Feed Briquettes

feed pressed into the form of dense slabs in rectilinear form. In comparison with loose feeds, briquettes keep longer and are more convenient to transport and to distribute to livestock. They are made of coarse feeds (hay, straw, and others) or concentrate feeds (oil-cake, oil-seed meal, and others), as well as from mixtures of these feeds. In agricultural conditions feed briquettes are prepared basically from hay and straw in briquetters. In oil-extraction plants they are pressed from oil-cakes and oil-seed meals. Feed briquettes are acquiring ever greater significance in feeding; they are a full-ration combined fodder for various types of animals. The briquettes are made in combined-fodder plants. Molasses, which improves the pressing and raises the taste qualities of the briquettes, is used as a binder. As a rule, the feed briquettes emerge in the form of rectilinear slabs 140-170 mm long, 50-80 mm wide, and 25-60 mm thick. The nourishment of combined feed briquettes depends on the ratio of feed going into them, but it is usually 0.70-0.85 feed units and 85-120 g of digestible protein per kg. Feed briquettes are fed dry (having first been crushed in an oil-cake grinder), as well as after soaking.