PRODUCTION OF A PELLETED RUMINANT ANIMAL FEED

Abstract

There is provided a pellet composition of ruminant feed which reduces the risk of acidosis in the rumen and a process of making such ruminant feed.

Claims

1. A process for the production of pelleted or compounded compositions, the process comprising: i) providing alkaline ammonia-treated grain and/or feed ingredient; ii) mixing and combining the alkaline ammonia-treated grain and/or feed ingredient with the other components of the pellet to provide a pellet forming mixture; and iii) providing at least one pellet from the pellet forming mixture through extrusion.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein alkaline ammonia-treatment to provide alkaline ammonia-treated grain and/or feed ingredient is selected from treatment with ammonia, ammonium salts, biuret and enzymes, and urea and urease.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the alkaline ammonia-treated grain and/or feed ingredient is provided by providing a urea and urease enzyme composition to the grain and/or feed ingredient.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein prior to mixing of the grain and/or feed ingredient, the alkaline ammonia-treated grain and/or feed ingredient is stored at a 14% to 26% moisture level.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein after alkaline ammonia-treatment the grain and/or feed ingredient is stored, optionally following the addition of water to the grain or feed ingredient, for a period of greater than three days at a moisture level in the range 16% to 24%.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein alkaline ammonia-treatment is by treatment with urea and a natural source of urease enzyme such that reaction of the urea and the urease leads to the presence of ammonia in the grain or feed ingredient.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein liquid ammonia is provided to the grain and/or feed ingredient prior to or during at least one of the mixing step, on and after forming the pellets.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein at least 30% of the treated grain and/or feed ingredient retains a size of at least 5 mm as determined by sieving.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the alkaline ammonia-treated grain is selected from maize, barley, wheat, oats, rye, rice, triticale, and combinations of such grain to be formed into pellets.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the grain is selected from barley, wheat, maize or oats or a combination thereof as a source for treatment.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one pellet provided by the pellet forming mixture has a pH of 6.5 or greater.

12. A pellet produced by the process of claim 1.

13. The pellet produced by the process of claim 1, wherein the pellet is in the range 2.5-16 mm diameter and 5-50 mm in length.

14. The pellet of claim 12, wherein the pellet comprises a combination of cereals (0-100%), food co-products (0-100%), proteins (0-50%) with oils/fats, molasses and minerals, vitamins and trace elements.

15. A method to reduce the risk of rumen acidosis in a ruminant by decreasing the number of periods and/or length of time of such periods in which the rumen pH falls below pH 5.5, the method comprising providing an effective amount of pellet(s) of claim 12, to the ruminant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0054] Examples of the present invention will now be exemplified by way of example only as illustrated in the following figures:

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a conventional milling process.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a milling process wherein the grain has been treated prior to milling such that urea and urease enzyme has been provided to the grain to provide alkaline grain.

[0057] FIG. 3 provides details of the treatment process prior to milling wherein urea is converted to ammonia, ammonia binds to the grain and the pH increases to greater than pH 8 leading to improved digestibility fibre digestion and an increase in the available energy content and increase in the crude protein content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] A pellet of the present invention may be formed using a process according the following stages:

[0059] 1. Weighing according to a formulation, a mixture of alkaline ammonia-treated feed ingredients along with a balanced quantity of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, liquids, antibiotics, probiotics, yeast cultures or amino acids;

[0060] 2. Mixing the formulation and grinding when required, prior to warming under pressure as a conditioning process;

[0061] 3. Compressing and extruding the mixture into a pellet.

[0062] Typically, alkaline ammonia-treatment is by treatment of grain and/or feed ingredients to be incorporated into the pellet with urea and urease and storage of the grain and/or feed ingredient for at least three days wherein the grain and/or feed ingredient have a moisture level of about 14% to 26%, suitably about 16% to 26%, most suitably about 18% such that ammonia produced by hydrolysis of the urea is able to bind to the grain and/or feed ingredient.

[0063] Typically mixing and pelleting apparatus used in the process are as known in the art and as used in conventional pelleting processes. For example, processing to form pellets may include subjecting the pellet forming mixture to water and steam by passing the mixture through a conditioner prior to introduction of the pellet forming mixture or formulation into a pellet extruder. As is known in the art, the addition of steam can improve production rates, reduce dye wear and improve pellet quality. In the conditioning step, live steam may be injected into the pellet forming mixture as it is conveyed through the conditioner. The conditioner can comprise a cylindrical tube with a rotating shaft upon which paddles may be mounted. The conditioning steam can increase the temperature and moisture content of the pellet forming mixture. In embodiments, the conditioner can be pressurised allowing the use of higher temperatures and longer conditioning times to improve pellet durability and increase the production rate. The pressure and heat conditions for forming the pellet depend on the composition of the pellet and the desired characteristics of the pellet as would be understood in the art.

