Method of treating lignocellulose materials to produce ruminant feed

Claim 1

A process for preparing cellulosic material of enhanced digestibility by ruminants, which comprises the steps of: initially mechanically compacting a lignocellulose material selected from the group consisting of hardwood wood chips and sawdust, said lignocellulose material having a moisture content at or above the fiber saturation point: continuously feeding the compacted lignocellulose material to a pressure withstanding digestor vessel; subjecting said compacted lignocellulose material to sudden increase in pressure by exposure to saturated steam, at a pressure of at least 200 psig, in said digestor vessel; conveying said lignocellulose material through said digester vessel while maintaining said lignocellulose material in contact with saturated steam, at a pressure of at least 200 psig for a period of at least 15 seconds, and in the absence of added chemical reagents other than said steam whereby a cooked and digested ligno-cellulose materials is obtained; mechanically compacting the cooked and digested lignocellulose material while under said saturated steam pressure of at least 200 psig and adjusting or maintaining the free moisture content thereof at or above the fiber saturation point; subjecting small portions of the cooked and digested and mechanically compacted lignocellulose material successively in a continuous manner to rapid reduction in pressure down to atmospheric pressure in a time interval of not more than 0.1 secs. resulting in cooling of said material; and then continuously recovering said lignocellulose material in a condition of enhanced digestibility by reminants.