Animal feed blocks and methods and systems for their production
AssigneePurina Animal Nutrition LLC
InventorsMichael S. Burr, Ronald R. Scott, James Christopher Forcherio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Low moisture feed blocks deliver supplemental nutrients to animals and are free or substantially free of molasses by using concentrated separator by-product as a molasses replacement. A premixture of concentrated separator by-product and added sugar may be pH-adjusted and concentrated to a high solids content. The premixture may be combined with dry components to form an admixture that is poured into a vessel and allowed to naturally cool and harden into the supplemental feed block.
Claims20
A method of making a feed block, comprising:
- forming a premixture of concentrated separator by-product and added sugar;
- adjusting a pH of the premixture to about 7.0 to about 11.0;
- concentrating the premixture to a solids content of at least 90 percent by weight;
- forming an admixture by combining the concentrated premixture with dry components;
- pouring the admixture into a vessel;
- and
- allowing the poured admixture to cool to ambient temperatures thereby hardening into a feed block,
- wherein the feed block is free of molasses.
A method of making a feed block, comprising:
- forming a premixture of concentrated separator by-product and added sugar;
- adjusting a pH of the premixture to about 7.0 to about 11.0;
- concentrating the premixture to a solids content of at least 90 percent by weight;
- forming an admixture by combining the concentrated premixture with dry components;
- pouring the admixture into a vessel;
- and
- allowing the poured admixture to cool to ambient temperatures thereby hardening into a feed block,
- wherein the concentrated separator by-product in the feed block accounts for more of the feed block than any other component.
A low moisture feed block free of molasses, the feed block comprising condensed separator by-product as a primary component and at least one sugar selected from sucrose, fructose, galactose or lactose, wherein the at least one sugar accounts for about 5 to 30 wt % of the total weight of the feed block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.