Date: 22 Mar, 2018
The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development participated in the opening ceremony of the Sixth International Date Palm Conference 2018, which was held in conjunction with the ceremony honoring the winners of the 10th Session of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation 2018. The event was under the patronage of His Highness, The President, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi from 19 to 21 March 2018.
AAAID prepared a scientific study on the utilization of date residue as animal feed in the United Arab Emirates, where the coarse feed of palm leaves is processed through mechanically cutting and slicing and is later treated with a 3% ammonia or 4-6% urea formula. That is with the aim of increasing the proportion of raw protein in the feed. The mixture is then stored in nylon bags to provide anaerobic conditions for a period of one to two weeks at a temperature of 30°C to improve the level of nitrogen in the feed. The results proved that palm leaves treated with urea are of great benefit as they are a rich source of fiber for lambs and can be used as an alternative to the traditional and expensive feeds, like Rhodes grass, without adversely affecting the digestion of nutrients or performance of the lambs. This is in addition to providing producers with greater flexibility in selecting food sources for fiber and ensuring economic returns.
AAAID is proud to declare that the Scientific Committee of the Sixth International Date Palm Conference selected this study to be presented during the event which was held in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, a number of investment companies in the palm dates sector, specialized centers and Arab and international agricultural development organizations.
