Agro-industrial by-products (AIBP) refer to the by-products derived due to processing of the main crop products and allied industries. They are in comparison to crop residues, are less fibrous, more concentrated and generally have a higher nutrient content. There is a strong need to give them special attention in view of the magnitude and importance of this particular resource base, economic value, use by the farmers, and potential for expanding their use in India.

These by-products have a potential value as animal feeds and have abundant supplies but are underutilized. AIBP include crop residues and non-conventional feed resources (NCFR). In a number of countries, they represent a surplus situation in which inadequate utilization is consistent with a low level of productivity from the livestock. Considerable opportunities-exist for promoting and expanding their utilization especially in large scale feeding systems both for ruminants and non-ruminants. In order to demonstrate use of these feeds in economic feeding systems, it is essential that their development is consistent with the choice of appropriate animal species and clear production objectives which are oriented towards a market demand for the animal products. Additional considerations that are relevant to the demonstration and development of economic feeding systems include inter-alia detailed characterization of the feeds, processing of appropriate, innovative feeding systems, in situ utilization, and potential for wider application of the results.
A focus on the development of feed resources, consistent with strategies to expand and intensify their utilization under the Indian context is justified by several factors. Foremost of these is continuing low productivity and overall total output from the available animal genetic resources, notably the ruminants (buffaloes, cattle, goats and sheep). Secondly, there is also inefficient and inadequate utilization of the available feeds in the face of serious feed deficits, rising prices of especially imported feed ingredients, and the demand for animal products to meet human requirements.

The situation is especially critical in India with its large reservoir of valuable and diverse animal genetic resources, extremes of climate from the temperate high altitude areas of the Himalayan-region to the coastal zones of southern India where divergence exists with respect to temperature, humidity and rainfall. It is appropriate therefore to review the current knowledge on AIBP and NCFR, their development and strategies for promoting more intensive and expanded utilization of these feed resources. Given these considerations, it is important to assess and monitor in depth, the available information on feed resources in the face of dwindling and inadequate feed supplies, effective utilization of alternative or new feed resources, and the need to enhance the production of animal protein and energy supplies in economic terms. Hence, it is appropriate to focus attention on recent advances in the optimum utilization of different agro-industrial by-products including economical feasibility and their incorporation in practical diets.

                                           Potential of Feeding Agro-Industrial By-Products