Abstract: A prepared feed for a ruminant is produced by mixing a plurality of ingredients, at least one of which is a forage material. At least some of the forage material acts to enhance digestion of the prepared feed by the ruminant. The digestion enhancing forage material typically comprises one or more of hay, straw, silage and other stalky material, and constitutes in the range of I00 gms to 550 gms per kg prepared feed. The digestion enhancing forage material of the prepared feed comprises fibres of length in the range of 30 mm to 50 mm and has a primary saturation extent in the range of the order of 680 mls to 820 mls water per litre of digestion enhancing forage material, an uncompressed specific gravity of the order of I 00 gms to 220 gms per litre and a first compression specific gravity of the order of 140 gms to 290 gms per litre and a second compression specific gravity of the order of 150 gms to 500 gms per litre.

Abstract: A washed sand drying and handling plant (100) includes a belt feed hopper (1), a conveyor belt (2), a sand rinsing unit (3), a dewatering apparatus (4), a radial conveyor (5) and a sand drying and handling apparatus (6). The sand drying and handling apparatus (6) includes four vesssels or tanks (7). Each tank (7) is generally cylindrically shaped and has a cone-shaped base. Sand is held in the tanks (7) for a predetermined amount of time sufficient to allow the sand to dry to the desired level by gravity.