FI87719B - Improved litter material for animals and method for producing the litter material - Google Patents

Description

1 87719

IMPROVED ANIMAL SUBSTANCE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SUBSTANCE

The invention relates to an improved carrier for animals according to the preamble of the first claim.

The invention also relates to a method for preparing a substrate for animals according to the first method claim.

10 Substrates for animals, in particular small animals, formed from wood chips or pieces are already known.

The particles of such substrates are sharp-edged or faceted, which limits their use, especially in small animals. The packing density of the • substrates is low, which makes them relatively expensive to move and transport. In addition, the substrates are rich in dust. Furthermore, the substrates may contain ecotoxic residues, such as plant protection products, or bacteria, which may be dangerous to animals.

Methods for preparing an animal substrate are already known, in which the selected wood is sliced into thin slices and this is fed through a chipper to screens, through which the fine chips of the desired size are passed for dust removal and drying and possibly sorting. The result is a finely divided special chip, -; free of bark or rot material and tree vines such as leaves and needles. However, such a fine wood chip chip material is sharp-edged and faceted and may contain a surprising amount of dust.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved substrate in general, and in particular an improved finely divided substrate formed of pieces of wood, the properties of which have been changed both in an animal-friendly direction 2 87719 and in a direction which facilitates its transport and use. To achieve this, the substrate according to the invention is characterized by the elements set out in claim 1.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for preparing such a substrate. To achieve this, the method according to the invention is characterized by the elements set out in claim 5.

The pieces of the substrate according to the invention are in the form of flat flake-like particles, the fibrous or grain structure of which is at least partially broken and whose sharp edges and / or corners are substantially smoothed. Such a substrate is "soft" because its sharp corners and spikes are smoothed or softened by pressing between the rollers 15 during the manufacturing process. At the same time, as a result of the compression, the grain structure of the pieces is at least partially broken, whereby the absorbency is significantly improved. Experiments have shown that the absorbency is improved by up to 18% per unit weight compared to a substrate that has not been flattened into flaky particles. On the other hand, the loss of sharp corners and edges makes the product more comfortable to handle and is also more friendly to small animals than conventional untreated wood chips. In addition, the substrate according to the invention clearly fits into a smaller space than a similar finely divided wood chip which has not been flattened between the rollers. In experiments, a volume saving of 15% has been obtained.

It is preferred that the size of the substrate particles is at most 4x4x1 mm3. Experiments have shown that this particle size is particularly advantageous, i.e. it achieves the best result in terms of both absorbency and space saving. A substrate with a smaller piece size was used as a reference.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the static electricity charge of the particles of the substrate 35 is substantially discharged. In the manufacturing process of finely divided chips (chipping, screening and drying), an electric charge of 3,87719 is formed as a substrate, which binds pieces of e.g. dust, bacteria, etc. and makes it difficult to handle the material. Discharge in the form of a spark at some point in the manufacturing process can even cause a dust explosion. The pieces of ship-5 material no longer stick to each other after discharging, making them easier to transport and pack.

Discharging also releases dust and other charged small particles bound to the substrate pieces. These are easily removed immediately after discharge by suction and / or blowing, making the substrate substantially dust-free and free of small foreign particles. This is an important issue, especially considering the most neutral and clean environment possible for the experimental animals 15. Dust - ** penetrates the respiratory tract of animals and may cause disease.

In the method according to the invention for producing a substrate, pieces of wood are passed between two rollers 20, by means of which the pieces are compressed so as to flatten into flaky particles, at least partially breaking their fibrous or grain structure and substantially flattening their sharp edges, spikes or corners.

25 The advantages of this manufacturing method can be considered e.g. the fact that the preparation of the improved substrate according to the invention can be carried out as a continuous process by allowing e.g. between rotating rollers, the play of which is adjusted to fit the piece size of 30 chips.

According to a preferred manufacturing method of the invention, the pieces of substrate are treated by means of rollers whose surface is at least of an electrically conductive material, and in such a way that the static electric charge of the pieces 35 is discharged by means of the rollers. The surface layer of the rollers is connected to the ground, whereby the charge state of the substrate passing between them is released. The further processing of the 4 87719 substrate thus treated is easier because the pieces no longer stick to each other due to their charges and do not bind other foreign particles, such as airborne dust or bacteria, etc.

