Processing grains, for the purpose of feeding to cattle in drought, means making them more digestible - this way the cattle get more energy (nutritional value) from the same amount of feed. Processing is usually done by cracking the grain in a mill.

Cracking grain will increase the digestibility of the feed by up to 30% but it adds to the cost. The economics of cracking will depend on four factors. This Primefact discusses these four factors, and also the following:

• whole grain versus processed;
• feeding whole or processed grains;
• improving energy value by processing;
• additives to reduce grain poisoning;
• overprocessing.