From Sr. Miriam Paulette in Malawi:
The ratio was 1:2 that is biochar 1: feeds 2. And I feed them with biochar mixed feeds for a week then I take a break for a week. Please note that this is my own invention and I have seen it working for my chicken. I also put some biochar in their water so they remain healthy all time.
In other instances we hear of it being a much smaller fraction of the feed. The most developed biochar feed products are probably by Charline in Austria https://www.char-line.com/at-en/?r=1 Their biochar is made according to the European Biocahr Feed Certificate. We understand that in Austria pharmaceutical suppliers and veterinarians don’t like biochar because it reduces the need for their services.
As you probably know only California and possibly Wyoming approve of biochar in specific feed products in the US.
Tom
Tom,
If you look at the video https://bit.ly/38MiQDC you will see that the biochar is made from corn cobs in a TLUD and from corn stover in pit kilns. Biochar is mixed in the feed. We don’t know the percentage.
Sr. Miriam Paulette and her team learned the TLUD and pit kiln techniques from Dr. Michael Shafer of Warm Heart. Since then she and her Warm Heart Malawi team have spread the training to many small holders in villages in Malawi and Kenya. You can see the techniques in a training video with Sr. Mercy Ogembo, the Warm Heart project leader in Kenya. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnxNMz7tNX8&feature=youtu.be
Pictures of a training this week in Malawi are at https://www.facebook.com/667173120421445/posts/937987836673304/?app=fbl and https://youtu.be/MJySVQQvEVQ
Kevin McLean and Christa Roth on this list have visited and contributed to the project in Malawi by showing how biochar can be made in stoves.
Warm Heart Malawi has been training other NGOs in the region like Villages in Partnership (VIP) led by Livestock officer Mr. Charles Sokoso.
The results with crops and livestock has been so good that Sr. Miriam and Sr. Mercy have built teams of volunteers to spread the techniques with the guidance of Dr. Michael Shafer. This is being done on an incredibly low budget. Donations are welcome at the video link above.
Tom
From: main@Biochar.groups.io <main@Biochar.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tom Nelson
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2020 11:16 AM
To: main@Biochar.groups.io
Subject: Re: [Biochar] Malawi: Biochar Boosts Egg Production
Hi Tom,
Do you apply the biochar to the food, or to the bedding? I understand chickens preferentially peck biochar out of the bedding because of the attractive pH. What percentage of biochar to feed or bedding? Any comments on the specifications of the biochar used? (feedstock, time, temperature, particle size).
Tom Nelson
-----Original Message-----
From: "Tom Miles" <tmiles@...>
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2020 11:58am
To: biochar@groups.io
Subject: [Biochar] Malawi: Biochar Boosts Egg Production
From Sr. Miriam Paulette, Warm Heart Foundation, Malawi:
I am glad to share with you the results of biochar when used in poulty. Before I started mixing my chickens' feeds with biochar I could get only 3 eggs per day but when I started feeding them with biochar mixed feeds they started laying eggs like nobody's business. I therefore urge those of you who are keeping chicken to try biochar mixed feeds and you won't regret. https://bit.ly/38MiQDC
Tom Miles
International Biochar Initiative
Biochar-international.org
