The group of ZHANG Xiumin has found that urea+nitrate pretreatment of straw could destroy its physical structure and increase the neutral-detergent soluble content that degrades easily and fast in the rumen. Using wheat and rice straw, such pretreatment increased in vitro degradation by ruminant cultures. Also, CH4 production was decreased because the population of methanogens was reduced.
CAS news release, April 26, 2018