Abstract: A low cost, high capacity method for making starch-NPN liquid feed supplements is provided wherein a substantially NPN-free slurry containing water and a starch source is treated under high temperatures and pressures to gelatinize the starch component. After gelatinization, an NPN substance such as urea is added and thoroughly mixed with the slurry to produce a final feed. The cooking step may be advantageously performed indirectly using a tube and shell heat exchanger, or alternatively in a direct steam injection jet cooker. A wide variety of NPN substances can be employed in the supplements hereof, along with a large number of starch sources such as grains or industrial wastes. In addition, the liquid supplements can be modified either before or after processing by adding energy sources such as molasses thereto.

Abstract: A low-cost, highly nutritious starch-NPN liquid feed supplement and method of producing same is provided wherein the supplement exhibits markedly superior protein synthesis and growth-inducing properties as compared with conventional, unprocessed NPN-fortified supplements notwithstanding the fact that the supplements hereof generally have lower theoretical nutritive values than such prior feeds. The preparative method preferably includes the steps of passing an aqueous slurry of a starch-bearing food source and an NPN substance such as urea through a hydrothermal-type cooker along with direct steam for turbulently heating, disrupting and gelatinizing the starch source in the presence of the NPN substance to thereby yield a reacted product which can be fed to ruminants as a low-cost, high-protein food source.

Abstract: Synthetic polymer compositions such as polymers and copolymers of ethylene and an alpha-olefin having a tensile strength at yield of less than about 1500 psi, a hardness of less than about 40 units on the Shore D hardness scale, and a tensile strength at 300% elongation of between about 450 to 1200 psi are effective artificial roughage materials when fed to ruminant animals. These synthetic polymer compositions, when ingested by the ruminant, form a loose fibrous mass in the rumen of the animal which enhances rumination. Increasing the rumination results in increasing the consumption of the feed by the animal and thus results in increased production of the animal products.