According to a preferred method of manufacturing the invention, immediately after the electric charge of the pieces of substrate is discharged, the dust associated with the pieces is removed by suction and / or blowing. It is precisely immediately after the discharge of the charge space that the dust removal 10 is best achieved and the result is a nearly dust-free substrate.

In the following, the invention will be explained in detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 shows an enlarged view of pieces of wood used as a raw material to form a substrate according to the invention; Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of pieces of wood from which the substrate according to the invention is formed; : Y: Figure 3 illustrates a method for preparing a substrate for animals 20.

As a raw material for the substrate according to the invention, a finely divided wood chip is used, which is made of selected wood material, such as peeled wound, by means of chipping and screening. Chipping is performed, e.g., by first cutting a thinner disc from the wood and then chopping the cut discs in a chipper, after which the wood is fed to a screen. Pieces of wood of the desired size * pass through a sieve and can be further processed.

• Further treatment of the substrate usually includes a drying and dust removal step and possibly an additional screening step to remove coarser particles.

At this point, the material is fine wood chips formed from small pieces of wood. Figure 1 illustrates the shape and structure of such small pieces of wood chips. These pieces may be relatively sharp-edged and spiked 5,87719, and their thickness and length may vary somewhat.

Such a fine chip C formed of small pieces of wood is fed, e.g. between rollers 2, 3. The clearance v of the rollers 2, 3 is preferably adjustable and can be adjusted to suit the piece size of the chips 10 to be treated; for example, with a chip of 4x4 mm2, the clearance v can be set to a distance of 2 .... 3 mm.

. ·. By means of the rollers 2, 3, the pieces C are compressed in such a way that they flatten into flaky particles, as shown by way of example in Figure 2, enlarged.

The compression of the pieces results in at least a partial breakage of their fibrous or grain structure, resulting in at least causal cracks and / or grooves in these 'flakes'. At the same time, their sharp edges, spikes, or corners are largely flattened, forming pieces of "soft" flakes of relatively regular shape. At the same time, the piece size of the treated chips is smoothed out. The usability of the resulting substrate is substantially improved.

• · 25 In the embodiment shown, the rollers 2, 3 are metal rollers connected to the ground 6. In this case, the stats of the pieces of wood C to be treated by means of the rollers 2, 3: the electrical charge can be discharged.

. ·. ; Nozzles 4 are arranged below the rollers 2, 3 in Fig. 3. Air is blown and preferably also sucked into the chips passing between the rollers 2, 3 through these nozzles 4, whereby the dust among the chips can be removed immediately after discharging the pieces.

After the compression step and the dust removal step described above, the substrate D in Fig. 3 can be immediately packed in sacks 5 or other suitable packages. The packages can then be moved and transported to their applications where the vehicle is applied to the cages of animals, poultry or experimental animals such as mice. Once the substrate in the cages has become dirty out of the 5 roads, it is removed and new substrate is applied in place. This is repeated often enough and so that the animals do not have to suffer from too dirty bedding or ingredients. It should be noted that due to the improvement of the absorbency, the exchange interval of the substrate according to the invention is extended compared to e.g.

conventional wood chips previously used for this purpose.

The invention has been described above with reference to its preferred application examples, but it is clear "15 that the invention can be applied in many different ways within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the appended claims.

• · »* · 4 · ·

Claims (8)

1. Animal feed material, which is formed of small pieces of wood, in particular finely divided wood chips, characterized in that the chips of the mold are flat flake-shaped particles, whose tree or fiber structure has been at least partially broken down by pressing and whose sharp edges or corners in substantially equalized. 2. Current material according to claim 1, characterized in that the size of the particles is not more than 4x4x1 mm3. Current material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the static electrical charge of its particles has been substantially discharged. Current material according to claim 3, characterized in that the current material is substantially dust-free. 5. A method for producing animal feedstock, which is formed of wood material and chipped into finely divided pieces, characterized in that the pieces are passed between two rollers, by means of which the rolls are pressed in such a manner, that they are flattened into flake-shaped particles, whereby their tree or fiber structure is at least partially disintegrated and their sharp edges, spikes or corners substantially smoothed. 6. A process for the production of stream material intended for animals according to claim 5, characterized in that the pieces are processed by means of such rollers, the surface of which consists of at least electricity conductive material, and in such a way that the static electric charge of the pieces. with the help of the rollers are discharged. 35 Process for the production of stream material intended for animals according to claim 6, characterized in that immediately after discharge 9 87719 of the electric charge of the pieces, the dust present in connection with the bits is removed by suction and / or blowing.