Evaluation of Camelina sativa as an alternative seed crop and feedstock for biofuel and developing replacement heifers.

Evaluation of Camelina sativa as an alternative seed crop and feedstock for biofuel and developing replacement heifers.

Summary

Trials utilizing camelina to replace fallow in the traditional wheat-fallow system have began in Montana and Wyoming. Camelina yielded 946 lbs/acre in Montana but ranged from 92 to 457 lbs/acre in Wyoming during the 2009 growing season. Camelina oil was extracted from seed produced by four growers in Wyoming. The resulting camelina meal and crude glycerin generated from biodiesel production were used as dietary supplements for developing beef heifers. Growth and reproductive performance of heifers fed camelina co-products was comparable to that of heifers fed a conventional ground corn-soybean meal supplement. Transfer of knowledge to stakeholders has begun and will continue.

Objectives/Performance Targets

• Objective I. Evaluate field production of camelina in Montana and Wyoming.

  Objective II. Evaluate camelina oil for production of biodiesel.

  Objective III. Evaluate camelina co-products in diets of developing replacement beef heifers.

  Objective IV. Evaluate the ecological impact and economic potential of: (a) replacing camelina for fallow; (b) utilizing camelina as a feedstock for biodiesel; and (c) including camelina co-products in diets of developing replacement beef heifers.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Objective I & IVa

Montana Activities:
A camelina-wheat versus the traditional wheat-fallow system rotation was initiated at the Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC), Moccasin, MT in 2007. The rotation study has 1) winter wheat, 2) fallow, 3) winter wheat, and 4) camelina phases, and each phase shows up each year for three years. For 2008-2009 year, the winter wheat Yellowstone was planted on September 23, 2008 and camelina was planted on April 20, 2009. The crops were harvested in early August, 2008. Crop yields for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 growing seasons are presented in Table 1. A small bundle sample was harvested from each plot to evaluate the harvest index and crop residue return to soil. Soil moisture content was measured in early May and September of 2009 after crop harvest by taking soil core samples and measuring the moisture gravimetrically. Winter wheat was planted on October 3, 2009 for the third year (2009-2010) rotation, and camelina will be planted in March-April 2010. Crop residue return and soil condition index data are under processing.

