An animal feed tenderizing system that includes: a conveyor trough; a press wheel, where the press wheel is positioned within the conveyor trough and adapted to roll over animal feed; a motor, wherein the motor is engaged with the press wheel and provides a means to rotate the press wheel; and a wheel base, where the wheel base supports the trough. The press wheel is preferably made of steel. The trough is adapted to receive animal feed, wherein the animal feed is hay. The means to rotate the press wheel may include a pulley system attached to a motor, where the motor is a hydraulic motor. The press wheel is adapted to compress animal feed to enable rehydration of the animal feed.

The present invention provides an apparatus for dewatering a feed stream of aqueous solids residual from a fermentation and distillation process. The apparatus includes: a first separation device; a mixing tank; an evaporator; a second separation device; and an optional third separation device. Methods for dewatering a feed stream of aqueous solids residual from a fermentation and distillation process are also provided.

The invention refers to a method of preparing of a silage good having improved quality, to an ensiling process employing the method or the silage good, and an apparatus of preparing of a silage good having improved quality. The method includes applying a first model on determined parameters to determine an ensilability index number and applying a second model on the determined parameters to determine a retention index number for a harvested good. The method can further include determining types and amounts of ensiling additives to be added to the harvested good for controlling the ensiling process depending on the ensilability index number and the retention index number and supplying the determined additives to the harvested good to obtain the silage good.

Provided is a processing apparatus for processing water-containing organic matters. The processing apparatus includes: a processing tank configured to store the water-containing organic matters; a stirring unit configured to stir the water-containing organic matters; a heater configured to heat the processing tank; an exhaust unit configured to exhaust gas from the processing tank at a rate from 1 m.sup.3/min to 300 m.sup.3/min; and an ion gas supply unit configured to supply ion gas into the processing tank with the exhaustion of the gas from the interior of the processing tank, the ion gas having an ion density of at least 2,000,000 pcs/cc, wherein the heater heats an interior of the processing tank while the stirring unit stirs the water-containing organic matters, and the ion gas is supplied into the processing tank according to the exhaustion by the exhaust unit, whereby processing the water-containing organic matters.

Embodiments include moisture addition systems and methods. In an embodiment, a system includes a vessel defining an interior volume, a fluid supply system to add fluid into the vessel, a first moisture sensor, and a control module. The first moisture sensor is configured to measure the moisture content of a material within the vessel, such as a total mixed ration (TMR). The first moisture sensor can include a microwave moisture sensor. The control module is configured to control the fluid supply system. The control module controls the amount and rate at which fluid is added to the vessel. The control module is configured to receive a signal regarding the moisture content within the vessel from the first moisture sensor. The amount or rate at which fluid is added can be varied based on the moisture content within the vessel. Other embodiments are also included herein.