(JP7231754-A)      Alkali-treated bagasse is softened by suppressing decompsn. of cellulose and hemi-cellulose.    ADVANTAGE -   Without the effective components, cellulose and hemi-cellulose, tasty, fermented bagasse of high quality is mfd. in a short time.    (ZA9410118-A)      Alkali-treated bagasse (ATB) opt. contg. a nutrient source, prepd. by softening a bagasse while preventing decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose is new. Also claimed are: (a) a process for softening bagasse comprising incorporating CaO into a bagasse opt. with NaOH under the coexistence of water, while preventing decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose; (b) a fermented bagasse feed obtd. by incorporating a nutrient source (NS) and a seed culture of a lactic acid bacterium into the ATB and fermenting; and (c) Enterococcus faecium HL-S (FERM BP4504) bacterium capable of proliferating in an alkaline nutrient culture medium of pH 9.5.    USE -   Bagasse is a squeezed waste of sugar cane contg. cellulose (CE) and hemicellulose (HC). It has been utilised in part as a fuel source. ATB is useful as an animal feed for livestock pref. ruminants such as cattle or monogastric animals such as pigs or poultry. It is also used as an organic fertiliser.    ADVANTAGE -   The ATB feed has good taste and is of high quality. It is produced easily within a relatively short period of time. The ATB saves sugar refineries from the difficulties of treating bagasse which was previously considered as an unutilised industrial waste, and livestock farming industries from the shortage of roughage. The prepn. of ATB establishes a novel technology to save environmental disruption, an overflowing population and a food crisis by allowing prodn. of feeds for livestock and milk prods. from bagasse without any competition without foods. Previously bagasse could not be used as an animal feed due to the high lignin content.    (GB2285806-B)      Alkali-treated bagasse (ATB) opt. contg. a nutrient source, prepd. by softening a bagasse while preventing decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose is new. Also claimed are: (a) a process for softening bagasse comprising incorporating CaO into a bagasse opt. with NaOH under the coexistence of water, while preventing decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose; (b) a fermented bagasse feed obtd. by incorporating a nutrient source (NS) and a seed culture of a lactic acid bacterium into the ATB and fermenting; and (c) Enterococcus faecium HL-S (FERM BP4504) bacterium capable of proliferating in an alkaline nutrient culture medium of pH 9.5.    USE -   Bagasse is a squeezed waste of sugar cane contg. cellulose (CE) and hemicellulose (HC). It has been utilised in part as a fuel source. ATB is useful as an animal feed for livestock pref. ruminants such as cattle or monogastric animals such as pigs or poultry. It is also used as an organic fertiliser.    ADVANTAGE -   The ATB feed has good taste and is of high quality. It is produced easily within a relatively short period of time. The ATB saves sugar refineries from the difficulties of treating bagasse which was previously considered as an unutilised industrial waste, and livestock farming industries from the shortage of roughage. The prepn. of ATB establishes a novel technology to save environmental disruption, an overflowing population and a food crisis by allowing prodn. of feeds for livestock and milk prods. from bagasse without any competition without foods. Previously bagasse could not be used as an animal feed due to the high lignin content.