Processing and use of crop residues including alfalfa press cake

Better utilization of roughage can improve the production of red meat and dairy products. Feed value of low grade roughages can be greatly increased by chemical and/or physical treatments. Both alkali and ammonia treatments are already being used commercially in Europe, although there is still opportunity for process improvement. In the United States, the low cost of grain and oilseeds makes the economics of processing cellulosic byproducts less desirable, but their eventual use seems inevitable. New processes for forage fractionation are yielding surprising increases in the fiber digestibility of high grade roughages, resulting in substantial increases in the overall feed value obtainable per ton of raw material. The improved economic returns achieved by the new processes will speed adoption of the new technology.