Project dates: 25/06/2024 - 31/12/2027
Livestock production continually adapts to rising production costs, climate variability, and disease threats. A key pathway for sustainable livestock production is transformation of low-quality crop residues into nutritious feed ingredients. Fodder quality is determined by protein, non-structural polysaccharide, and fibre content. High-quality fodders (such as Lucerne/alfalfa) are relatively high in protein and non-structural polysaccharide content, and relatively low in fibre content. The converse is observed in crop residues such as rice straw and sugarcane bagasse.
Treatment of low-quality crop residue can improve nutritional value by increasing fibre digestibility in the rumen of cattle, sheep, and other ruminant livestock and/or increasing crude protein (nitrogen) content. Treatment is a blanket term for a broad range of technologies that use pH, temperature, and time to effect changes in fibre composition and structure.
The overall aim of the project is to further develop two technologies to enhance the availability and nutritional value of livestock feed in Africa and India: (i) Crop residue thermochemical processing technology and (ii) Crop residue anhydrous ammonia treatment technology R&DE.
Chief Investigator
Project team
- Professor Ian O’Hara
- Doctor Floren Plaza
- Neil McKenzie
- Doctor Jerome Ramirez
- Doctor Gabriel Luis Lopes Fraga
- Joanne Simpkins
- Associate Professor Karen Harper (Central Queensland University)
- Ashley Dempster (Fodder Alchemy)
Project partners
- Central Queensland University
- Fodder Alchemy
- Livestock producers in Africa and India
Project funding
We deeply appreciate the commitment and support from:
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Queensland University of Technology
