GB272447A - Manufacture of live stock feeds - Google Patents

Abstract

272,447. U. S. Farm Feed Corporation, (Assignees of Mabee, C. R.). June 11, 1926, [Convention date]. Food for animals.-Farm roughage such as hay, thrashed or unthrashed straws, clover, stalks of maize, vines &c. that has preferably been allowed to ripen before cutting and that may have been comminuted prior to treatment is subjected to the activity of ferments inherent therein or of ferments, such as malt or yeast, which may be added thereto, the action of such ferments being accelerated by permitting ready access of air to the material. The material is thoroughly moistened by adding steam or water up to twice the weight of the dry roughage to provide a suitable medium for the fermentative activity and ferments or other converter materials may be supplied in the water. The roughage is packed in a foraminate container 10 of wire mesh with strengthening bands 11 that is closed by a cover 12 of wire mesh, rope, or of canvas or burlap preferably provided with a central opening to permit the passage of air. The container may be placed on its side in a trough 13 containing the liquid moistening medium and rotated therein on rollers 14. Alternatively the medium may be sprayed or poured upon the roughage. The container is then drained upon a board 15 and allowed to stand for from about 24 to 72 hours. It is preferably enclosed by a cover 16 of tarpaulin, duck or similar material with its sides about 1¢ inches from the sides of the container so as to form a passage about the container upper central opening 17 with a closure 19 may be provided in the cover for the escape of air. The moistening medium may be heated or the roughage may be warmed by any suitable means such as by the introduction of a hot bar. Lime, magnesia, common salt, and sulphur may also be used to promote the conversion of the roughage. In a specific example a composition containing 10 per cent of malt, 15 per cent of a mixture of calcium and magnesium hydroxide, 2 per cent sublimated sulphur, and 75 per cent sodium chloride is used in the proportion of one part by weight of composition to eighty parts by weight of roughage. The container may be inverted after treatment has proceeded for some time to maintain its temperature fairly constant throughout its length.