GB2103916A

GB2103916A - Treatment of straw

Info

Publication number: GB2103916A
Application number: GB08124775A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Henry Castle
Original assignee: ELTSAC FEEDS Ltd
Current assignee: ELTSAC FEEDS Ltd
Priority date: 1981-08-13
Filing date: 1981-08-13
Publication date: 1983-03-02
Also published as: GB2103916B

Abstract

A composition, for use in the treatment of straw, comprises a dry mixture of:- (a) a particulate mixture of urea and a solid acidic substance; and (b) a particulate mixture of urease or a urease-containing material and a solid alkaline substance; the particles of at least one of the said particulate components (a) or (b) being provided with a protective coating comprising an organic hydrophobic liquid. Straw is contacted with the composition, which is moistened in contact with the straw whereby the composition liberates ammonia. The straw is allowed to remain in contact with the ammonia so produced for a period of time sufficient to increase the feed value of the straw.

Description

SPECIFICATION Treatment of straw This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to the treatment of straw and to compositions for use in such treatment.

The feed value of straw may be markedly enhanced by contacting the straw with ammonia and allowing the straw to remain in contact with the ammonia for a sufficient period of time, generally from 1 to 3 months, commonly about 2 months.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition which may be used in the treatment of straw to convert it to a product of higher feed value by treatment with ammonia. It is another object of the invention to provide a method for the treatment of straw using such a composition.

According to one embodiment of the invention there is provided a composition, for use in the treatment of straw, comprising a dry mixture of: (a) a particulate mixture of urea and a solid acidic substance; and (b) a particulate mixture of urease or a ureasecontaining material and a solid alkaline substance; the particles are of at least one of the said particulate components (a) or (b) being provided with a protective coating comprising an organic hydrophobic liquid.

The invention also provides a method for the treatment of straw which comprises contacting the straw with a composition as defined above, moistening the composition in contact with the straw whereby the composition liberates ammonia and allowing the straw to remain in contact with the ammonia so produced for a period of time sufficient to increase the feed value of the straw.

The solid acidic component present in component (a) of the composition of the invention may be a solid inorganic acidic substance but more conveniently is a solid organic acid such as citric acid. The acidic substance is suitably present in component (a) in an amount of from 1 to 10, preferably from 3 to 7, more preferably about 5% by weight.

The urea present in component (a) is in particulate form and may suitably be prilled or crystalline urea.

Whilst component (b) may contain urease itself, it is generally preferred, for reasons of economy, that the urease be provided in a urease-containing material such as uncooked (raw) soya beans. The solid alkaline substance present in component (b) may, for example, be sodium carbonate or, preferably, iime (calcium carbonate). The weight ratio of alkaline substance to urease or urease containing material in component (b) will, to some extent, depend upon the urease content of that latter. The amount of alkaline substance in component (b) is suitably such that it is approximately stoichiometrically equivalent to the amount of acidic substance in component (a).

When the urease-containing material in component (b) is, for example, soya beans, the component (b) suitably contains from 90 to 99% by weight of soya beans and from 1 to 10% by weight of alkaline substance, preferably from 3 to 97% by weight of soya beans and from 3 to 7% by weight of alkaline substance; the amount of component (b) in the total composition being from 5 to 15% by weight preferably about 10% by weight.

The particles of at least one of components (a) and (b) are coated with a coating composition comprising a hydrophilic organic liquid such as a vegetable oil and this coating may also preferably comprise a clay in which case the weight ratio of clay to vegetable oil is suitably from 0.5:1 to 3:1, preferably from 1:1 to 2:1. Where only one of the components is so coated it is preferred that component (b) be so coated.

In accordance with the method of the invention the composition as defined above is brought into contact with the straw and this may be simply achieved by sprinkling the composition onto the straw in baled or loose form, suitably in an amount of from 3 to 1 0, preferably from 6 to 7% by weight of composition based on the total weight of straw to be treated. The composition in contact with the straw is then moistened or wetted and, in order to maintain ammonia thereby produced in contact with the straw the straw should be sealed with an impermeable membrane, for example by placing plastic sheets over the straw. The straw is then allowed to remain in contact with the ammonia produced for a sufficient period of time to increase its feed value, for example for a period of from 1 to 3 months, suitably about 2 months.

In order that the invention may be well understood the following examples of compositions in accordance with the invention are given by way of illustration only.

In the examples all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise stated.

EXAMPLE 1 Components (a) of composition of the invention were made by mixing the following: (I) Urea 70% Vegetable oil 10% Citric acid 5% Kaolin 15% (II) Urea 95% Citric acid 5% Components (b) of composition of the invention were made by mixing the following: (III) Soya beans 70% Vegetable oil 10% Kaolin 1 5% Limestone 5% (IV) Soya beans 95% Limestone 5% In the case of components (I) and (III) the mixture took the form of particles of the active ingredients coated with a kaolin/oil mixture.

Composition in accordance with the invention were prepared by mixing two of components I, II, III and IV as shown in the table below; the eight ratio of component (a) being 9:1 in each case.

Example Component (a) Component (b) 1 (I) (Ill) 2 (I) (IV) 3 (Il) (Ill).

Claims

1. A composition for use in the treatment of straw, comprising a dry mixture of: (a) a particulate mixture of urea and a solid acidic substance; and (b) a particulate mixture of urease or a ureasecontaining material and a solid alkaline substance; the particles are of at least one of the said particulate components (a) or (b) being provided with a protective coating comprising an organic hydrophobic liquid.

2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 in which the solid acidic substance present in component (a) is a solid organic acid.

3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the urease-containing material in component (b) comprises raw soya beans.

4. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which only component (b) is provided with a protective coating comprising an organic hydrophobic liquid.

5. A composition as claimed in claim 4 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the examples.

6. A method for the treatment of straw which comprises contacting the straw with a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, moistening the composition in contact with the straw whereby the composition liberates ammonia and allowing the straw to remain in contact with the ammonia so produced for a period of time sufficient to increase the feed value of the straw.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the examples.