The modern feedmill technology can cope with variability of ingredient composition within certain limits, but at the village level, variability of the material may become a limiting factor. The need to process Many wastes cannot be utilized as such without some sort of processing. For example, cellulosic residues must be partially hydrolized to improve their digestibility. Sloeneker et al. More complex processes, such as the transformation of a waste into a micro-organism biomass, may sometimes be the best way to prepare waste for utilization.
Some wastes require dehydration before they can be used as feed.
Removal of water is essential for stabilization, and for the reduction of transportation and storage costs. However, dehydration can be an extremely costly process, and wet feeding, if feasible, should be considered first. A study in Israel on the economics of waste as feed indicated that the most profitable way to dispose of citrus processing waste is to feed it as such to dairy cattle. Fortunately for Israel, citrus plants and dairy farms are not too far apart. This is not the case for many citrus-producing areas in the world.