Livestock and Environmental Engineering Group

(1) Bio Reactor Simulator system (BRS) - Laboratory system for anaerobic process simulation and methanogenic potential determination tests

The facilities for evaluating the anaerobic digestion process, determining process yields and determining the methanogenic potential of organic matrices are located in the "Biomass" laboratory on the second floor of Rizzi - Block B.

The BRS (Bio Reactor Simulator, Bioprocesscontrol, Sweden) is an instrument specifically designed for the study of continuous anaerobic digestion processes, both for scientific research and practical process optimisation.

Among the many tests that can be carried out with the BRS are the simulation of transient states in anaerobic processes (e.g. cold start-up of the biogas plant), the influence of OLR on digester efficiency, and the simulation of multi-stage processes.

(2) Container-mounted mobile pilot plant for anaerobic digestion trials aimed at scale-up (operating in a protected environment or transferable on-site)

The anaerobic digestion pilot plant is now located outdoors at the Azienda Agraria dell'Università di Udine - Sede di Pagnacco.
To protect the digesters and the various plant components, and to allow the operators to work even in adverse weather conditions, the digesters and plant components are located in a transportable container.
The experimental plant consists of a slurry line composed of a loading tank, two digesters and two digestate discharge tanks; a gas line composed of two condensate separators and two flow meters; and two bell-shaped gasometers. The experimental plant is managed through an automatic control system.

Scientific instrumentation at the service of anaerobic digestion plants
Experimental tests aimed at defining the qualitative-quantitative characteristics of the biogas produced and the digestate, the ideal sizing and optimisation of digester operation involve the use of instrumentation and the chemical-physical analysis of the effluent before and after anaerobic digestion.
In addition to continuously monitored parameters such as temperature, pH and Redox are monitored using electrolytic probes (Steiel), the CH4 and CO2 content of the biogas is measured using the Siemens Ultramat 23 gas analyser and the presence of H2S.
For the measurement of H2S, the suction pump (Gastec 801) with Kitagawa vials (H2S 25 - 2000 ppm) was used.

Contact: Francesco da Borso, Alessandro Chiumenti

Veterinary physiology and physiopathology of reproduction

Laboratory dedicated to the reception/preparation/preservation of biological samples and the assay of hormones, metabolites and related molecules (e.g. NEFA, BHB) by means of biochemical tests and/or using RIA, EIA and AlphaLISA immuno-competitive systems for the assessment of the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, gonadotropic, somatotropic axes applied to different biological matrices of traditional and alternative (non-invasive) types.

Referente: Alberto Prandi, Tanja Peric

Animal nutrition and feeding

In the bromatological analysis laboratory, chemical analyzes are carried out on feeds (fodder, concentrated, by-products) and biological samples taken from animals (feces, urine, samples of ruminal and intestinal materials). The laboratory is equipped with all the equipment for the preparation of the samples (various types of mills and drying ovens) and the equipment for the determination of the crude chemical composition (analytical balances, Kieldahl N analyzer, Soxhlet fat extractor, 550 °C, Ankom equipment for the determination of fibrous fractions), sieves for particle size evaluation, NIRS equipment and centrifuges for the treatment of liquid samples.

Contact: Mauro Spanghero, Alberto Romanzin, Chiara Sarnataro

Animal Nutrition and Feeding

The experimental activities carried out in the nutrition laboratory are mainly simulation tests of the digestion processes that occur in animals. Exclusively in vitro technologies are used, without the direct use of experimental animals ("cruelty free" tests), with lower times and costs than experiments using live animals.
Various fermentation and incubation systems are available using simple fermentation units (test tubes, syringes, flasks), fermenters for measuring fiber degradation in filter bags, modern automated systems for measuring fermentation gas and methane or continuous systems of ruminal fermentation. Among the various equipment, an artificial rumen (or continuous rumen fermenter) which was designed and built at the animal nutrition laboratory is also used.

Contact: Mauro Spanghero, Alberto Romanzin, Chiara Sarnataro

Parasitology laboratory

The laboratory prepares preparations, after fixation and processing, of animal and plant tissue samples, pathological or normal, for histological evaluation in the context of histopathological research or diagnostic activities for third parties. Specific histochemical and immunohistochemical methods for diagnostics and/or etiopathogenetic studies are currently used in the laboratory, such as the preparation of cytological preparations

Contact: Marco Galeotti, Paola Beraldo

Veterinary pathology and parasitology

The lab routine involves the preparation and reading of qualitative-quantitative copromiscroscopic preparations and fresh parasitological screening for diagnostic purposes for research activities. In the context of ecoparasitological studies, the identification of animal parasites, on a morphological or biomolecular basis (carried out in another lab), is implemented using the Total Worm Count technique.

Contact: Marco Galeotti, Paola Beraldo

Veterinary pathology and parasitology

At the headquarters of the research group there are optical microscopy equipment, such as upright and inverted microscopes, and stereomicroscopes, equipped with a digital camera and software for image analysis, for the observation of histological, cytological, fresh and of cells in culture.

Contact: Marco Galeotti, Paola Beraldo

Veterinary pathology and parasitology

Room equipped for autopsy examinations of wild and domestic animals.

Contact: Marco Galeotti, Paola Beraldo

Veterinary pathology and parasitology

The Veterinary Pathology group is equipped with a recirculating housing unit for freshwater and saltwater fish species, located at the Pagnacco farm and a User Plant, recognized by the Ministry of Health.

Contact: Marco Galeotti, Paola Beraldo