ABSTRACT
Anaerobic digestion of waste materials has been a long standing method of treatment in municipal sewage plants. Anaerobic digestion is a mixed culture biological process in microorganisms that converts organic matter into a gas mixture containing methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrogen. Anaerobic digestion offers those with large concentrations of animals the opportunity to produce a portion of their energy needs from a renewable waste source, that is, manure and to have as a coproduct a cattle feed component that can provide valuable fiber and cellular protein to the animals producing the waste. The solids may be dried or partially dried and sold or used as a feed component, as a soil conditioner, or as bedding for the cattle. A number of investigators have studied digester solids as cattle feed component and concluded that it has good potential and value.
