Non-protein nitrogen feed product and method for producing the same

The method of producing a palatable, nontoxic and substantially neutral pH food product for feeding ruminant animals comprising the steps of:

• a. mixing together by weight 40.6 to 81.25 percent of an edible, ungelatinized starch-bearing food material selected from the group consisting of corn, sorghum, barley, oats, wheat, hay and silage, 15 to 47.5 percent of at least one nonprotein nitrogenous substance selected from the group consisting of urea, biuret, ethylene urea and ammonium carbamate, and 3.75 to 11.9 percent of bentonite,
• b. the moisture content of the mixture being less than about 15 percent by weight, so that with said nonprotein nitrogenous substance by weight being between 15 to 47.5 percent of the weight of the mixture the resultant food product has a total protein equivalent of from 50 to 100 percent by weight,
• c. providing a confined path,
• d. introducing the mixture at ambient temperature into one end of said confined path,
• e. compressing the mixture over the full course of said path under progressively increasing compressive pressures to progressively heat the mixture by frictional heat only to a temperature of from 260.degree.F. to 320.degree.F., and then
• f. extruding the mixture from the opposite end of said path into the atmosphere to produce an expanded and gelatinized product having a moisture content of less than 13 percent.

The method of producing a palatable, nontoxic and substantially neutral pH food product for feeding ruminant animals comprising the steps of:

• a. mixing together by weight 57.8 to 81.00 percent of an edible, ungelatinized starch-bearing food material selected from the group consisting of corn, sorghum, barley, oats, wheat, hay and silage, 15.2 to 33.75 percent of urea having a nitrogen content of about 45 percent, and 3.8 to 8.4 percent bentonite,
• b. the moisture content of the mixture being less than about 15 percent by weight, so that with said urea by weight being between 15.2 to 33.75 percent of the weight of the mixture the resultant food product has a total protein equivalent of from 50 to 100 percent by weight,
• c. providing a confined path,
• d. introducing the mixture at ambient temperature into one end of said confined path,
• e. compressing the mixture over the full course of said path under progressively increasing compressive pressures to progressively heat the mixture by frictional heat only to a temperature of from 260.degree.F. to 320.degree.F., and then
• f. extruding the mixture from the opposite end of said path into the atmosphere to produce an expanded and gelatinized product having a moisture content of less than 13 percent.

The method of producing a palatable, nontoxic and substantially neutral pH food product for feeding ruminant animals comprising the steps of:

• a. mixing together by weight 58.75 to 81.25 percent of an edible, ungelatinized starch-bearing food material selected from the group consisting of corn, sorghum, barley, oats, wheat, hay and silage, 15 to 33 percent of urea having a nitrogen content of about 46 percent, and 3.75 to 8.25 percent of bentonite,
• b. the moisture content of the mixture being less than about 15 percent by weight, so that with said urea by weight being between 15 to 33 percent of the weight of the mixture the resultant food product was a total protein equivalent of from 50 to 100 percent by weight,
• c. providing a confined path,
• d. introducing the mixture at ambient temperature into one end of said confined path,
• e. compressing the mixture over the full course of said path under progressively increasing compressive pressures to progressively heat the mixture by frictional heat only to a temperature of from 260.degree.F. to 320.degree.F., and then
• f. extruding the mixture from the opposite end of said path into the atmosphere to produce an expanded and gelatinized product having a moisture content of less than 13 percent.