ACIDIFYING COMPOSITION CONTAINING DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acidifying composition comprising an acid and an absorbent, whereby the absorbent consists of diatomaceous earth, preferably moles, to which absorbent an acid has been absorbed.

Description: ACIDIFYING COMPOSITION CONTAINING DIATOMACEOϋS EARTH DESCRIPTION Technical field The present invention relates to an acidifying composition for ensi lage purpose or addition to monogastric animals. The object of the present invention is to obtain an acidifying composition for the ensi lage. of green fodder or for monogastric animals, by means of which composition it is possible to buffer the pH of the gastro intestinal tract to a lower level. Background of the invention It is known to use so called AIV acid for the ensi lage of green fodder, whereby the AIV acid consists of a mixture of hydro- chloric acid (14%) and sulphuric acid (30%) and is in a concen¬ trated form 16N. AIV acid is added to the green fodder in order to obtain a preservation of the fodder. The problem using AIV acid is, however, its high strength, which causes great working environmental problems. Even if the acid is di luted to 2N the working environment becomes unsatisfactory. It is known that certain feed stuff have a pH increasing effect in the gastric intestinal tract of monogastric animals, whi ch causes conditions of diarrhoea, inter alia due to the an accom- panying change of the bacterial flora, but also due to a dif¬ ferent decomposition process of the nutrients in the intestine. It is most of all pig stocks that are affected by different di¬ arrhoea conditions which cause a pronouncedly increased death rate. The problem is particularly pronounced at forced weaning. in order to solve this problem antibiotics are used to a great extent in order to eliminate the symptoms. This means great d sadvantages due to arising antibiotic resistance of the bac¬ teria, which is a bad thing, but means great costs as well. A general treatment with antibiotics is moreover, not allowed in Sweden any longer. It is also known to administer acidi fy ng -subst ances to prefer- ably monogastric animals, whereby these are added as chemical compounds which, most often, during decomposition form acidi¬ fying compounds /products . This not desirable as chemical de¬ composition as such may involve losses in energy and undesi red side reactions. Such a compound is e.g. urea- phosphate which, at decomposition, creates a strong cooling of the gastric, con¬ tent. Thus several degrees decrease of the temperature can be determined which is an evident drawback. Urea phosphate is moreover present in a suitable form for a good di st ribut i on . It is thus a general desire to be able to ensi lage green fodder under good conditions with regard to working environment. It is a general desi re that feed stuff components shall be in granular or pelletized form for simple handling and blending and a dust free environment. It is thus a desire to find such types of acidifying composi- ti ons . Description of the present invention. It has now surprisingly been found possible to be able to solve these problems by means of the present invention which consists of a mechanical mixture of an acid and an absorbent and is cha¬ racterized in that the absorbent consists of diatomaceous • earth, preferably in the form of moler, to which up to 150 % by weight of acid in the form of AIV acid or phosphoric acid (100 % H,P0.) have been absorbed. Further characteristics are evident from the accompanying claims . By means of the present invention a non-baking, tacky-free, free flowing granu late - havi ng a high acid content and thereby a high .aci dify ihg abi lity is obtained. Diatomaceous earth is the geological name of a naturally occur¬ ring mixture of diatoms and clay. Such a mixture is present in the Limfjorden, Denmark, whereby this quality is named moles, where it is dug in mines on the islands of Mors and Fur. Diato¬ maceous earth was sedimented on the sea bottom more that 50 milj years ago and simultaneously with this sedimentation an admixture of clay took place. Diatoms are si licon algae the skeletons of which have a very high capi llarity. Diatomaceous earth can be oven dried to a moisture content of 3 to 6 % but preferably be calcined to a moisture content of 0.5 to 2 % as well, whereby the chemically bound water is driven off. A granulate size of 0.1 to 2, preferably 0.2 to 1 mm, is a suitable fraction s.ize to be uti lized in the present composi¬ tion. The present composition is readi ly prepared by spraying the in¬ tended amount of AIV acid or phosphoric acid, H,P0, , onto gran¬ ules of diatomaceous earth, preferably moles, oven dried or calcined, in e.g. a Pascal mixer or another suitable mixer. Spraying can be made in any suitable industrial way. The acidifying composition thus contains a mechanical