[0064] In examples of the process the addition of steam during the pelleting process may be adjusted to take account of the increased moisture content of the treated grain or feed ingredient. This adjustment can be made during the production process to ensure standardised production parameters.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0065] Typically to treat the grain, mature grain is harvested when it includes a moisture level of between 16-24%. Grain outside this moisture range (above and below) can be treated for example with urea and a urease enzyme composition, but the amount of treatment provided may differ from that provided below as would be known in the art, and optionally water may be added during storage of the grain to allow the hydrolysis reaction to proceed.

[0066] Application of the alkaline ammonia-treatment was provided as follows. In a mixer, 1000 kg of grain was provided to the mixer and 100 kg of urea and urease enzyme composition and approximately 250 kg weight of water were mixed together.

[0067] The grain and/or feed ingredient with the urea and urease composition was then mixed for between 1-2 minutes to activate the hydrolysis reaction. The remaining grain or feed ingredient (4000 kg) was then added and mixed for a further 3-4 minutes.

[0068] After mixing the resultant 5 tonnes of moist mixture (moisture content in the range 16 to 24%) was discharged and stored in a sealed silo for 1-2 weeks. Following the initial treatment period the grain may be exposed to air by opening the silo. At this time the treated product has a distinct smell of ammonia.

[0069] After treatment, the treated grain may be utilised in the mixing and pelleting process as described herein.

[0070] Where appropriate, the formulation or parts thereof may be ground through a hammer mill using specific parameters, for example screen, size, speed to create a mixture of a desired particle size spectrum.

[0071] The treated grain can then be provided to a mixer as part of a formulation as depicted in Table 1, together with the ranges within which the individual components can be varied.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Normal Alkaline-ammonia Ingredient Pellet % treated Pellet % Whole Barley 23 0 Whole Maize 3 3 Wheatfeed 22 21 Maize Dark Grains 22 21 Oat Hulls 2.5 2.5 Extracted Rapeseed Meal 11 9 Rumen-Protected Rapeseed 2.5 2.5 Extracted High Protein Soya 2.5 2.5 Soya Hulls 0 1.8 Fat Spray 0.2 0.2 Rumen-Protected Fat 0.2 0.2 Sugar Cane Molasses 8 8 Limestone Flour 2 2 Calcined Magnesite 0.5 0.5 Salt 0.5 0.5 Trace Element & Vitamin Premix 0.5 0.5 Alkaline-ammonia treated Whole 0 25 Wheat

[0072] These would provide:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Maxammon ™ Normal Pellet Pellet [VOLUME] % Analysis % Analysis Dry Matter 86.50 85.77 Oil, Ether Extract 4.23 3.97 Oil, AH 5.24 5.01 Crude Protein 17.30 17.62 Undegradable Dietary Protein 5.27 5.32 Fibre 7.17 6.86 Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) 25.79 23.27 Ash 8.20 8.00 Calcium 1.25 1.16 Phosphorous 0.62 0.60 Salt 0.88 0.84 Sodium 0.35 0.34 Chloride 0.55 0.50 Magnesium 0.54 0.52 Rumen Metabolisable Energy (ME) 10.70 10.84 Starch 22.49 25.62 Sugar 8.00 7.94 Vitamin A 10.00 10.00 Vitamin D3 2.00 2.00 Vitamin E 125.00 125.00 Selenium 0.42 0.40 Copper 32.54 31.13

[0073] All of the ingredients in the above formulation were mixed in a mixer for a period of time to get a uniform mix. For example the ingredients were weighed out according to the above formula and discharged from the weigher into a commercial feed mixer. The feed was then thoroughly mixed for several minutes to ensure even distribution of all ingredients.

[0074] After mixing the pellet forming mixture was delivered to the pellet mill feeder conditioning chamber wherein steam was added to the formulation and the formulation further mixed. The conditioned pellet forming mixture was then provided to a die extruder and the conditioned pellet forming mixture compacted through the die to form soft, moist pellets. The extruded pellets were then provided to a pellet cooler, which is designed to extract heat and surplus moisture from product to improve the physical quality of the pellet and allow its storage.

[0075] Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to particular examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention.