Use of edible-oil-processing spent bleaching earth in formulating poultry and livestock feed products

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel method for disposing of spent bleaching earth that is economically beneficial and avoids the problems typically associated with its disposal. By adding fine-particle lime (calcium carbonate) to the spent bleaching earth discharged from the process filters, spontaneous combustion can be eliminated. The material can then be transported in solid form to a production facility for use as a nutritious ingredient in making a wide range of feed products for poultry and livestock.

Claims

1. A poultry feed composition comprising: 80% by weight of a poultry feedstuff, wherein the poultry feedstuff comprises 43.75% by weight alfalfa, 43.75% by weight corn, and 12.5% by weight oats; and 20% by weight of a spent bleaching earth component, wherein the spent bleaching earth component comprises 8% by weight of calcium carbonate; and 92% by weight of spent bleaching earth, wherein the spent bleaching earth comprises bentonite and 30% by weight edible oil; wherein the spent bleaching earth has been treated with the calcium carbonate prior to adding to the poultry feedstuff to form the spent bleaching earth component.

2. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the spent bleaching earth further comprises a clay selected from the group consisting of attapulgite, montmorillonite, Na-montmorillonite, Ca-montmorillonite, beidellite, nontronite, saponite, hectorite, or combinations thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the spent bleaching earth further comprises attapulgite.

4. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the spent bleaching earth is from production of edible vegetable oil.

5. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feed composition is not spontaneously combustible at atmospheric temperatures.

6. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the poultry feedstuff further comprises a feedstuff ingredient selected from the group consisting of cottonseed meal, soy bean meal, mill run, lupins, molasses, molasses byproducts, dunder, grains, cereals, legumes, straw, hay, soy flakes, soy meal, wheat middlings, barley meal, blood meal, dried buttermilk, linseed meal, meat and bone meal, peanut meal, rice meal, sunflower meal, or combinations thereof.

7. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feed composition further comprises an ingredient selected from the group consisting of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, or combinations thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the present dominant method for the disposal of spent edible oil bleaching earth.

(2) FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the invention methods for utilizing spent edible oil bleaching earth to make a high-demand poultry and livestock feed ingredient by blending with fine-particle lime (calcium carbonate).

(3) FIGS. 3A-3D depict the properties of food-grade lime used to blend with spent bleaching earth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) The embodiments of this invention are not limited to particular poultry and livestock feed compositions and methods of use thereof, which can vary and are understood by skilled artisans. It is further to be understood that all terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting in any manner or scope. For example, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” can include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Further, all units, prefixes, and symbols may be denoted in their SI accepted form. Numeric ranges recited within the specification are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

(5) So that the present invention may be more readily understood, certain terms are first defined. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain. Many methods and materials similar, modified, or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the embodiments of the present invention without undue experimentation, the preferred materials and methods are described herein. In describing and claiming the embodiments of the present invention, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below. The term “about,” as used herein, refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring and liquid handling procedures used for making concentrates or use solutions in the real world; through inadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients used to make the compositions or carry out the methods; and the like. The term “about” also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions for a composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. Whether or not modified by the term “about”, the claims include equivalents to the quantities.

(6) The terms “weight percent,” “wt-%,” “wt %” “percent by weight,” “% by weight,” and variations thereof, as used herein, refer to the concentration of a substance as the weight of that substance divided by the total weight of the composition and multiplied by 100. It is understood that, as used here, “percent,” “%,” and the like are intended to be synonymous with “weight percent,” “wt-%,” etc.

(7) Poultry and Livestock Feed Ingredients

(8) It is common to feed poultry and livestock lipids and lime (calcium carbonate) to improve nutrition and health. It is well-known that animal growth and fertility is limited by the level of nutrients in the feed available for consumption.

(9) Lipids and lime are particularly desirable in feed supplements; however, lipids have been difficult to incorporate. Lipids are often in liquid form or some form that exudes or sweats liquid oil and/or grease, particularly in warm temperatures. Thus, lipids can become rancid and decompose. This has greatly limited the manner in which lipids can be fed to animals and stored. Furthermore, when mixed with grains or other dry feed products, lipids not only risk going rancid but can also clump or agglomerate, and thereby disperse non-uniformly in typical feeding mechanisms. This results in packaging, handling, and rationing problems. As many livestock live in warm climates, these problems have greatly limited the incorporation of lipids in livestock diets and has minimized the formulations, mass distribution, and use of lipids in feed supplements.

(10) Clays such as montmorillonite have previously been incorporated into poultry feed at levels as low as one percent of the animal ratio as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,680. Effects accompanying the addition of montmorillonite included increased growth rate and body weight of the chickens and reduced mortality rate. Attapulgite clay has also been incorporated in feed blocks at the levels of 2-6%, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,809. In one study, spent bleaching clay, specifically bentonite, was incorporated into poultry feed pellets and the researchers found that “[u]p to 7.5% spent clay could be included successfully in the diet with no deleterious effects.” Blair, R. et al, Poultry Science, 1986 Vol. 65, pp. 2281-2291. The study concluded that “spent bleaching clay could be added to poultry feed at 0.5 to 2% clay.” Id. Another study concluded that “up to 4% spent bleaching clay could be included in natural ingredients diets without either beneficial or harmful effects to growing mice or rats.” Keith, M. O. et al, Can. J. Anim. Sci., 1986 Vol. 66, pp. 191-199. Despite the findings that spent bleaching earth may be incorporated in animal feed products, there have not been any successful attempts to use spent bleaching earth at higher percentages, such as above 10%>, in animal feed products. Furthermore, there have been no successful attempts to incorporate spent bleaching earth in feed products.

(11) Compositions of the Invention

(12) According to the invention a novel method for disposing of spent bleaching earth is disclosed which is economically beneficial and avoids the problems typically associated with its disposal. By adding fine-particle lime (calcium carbonate) to the spent bleaching earth discharged from the process filters, spontaneous combustion can be eliminated. The material can then be transported in solid form to a production facility for use as a nutritious ingredient in making a wide range of feed products for poultry and livestock.

(13) Spent Bleaching Earth

(14) The terms “spent bleaching earth,” “spent bleaching clay,” “edible oil bleaching earth,” “edible oil bleaching clay,” and variations thereof, as used herein, refer to spent bleaching earth resulting from the production of edible vegetable oil, i.e., oils used chiefly in foodstuffs. Examples of preferred spent bleaching earth are: attapulgite, bentonite, montmorillonite, Na-montmorillonite, Ca-montmorillonite, Na-bentonite, Ca-bentonite, beidellite, nontronite, saponite, hectorite, and combinations thereof. Typical attributes of edible oil bleaching earth are presented in Table 1.

(15) Lime (Calcium Carbonate) Component

(16) Standard Specification for Limestone for Animal Feed Use: ASTM C706-13. Lime is the most common source of calcium used in livestock feeding. It is almost pure calcium carbonate. Calcitic limestone contains 36-38% calcium and can safely be fed free choice. Dolomitic limestone contains at least 5% magnesium carbonate and should not be used for poultry, but it is as good as calcitic limestone for other animals. Portland and natural cement can be used instead of limestone.

(17) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Physical Properties Apparent Bulk Density (g/cc) 0.99 Free Moisture (5) [2 hours, 110° C.] 10 to 12 Loss on Ignition (5) [pre dired for 2 hours at 1,000° C.] 6 to 8 Ph [10% suspension filtered]   5 to 5.3 Acidity (mg KOH, g) <1 Surface Area (m2/g) 210 Micro Pore Volume 0-80 nm (mg/l) 0.46 Chemical Analysis (Mineral Composition by Percentage) Silicon Oxide 64 Aluminum Oxide 16 Iron (III) Oxide 1.20 Magnesium Oxide 2.10 Calcium Oxide 1.20 Sodium Oxide 0.00 Loss on Ignition (5) 7.90 Others 7.60 Particle Size Distribution (Based on Standard Screen Sizes)  100 2  200 9  240 21  300 18  350 12 −350 38 Source: Fuller's Earth (Clay), Activated Edible Oil Bleaching
Traditional Feed Ingredients

(18) In one aspect, the animal feed, comprises forage and may further comprise concentrates as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and/or other feed ingredients (incorporated from e.g. a premix). Such an animal feed is generally suitable for ruminants, such as sheep, goats, and cattle etc. In another aspect, the animal feed, comprises concentrates and may further comprise vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and/or other feed ingredients (incorporated from e.g. a premix) and optionally forage. Such an animal feed is generally suitable for non-ruminants, such as pigs and poultry etc.

(19) Thus another aspect of the invention is a method for preparing an animal feed composition, comprising mixing spent bleaching earth with one or more animal feed ingredients selected from the list.

(20) Forage

(21) Forage as defined herein also includes roughage. Forage is fresh plant material such as hay and silage from forage plants, grass and other forage plants, grass and other forage plants, seaweed, sprouted grains and legumes, or any combination thereof. Examples of forage plants are Alfalfa (lucerne), birdsfoot trefoil, brassica (e.g. kale, rapeseed (canola), rutabaga (swede), turnip), clover (e.g. alsike clover, red clover, subterranean clover, white clover), grass (e.g. Bermuda grass, brome, false oat grass, fescue, heath grass, meadow grasses, orchard grass, ryegrass, Timothy-grass), corn (maize), millet, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, soybeans and wheat and vegetables such as beets. Crops suitable for ensilage are the ordinary grasses, clovers, alfalfa, vetches, oats, rye and maize. Forage further includes crop residues from grain production (such as corn stover; straw from wheat, barley, oat, rye and other grains); residues from vegetables like beet tops; residues from oilseed production like stems and leaves form soy beans, rapeseed and other legumes; and fractions from the refining of grains for animal or human consumption or from fuel production or other industries. Roughage is generally dry plant material with high levels of fiber, such as fiber, bran, husks from seeds and grains and crop residues (such as stover, copra, straw, chaff, sugar beet waste).

(22) Optional Ingredients

(23) The animal feed supplement mixture may also include other optional ingredients.

(24) Optionally, other edible fats may be added to the mixture. Optional edible fat sources include, but are not limited to, fatty acids (e.g., stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and lauric acid), complex lipids (e.g., phospholipids). Sources of edible fats may include, but are not limited to, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, fish oil, olive oil, palm oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower seed oil, tallow, greases, beef fat, restaurant fats, and mixtures thereof.

(25) Optionally, other feedstuffs may be added to the mixture, including but not limited to, cottonseed meal, soy bean meal, mill run, lupins, molasses, dunder, other molasses byproducts (dried); grains, cereals, legumes, straw, hay, soy flakes, dried alfalfa, soy meal, wheat middlings, corn; barley meal, blood meal, dried buttermilk, linseed meal, meat and bone meal, peanut meal, rice meal, and sunflower meal.

(26) Optionally, dietary nitrogen may be included in the mixture. Optional dietary nitrogen sources include, but are not limited to, ammonia, ammonium polyphosphate, animal protein products, oilseed meals, synthetic amino acids, and urea.

(27) Optionally, various vitamins may be added to the mixture. Examples of such vitamins include, but are not limited to, vitamins A, E, K, and the B group vitamins.

(28) Optionally, various trace minerals and elements may be added to the mixture. Examples of such trace minerals and elements include, but are not limited to, cobalt sulfate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous oxide, iodines, manganese sulfate, potassium iodate, selenium and its compounds, sulphur, zinc oxide, and zinc sulfate, etc.

(29) Optionally, various drugs, medicaments, insecticides, enzymes, antimicrobials, probiotics and the like may be added to the mixture.

(30) Depending on the optional ingredients added, it may be beneficial to include optional emulsifying agents to stabilize the composition and prevent separation of the mixture, particularly of the fat ingredient(s). A preferred, although not exclusive, example of emulsifying agents are colloidal clay gellants, such as, attapulgite, bentonite, and sepiolite. One of skill in the art will be familiar with the use of emulsifying agents, including when they are helpful and how to incorporate them.

(31) The invention is intended as a feed supplement for any livestock animal and can also include companion animal feed such as dogs or cats, as well as traditional livestock animals including both beef and dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses, buffalo, and camels; as well as poultry: chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, and squabs and the like.

(32) Preparation of the Mixture

(33) A mixture is prepared of spent bleaching earth, containing about 30-50 wt % oil, and a lime (calcium carbonate) component. The spent bleaching earth may be present up to a maximum of 95 wt %. The lime (calcium carbonate) component is present at minimum of 5 wt %. Any suitable mixer can be used to combine and thoroughly mix the ingredients. Examples of suitable mixers include, but are not limited to, variable-speed shop drill motors with a mixer bit, paddle-mixers, etc. One of skill in the art will be familiar with various mixers and can select an appropriate mixer for their particular production needs. Once thoroughly mixed, the mixture is transferred holding container for subsequent disposition; bulk transport or packaging.

(34) Additionally, the lipid content in the spent bleaching clay has health benefits for the livestock. In cases where livestock producers have leased pasture land to edible oil processors for disposal of spent bleaching earth, it has been observed that cattle.

Example 1

(35) Spontaneous Combustion Suppression Tests

(36) Spontaneous combustion suppression tests were conducted to ensure that the hazards associated with the combustion of spent bleaching earth were eliminated. The tests were conducted as discussed below and the data from the tests is contained in Tables 2 and 3.

(37) Five pound samples of spent bleaching earth containing about 30% oil by weight were mixed with the fine-particle lime component as presented in Table 3, and under the procedures described below.

(38) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Spontaneous Combustion Suppression Test Formulations Amount of Spent Weight Percentage Lime (Calcium Bleaching Earth of Lime (Calcium Carbonate) (Pounds) carbonate) Physical Properties 5 0 (Reference) None 5 5 Dry Fine-Particle 5 6 Dry Fine-Particle 5 7 Dry Fine-Particle 5 8 Dry Fine-Particle

(39) All of the five-pound samples were placed outside on a gravel roadway in the direct sunlight for five days. To retain the heat produced from oil oxidation and protect the samples from moisture, the sample bags were closed and tied at the end of each test day and opened again each morning. The temperature of each sample was taken by means of a non-contact infrared thermometer. The temperature recordings are provided in Table 3 by sample.

(40) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Temperature Profile of Spent Bleaching Earth Samples with a Range of Lime (Calcium Carbonate) Addition over a Five-Day Observation Period Temperature (° F.) Date 08/03 08/04 08/05 08/06 08/07 Time 1100 1500 1100 1500 1100 1500 1100 1500 1100 1500 Reference 120 132 156 169 171 172 174 176 178 181 Sample (0% Lime) Sample with 118 120 123 129 132 134 132 129 127 126 5% Lime Sample with 116 118 121 126 131 133 130 128 126 124 6% Lime Sample with 114 117 119 124 127 130 129 127 125 123 7% Lime Sample with 112 114 118 122 125 129 127 125 123 121 8% Lime High Ambient 97 97 96 97 98 Temperature (° F.) Low Ambient 68 72 74 74 73 Temperature (° F.)

(41) In the combustion suppression test, none of the spent bleaching earth samples exhibited any visible ignition over the five-day test period. The reference sample did reach a maximum temperature of 181° F. on the fifth day of observation. A color change from yellow-tan to brown with some ashen-colored spots appeared. Evidence of sample smoldering was observed. For samples containing lime, the highest sample temperature recorded was 134° F. on the third day of observation. This sample had been treated with 5% by weight of dry lime. With lime being hydroscopic, moisture is absorbed from the air to aid in keeping the spent bleaching earth cool.

(42) Thus, the addition of the fine-particle lime component to the spent bleaching earth prevents significant increases in the temperature of the spent bleaching earth and eliminates the problem of spontaneous combustion.

(43) Spent bleaching earth was disposed of according to the methods disclosed herein. An animal nutritional feed ingredient was produced as discussed below. The ingredient produced for test is not to be deemed as an exclusive embodiments of the methods for disposing of spent bleaching earth, methods of producing the animal nutritional supplements, or compositions of animal nutritional supplement, disclosed herein.

(44) One hundred pounds of test ingredient were produced by mixing 92 pounds of spent bleaching earth with 8 pounds of fine particle lime.

Example 2

(45) Formulation of Poultry Feed Product for Test

(46) The test ingredient made from mixing spent bleaching earth (SBE) with lime was used to make a poultry feed for trial using the following formulation:

(47) TABLE-US-00004 Component % SBE and lime ingredient 20 Alfalfa meal 35 Ground corn 35 Oats 10 TOTAL 100
The product was successfully fed to layer hens for three months.