admixture of diatomaceous earth, such as moles, and AIV acid or phosphor¬ ic acid where the acid has been absorbed in the capi llaries of the diatomaceous earth. The composition is added to the green fodder with regard to en¬ si lage and via the feed stuff when acidification of the gastro intestinal tract is desired. In the green fodder the AIV acid diffuses and acidifies and preserves the same. In the green fodder the diatomaceous earth wi ll only become a ballast and as the composition is present in a considerably small amount this ballast has no influence on the feed stuff, or the digestion. The composition is added as an ensi lage agent in an amount of 1.5 to 4 kg per ton green fodder, only, depending on the strength of acid being used. In the gastro intestinal tract the aci diffuses successively out into the gastro liquid and provides acidification. The re¬ lease is partly sustained due to the capi llarity. The inert di¬ atomaceous earth continues through the gastro intestinal tract. The acidifying composition is added in an amount of about 0.1 to 2 % by weight of the feed stuff, preferably about 0.5 % by weight of the feed stuff. The amount is of course depending on the content of phosphoric acid present and the present need for decrease of pH. Monogastric animals to which the composition according ' to the invention can be added are pigs, poultry and other birds, horses, dogs, cats, and others. Other absorbents which have been discussed for the present pur¬ pose are attapulgite, sepiolite (fibrous clays), erionite (a zeolite), and wollastonite ( mica material) . All these, how¬ ever, show cancerous properties and are thus unsuitable. Such properties are not shown by the present diatomaceous earth. It has all surprisingly been found that the water solubility of side components present in the moles decreases after absorption of the phosphoric acid. This is evident from the table below where the water solubi lity of certain elements has been analys- ed in the .ingoing material of moles, as well as in the final product . TABLE Solubility in water of components present in moles and in the composition of the present invention. Element Amount Moles Co p. of the present invention 5.8 1.1 0.18 0.058 480 21 95 29 130 17 25 3 310 65 140 20 11 1 6 1 As evident from the above data the amount of water soluble ele¬ ments is considerably lower in the final composition than in the starting material. This means per se a further advantage using the present invention. Suitably 25 to 150 % by weight of phosphoric acid (100 % H,P0.) are added to the moles per weight unit, even though a smaller amount can be used. The composition according to the invention can be dry mixed in¬ to feed stuff mixtures and be administered as such, whereby the physical form of the composition, as free flowing granules, makes it very easy to dose. The composition can also be mixed into the feed stuff composition which is then granulated, pel- letized or extruded in another way. At ensilage 1.5 to 4 kg of acidifying composition are added per ton of green fodder. The concentration of the AIV acid can the¬ reby be varied from 16N to 8N or lower depending on i .a. the fine particulate size of the composition w ^ ith regard to distri- bution and on the water content of the green fodder with regard to the di lution. pH of the green fodder shall be below 3 in or¬ der to obtain an acceptable preservation. Acceptable results have been achieved using 1.7 kg of the composition per ton of ' green fodder when the acid absorbed was 16N, as well as accept¬ able results have been achieved using 3.0 kg of the composition when the acid was 8N.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Acidifying composition comprising an acid and an absorbent, characterized in that the absorbent consists of diatomaceous earth, preferably moles, to which absorbent an acid has been absorbed. 2. Composition according to claim 1 , characterized in that the diatomaceous earth consists of a fraction having a particle size of 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably 0.2 to 1 mm. 3. Composition according to claims 1 to 2, character zed in that the diatomaceous earth has been calcined prior to absorp¬ tion of phosphoric acid. 4. Composition according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that 25 to 150 parts per weight of phosphoric acid have ab¬ sorbed to 100 parts per weight of diatomaceous earth. 5. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that 75 to 150 parts per weight of AIV acid have been absorbed per 100 parts per weight of diatomaceous earth. 6. Composition according to claim 5, characterized in that it contains 8 to 16N AIV acid.

Inventors: MULLER ARTHUR, NILSSON TORSTEN, MULLER, ARTHUR, NILSSON, TORSTEN
Applicants: KEMIRA KEMI AB, KEMIRA KEMI AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61K35
IPC codes: A23K1, A23K3