Innovation Development of Local Resources-Based High-Protein Greater Bandicoot Rat Feed for Sustainable Grassroots Economic in Uttaradit Province, Thailand
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Abstract
Background: The farming of greater bandicoot rats (Bandicota indica) has emerged as a novel alternative economic livestock that elevates the grassroots economy in Uttaradit province, Thailand. However, farmers face high production costs, with feed accounting for over 70% of the total expenses. Most farmers substitute with commercial swine or poultry feed due to its accessibility, but this comes at a high and continuously rising cost. Meanwhile, although the community has agricultural resources such as field corn available year-round, its direct utilization lacks nutritional balance, particularly protein. This results in poor growth performance, inferior feed conversion ratios, and high cost burdens, thereby disincentivizing commercial expansion. Applying science and technology to upgrade local raw materials into high-quality animal feed is an urgent necessity to ensure occupational stability.
Objectives: This research aimed to (1) develop an innovative high-protein animal feed for greater bandicoot rats by adding value to local resources (corn) through yeast fermentation technology (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (2) evaluate and compare the growth performance, production costs, and economic returns of post-weaned greater bandicoot rats fed the innovative diet and (3) strengthen the stability of the community-level greater bandicoot rat farming system by establishing a learning process that elevates farmers into community innovators.
Methodology: The study integrated applied science with participatory community processes via a Learning and Innovation Platform (LIP). Ground corn was fermented with yeast to synthesize single-cell protein, resulting in the innovative Bio-Yeast Corn (BYC). An in vivo trial was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) across 6 model network farms (blocks). The experiment consisted of 2 dietary treatments: a control group (commercial swine feed, 18% crude protein) and a treatment group (BYC-mixed diet, 18% crude protein). Each treatment had 3 replicates of 1 cement pit (80 cm diameter) per farm. Post-weaned greater bandicoot rats (mixed sex, approximately 1 month old, average initial weight 237.22 ± 61.56 g) were stocked at 4 animals per pit for a 42-day period. Feed intake and weight gain were recorded to calculate average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed cost per weight gain. Statistical analysis was performed alongside an economic return assessment.
Results and Findings: The model farms revealed that greater bandicoot rats fed the 18% protein BYC diet exhibited significantly higher production performance than the control group, achieving a high average daily gain of 7.08 g/day. This improvement is attributed to the fermentation process, which enhanced palatability and nutrient digestibility. Economically, the BYC diet significantly reduced the feed cost per unit of production (per 1 kg weight gain) (P<0.01), decreasing from 117.86 to 60.41 Baht (approximately 3.65 to 1.87 USD), representing a 48.70% cost reduction. This substantial decrease in costs consequently increased the farmers' return on investment (ROI) from 54.11% to 141.76%, reflecting the innovation's concrete efficacy in solving production cost issues
Outcome, Impacts and Sustainability: The economic outcome is a reduction in cost burden and an increase in return on investment, aligning with the bioeconomy model which aims to create added value from local agricultural materials, reduce the risk from fluctuations in animal feed prices in the market, reduce dependence on external factors, and create a database ready for commercial scaling up at the regional and national levels. As for the social impact, the LIP platform has shifted the paradigm of farmers from "buyers of production inputs" to becoming "Community innovators" capable of producing high-quality animal feed for their own use strengthen the network of greater bandicoot rat farmers and serve as models for technology transfer to other communities. Furthermore, they have a positive environmental impact by promoting the efficient recycling and utilization of local resources according to the principles of sustainable environmental management. Using local raw materials reduces transportation distances, a mechanism that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigates the problem of managing agricultural waste.
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