Composition and method for treating hay and similar matter

An adhesive forming mucilage for spreading upon cut agricultural products such as hay to form an adhesive water-resistant coating thereon, with substantial antimicrobial activity;

• said composition have an aqueous base including the following components, in the following ratios by weight:
• (a) about 5 parts to 10 parts casein;
• (b) about 0.5 to about 1.0 parts diethanolamine;
• (c) about 0.25 to about 0.5 parts sodium carboxymethylcellulose;
• (d) about 0.25 to about 0.5 parts glyceryl triacetate;
• (e) about 0.5 to about 1.5 parts polyethylene glycol 400 emulsifier;
• and
• (f) about 0.1 to about 0.4 parts propionic acid.

A water based adhesive mucilage for use in coating cut agricultural products such as hay to form an outer, water-resistant, adhesive layer thereon having substantial antimicrobial activity;

• said composition including the following, by weight:
• (a) about 5 to about 10% casein;
• (b) about 0.5 to about 1.0% diethanolamine;
• (c) about 0.25 to about 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose;
• (d) about 0.25 to about 0.5% glyceryl triacetate;
• (e) about 0.5 to about 1.5% of a polyethylene glycol 400 emulsifier;
• and
• (f) about 0.1 to about 0.4% propionic acid;
• (i) the remainder of the composition substantially comprising water.

A water based adhesive mucilage for use in applying to cut agricultural products such as hay to form an outer adhesive, water-resistant, substantially microbial acting, layer thereon;

• said mucilage being formed from the following components, in the following ratios, by weight:
• (a) about 6 parts to about 10 parts casein;
• (b) about 0.5 parts to about 1.2 parts diethanolamine;
• (c) about 0.05 parts to about 0.2 parts of a polyacrylamide emulsifying agent;
• and
• (d) about 0.2 parts to about 0.4 parts propionic acid.

A water based adhesive mucilage for application to harvested materials such as hay to form an outer adhesive, water-resistant, substantially antimicrobial-acting, coating thereon;

• said adhesive mucilage including the following, by weight:
• (a) about 6 to about 10% casein;
• (b) about 0 5 to about 1.2% diethanolamine;
• (c) about 0.05 to about 0.2% of a polyacrylamide emulsifying agent;
• and
• (d) about 0.2 to about 0.4% propionic acid;
• (i) the remainder of the composition substantially comprising water.

A substantially dry powder composition suitable for dilution with water to form an adhesive mucilage, the adhesive mucilage being suitable for spreading over cut agricultural products such as hay to form an outer adhesive, generally water-resistant, preservative containing layer thereon;

• said dry mix including the following, by weight:
• (a) between about 70 parts and 85 parts casein;
• (b) between about 16 parts and about 20 parts sodium carbonate;
• (c) between about 1.5 parts and about 3.5 parts potassium sorbate;
• and
• (d) between about 0.2 and 0.6 parts of a polyacrylamide emulsifying agent.

A preferred dry mix utilizable to form, upon addition of water, an adhesive mucilage;

• the adhesive mucilage being suitable for spreading upon cut agricultural products such as hay to form an outer, adhesive, substantially water-resistant and preservative-containing layer therein;
• said dry mix including the following constituents, by weight:
• (a) about 79 parts casein;
• (b) about 18 parts sodium carbonate;
• (c) about 2.6 parts potassium sorbate;
• and
• (d) about 0.4 parts of a polyacrylamide emulsifying agent.

A method of preparing an adhesive mucilage for use in treating hay or other agricultural material;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) mixing casein with water and a base to form a first mixture;
• (b) adding an emulsion-forming effective amount of a polyacrylamide emulsifying agent to said first mixture;
• and
• (c) adding an antimicrobial-effective preserving agent to the mixture resulting from step (b).

A powder mix substantially soluble in water, in which it forms an adhesive mucilage which can be applied to harvested materials such as hay, milo, or silage, consisting essentially of:

• (a) casein;
• (b) at least one emulsifying agent;
• (c) at least one preserving agent;
• and
• (d) sodium carbonate.