Wyoming Activities:
A camelina-wheat versus the traditional wheat-fallow system rotation study was initiated at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research Center near Lingle, in southeast WY in 2007. The rotation study has 1) winter wheat, 2) fallow, 3) winter wheat, and 4) camelina phases, and each phase shows up each year for three years. For 2008-2009 year, the winter wheat Genou was planted in mid- September 2008 and camelina was planted on April 20, 2009. Grasshopper damage to emerging camelina (see photo) necessitated the re-sowing of 2.5 of the four blocks on June 15. The crops were harvested on July 27, 2009. Genou Winter wheat was planted on September 18, 2009 for the third year (2009-2010) rotation, and camelina will be planted in March-April 2010. To additionally assess the potential under rain-fed conditions a 7 entry replicated trial using 5 commercially available varieties and 2 experimental lines was conducted on a farm near Spotted Horse in north east WY. To assess the potential under irrigation the same 6 entry trial was established at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research Center. An additional assessment of the potential of camelina under irrigation can be drawn from two advanced experimental line nurseries containing 20 entries located on the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research Center and on a farm field near LaGrange, in southeast WY.
There was visually (see photo, where light wheat green stirps are after camelina and darker green strips are after fallow) and quantitatively a dramatic impact from cropping camelina in place of fallow at SAREC. Mean yields of camelina after wheat were far below economic viability (Table 1). Although grasshoppers no doubt contributed to the low yield of 92 lb/acre in 2009, it is believed that, although there was some recovery from the long term drought, lack of soil moisture was a primary factor. For the camelina season (roughly the first six months of the year, January 1 to July 30) precipitation was 45, 52, 70 and 93% of the 30 year mean of 9.5 inches for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. As a consequence, wheat yields following camelina were 24% of those after fallow. The Spotted Horse rain fed trial with mean yields of 334 lb/acre was similarly affected (Table 2).
Camelina yields under sprinkler irrigation were more promising. Experimental lines in the advanced experimental line nursery topped out at 2300 lb/acre. It is worth noting that at this location, the neighboring commercial trial (Table 2) yielded a third less, indicating that varieties with substantially higher yield potential are on the horizon. It is also worth noting that camelina at maturity will succumb to wind and water damage as was the case at the LaGrange location. Shattering just prior to harvest is believed to have been caused by the combination of final irrigation followed by high winds. Another factor was moderate hail during flowering, which caused stem breakage and damage to flowering heads. Shattering at maturity was observed in a 2008 trial due to high winds with rain, so shatter resistance should be considered as an objective in a breeding program.
Our findings to date suggest that camelina is best suited to limited and full irrigation in SE Wyoming. With the drought appearing to have moderated, we look forward to the final year of experiments in 2010.
Objective III
Camelina seed was purchased from four producers in Carbon and Niobrara Counties, Wyoming. The seed was transported to Chambers, Nebraska on September 22, 2007. Camelina oil was separated from the seed using mechanical extraction, and following production of biodiesel at a facility in New Mexico, the resulting crude glycerin was transported to the Laramie Research and Extension Center (LREC). Camelina meal remaining following oil extraction was transported to LREC on November 1, 2007.
The University of Wyoming Animal Care and Use Committee approved all procedures for the second year’s experiment. As in the first year, Angus × Gelbvieh rotationally crossed heifers (293.5 ± 0.6 kg initial body weight) were stratified by body weight and allotted randomly within each body weight block to 1 of 15 pens. Heifer body weights were recorded as the average pre-feeding weight taken on 2 consecutive days at the beginning, middle, and end of the experimental feeding period.
Heifers were offered diets formulated to provide 12.6% crude protein. Bromegrass hay was offered daily at 2.40% of average body weight (as-fed) for the first half of the experimental feeding period and at 2.26% of average body weight (as-fed) for the second half of the experimental feeding period. Within respective body weight blocks, heifers were offered 1 of 3 experimental supplements: 1) a conventional supplement consisting of 50% ground corn and 50% soybean meal (as-fed); 2) camelina meal; and 3) a supplement consisting of 50% soybean meal, 33% ground corn, 15% crude glycerin, and 2% corn gluten meal (as-fed). Supplements were offered daily at 0.3% of average body weight (as-fed) for the first half of the feeding period and at 0.29% of average body weight (as-fed) for the second half of the feeding period. Feed remained in the bunks after each 24-hour ration delivery was weighed to determine actual consumption. Heifers had free access to water and mineralized salt throughout the experiment.
After the feeding period, heifers were synchronized for estrus using a 2-shot PGF2? protocol. Heifers were combined into 1 large group were they had free access to water, mineralized salt, and bromegrass hay. Estrous activity was evaluated twice daily, and any heifer showing estrus was bred via artificial insemination 12 hours after standing heat. Heifers were turned out with a bull 10 days after heifers not exhibiting estrus were given a shot of GnRH and bred via artificial insemination. Conception and pregnancy rates will be confirmed at parturition (January 31 – March 28, 2010).
Preliminary results of the second year also indicate that camelina co-products can be fed as dietary supplements to developing replacement heifers (Table 5). To make the experiment more statistically sound, data from the 2nd year the will be combined with data from the 1st year. The pooled data will then be used to address Objective IV c.
Objective II
Project participants are making arrangements to evaluate camelina oil for on-farm production of biodiesel. The University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service has purchased a mobile oil press, and a biodiesel producer in Otto, WY has agreed to allow project participants to press camelina seeds and utilize the resulting camelina oil to produce biodiesel.
Objective IV
This objective will be accomplished after completion of objectives I – III. Information is currently being compiled to specifically address the economic potential of including camelina co-products in diets of developing replacement beef heifers.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

A field day was organized at the CARC on July 9, 2009. The field day was successful and over 120 people participated in the crop tour, where replacing fallow with camelina in a traditional winter wheat-fallow cropping system was discussed. Participants learned that this is the second year of the three years rotation study. Although the growing season precipitation was only 50% of a normal year, 2009 was generally a good crop year for CARC. A field day was also held at the SAREC on July 23, 2009. Over 100 people attended field presentations that included camelina as an oilseed crop. Preliminary results of the heifer feeding trial were published as a proceedings paper and presented at the Western Section of American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting (June 16-18, 2009). An abstract summarizing results not presented previously was published and presented at the American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada (July 12-16, 2009). The poster remains on display for public viewing at SAREC. In the short run, this project has increased producer awareness and knowledge as producers attended field days and cooperators grew camelina. Industry gained knowledge as they used camelina to produce biodiesel. In addition to animal scientists, preliminary results of the feeding trial have been shared with FDA and a coalition of businesses that seek to have crude glycerin and camelina meal approved as feed ingredients for livestock. The FDA has now approved up to 10% camelina in the ration of ruminant livestock rations.

Collaborators: