Fermentative upgrading of wastes for animal feeding

Abstract

With the world human population touching roughly 7 billion by the turn of the century, malnutrition and undernutrition are increasing alarmingly along with food shortages Animal products such as milk, meat and eggs can provide supplementary food of high nutritive value. Hence, intensification of animal production is important. This has been achieved in the developed world (North America and Europe) through several biotechnological innovations such as use of improved genetic stock, better livestock management, improvement in the nutritive value of animal feed and feed conversion efficiency (Orskov, 1993; Perry, 1995). However, in many developing and underdeveloped countries of Asia, inadequate supply of good quality feed is the main factor hindering the intensification of animal production (Ibrahim {\&} Schiere, 1987). According to Devendra (1988), many of the feed resources in South Asia include non-conventional feed resources, crop residues and agro-industrial by-products and are currently designated as wastes.