TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The reactor is a combustion or gasification reactor. The separator is a micrometric separator. The separator comprises separators arranged in series. The field testing the biomass comprises a test comprising bulk density tests, colorimetric analyses, particle size analyzes, and/or protein content analyzes. The field testing the collected biomass comprises using near-infrared spectroscopy to determine the ash content and the moisture content of the feedlot biomass. The reactor comprises a thermal conversion reactor or a bioconversion reactor.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The step of surfacing the feedlot comprises placing a surfacing material on the feedlot and compacting the surfacing material. The step of collecting the feedlot biomass comprises minimizing ash entrainment, water content, or both, where minimizing ash entrainment, water content, or both comprises collecting the feedlot biomass during or after a relatively dry season, or every one to two months during animal use of the feedlot. The step of minimizing ash entrainment, water content, or both comprises: collecting the uppermost 1/2 - 2/3 of the feedlot biomass; and attaining a biomass with less than 40% moisture by a method of good feedlot drainage, limiting absorption of precipitation, and/or expediting natural evaporative drying. The step of partially composting the biomass comprises composting the biomass for 20-60 days. The step of preparing the collected biomass comprises: air drying the partially composted biomass; pre-grinding the air dried biomass; reducing the amount of ash in the biomass, where the step of reducing comprises separating ash from the biomass with a separator. The step of preparing the collected biomass further comprises grinding the pre-ground biomass, and blending the biomass with pulverized coal. The step of air drying the partially composted biomass comprises placing the partially composted biomass in thin beds under dry storage. The step of separating ash from the biomass with a separator comprises passing the biomass through the separator for many times. In the method: placing the surfacing material on the feedlot comprises placing multiple layers of the surfacing material on the feedlot until a predetermined depth is achieved; and at least one parameter of the collected biomass is increased relative to conventionally collected biomass, the parameter of higher heating value, volatile matter, and/or fixed carbon. The method further comprises: partially composting the biomass in a compost pile; retarding the composting in a manner of allowing the partially composted biomass to attain a moisture content of less than 35%, and/or collecting and bulk storing the partially composted biomass before it has finished composting; field testing the collected biomass for combustion quality; using the biomass as co-firing fuel in a reactor of a coal combustion system, where fly ash, bottom ash, or both formed in the reactor upon combustion are used as feedlot surfacing material; and adjusting a feed ratio to alter the amount of at least one mineral in the feedlot biomass. The air dried biomass is pregrinded to a median particle size of 42-51% passing through a 100 mesh. The step of grinding the preground biomass comprises pulverizing the pre-ground biomass to a median particle size of 50% passing through a 70 mu m sieve. The amount of the mineral is altered to enhance reactor performance. The step of adjusting the feed ratio comprises decreasing the phosphorus content of the feed ratio of a component comprising crude proteins, and/or salts. Preferred Components: The feedlot surfacing material comprises fly ash, bottom ash from power plants, and/or cements. The predetermined depth is 3-8 inches. The compost pile further comprises mortality biomass, and/or crop residues. The partially composted biomass is air dried to a moisture content of equal to or less than 10%. The animal feedlot biomass undergoes combustion, gasification, and/or pyrolysis within the thermal conversion reactor, or the animal feedlot biomass undergoes anaerobic digestion, fermentation, or both within the bioconversion reactor. The pulverized coal is pulverized such that 80% passes through a No. 200 standard mesh sieve and 70% passes through a No. 325 mesh sieve. The pulverized coal to biomass ratio is 80:20-90:10 wt.%. The biomass has a higher heating value of greater than 8000 British Thermal Unit (BTU)/lb on a dry ash free basis. The ash content of the collected biomass is less than the ash content of conventionally collected biomass. The ash content is less than 30% on a wet basis or on a dry basis. The higher heating value of the biomass is increased by 50% or more. The volatile solid of the biomass is increased by at least 40%. The fixed carbon of the biomass is increased by at least 50%. The total carbon of the biomass is increased by at least 50%.