO SIZE, LOCATION, AND PROBLEMS. TO EXAMINE THE POTENTIAL MEANS FOR UTILIZING THE MOST PROMISING WASTE MATERIALS IN THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY OF PANAMA THE REPORT ATTEMPTS TO EXAMINE THE CURRENT SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY AND THE CURRENT STATUS OF SUPPLY OF OTHER FEEDS. PRODUCTION OF CATTLE, SWINE, AND POULTRY IN PANAMA COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IF MEANS COULD BE FOUND TO USE SUGAR CANE, BANANA, AND RICE PROCESSING WASTE AS ANIMAL FEED. ALMOST 30% OF THE BANANAS HARVESTED ARE REJECTED FOR POOR QUALITY. ALTHOUGH POULTRY MANURE IS NOT AVAILABLE IN AS LARGE AN AMOUNT AS BANANA WASTE, ITS HIGH NITROGEN CONTENT MAKES IT A VALUABLE MATERIAL IN A COUNTRY WHERE NITROGEN IS SCARCE. MOLASSES IS A GOOD CARRIER AND TRAP FOR THE AMMONIA NITROGEN IN POULTRY MANURE. A STUDY SHOULD BE DONE OF THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF USING EXCESS SUGAR CANE BAGASSE AS AN ABSORBENT OR CARRIER FOR MOLASSES AND ADDITIONAL MINERALS AND VITAMINS IN A PELLETIZED ANIMAL FEED. THE PRODUCTION OF SINGLE-CELL PROTEIN IN CENTRAL AMERICA FACES SEVERAL IMPORTANT CONSTRAINTS. THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN THESE COUNTRIES CANNOT SUPPORT THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROCESSES FOR PRODUCTION OF SINGLE-CELL PROTEINS. RELATIVELY SIMPLE PROCESSES FOR EXTRACTING CHEMICALS FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTES NEED TO BE DEVELOPED. THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES OF PANAMA. THIS INCLUDES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RATIONALE AND A SET OF CRITERIA FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED.